We must state relationships, not procedures.
Meaning
Hopper said this in a 1962 paper looking ahead to computers, arguing that people should describe what they want and let machines work out the steps. In practice, when delegating at work or home, explain the goal and constraints rather than dictating every step.
Source: Management and the Computer of the Future (1962)
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About the author
Grace Hopper was an American computer scientist and U.S. Navy rear admiral who pioneered computer programming languages and the first compiler, and helped develop COBOL.
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