Design Patterns Explained: A New Perspective on Object-Oriented Design

Learning the Facade Pattern

Once, I worked as a contractor for a large engineering and manufacturing company. My first day on the job, the technical lead of the project was not in. Now, this client did not want to pay me by the hour and not have anything for me to do. They wanted me to be doing something, even if it was not useful! Haven't you had days like this?

So, one of the project members found something for me to do. She said, “You are going to have to learn the CAD/CAM system we use some time, so you might as well start now. Start with these manuals over here.” Then she took me to the set of documentation. I am not making this up: there were 8 feet of manuals for me to read … each page 8½ × 11 inches and in small print! This was one complex ...