We build systems without checking our assumptions we make are valid.

Awareness of assumptions, and how to challenge them.

I have assumptions too.

I use: Elixir, Javascript, Python, Rust

Names.

• Use unicode everywhere.
• First Name + Last Name - both required. Works well for western names. Has some flaws. Some people may not have two names. Make one field optional?
• Unicode. Emoiji. Check production supports Emoji everywhere. Mysql may have problems, unless using utf8==utf8mb4. Mariadb is different and uses Latin1 by default.
• Chinese names. The first word is not always the given name.
• Don’t split the name.
• Not serious. Use name as password. Have you changed your name recently?
• No length limits.
• Don’t say “Your name is wrong.”

Emails

• Unicode characters, comments, spaces are all allowed.
• Many websites reject legitimate email addresses.
• Validate. Does it have a @. Check if similar to know providers. Will it be accepted y email provider? Possible overkill: Check for MX record, ask SMTP user if it exists.

Gender

• Need to have more then 2 options. 2 options like asking “what is your favourite colour” and giving two options.
• 3 options better: Male, Female, Non-binary. Same people don’t like this. Like “what is your favourite colour?” and giving options “Pink”, “Blue”, “Other”.
• Free text entry.
• Use of demographic data.
• Community composition.
• Ask for preferred pronouns instead. He, she, they.
• Titles: does not imply gender or vice versa.
• Gender does not imply clothing preferences.
• WGEA. Act defined gender as female or male. Ask the user what they want to be recorded as.
• Passports. M/F/X. Where X is other. 4th option, don’t include on passport.
• Give people reasons why you have to capture a binary. Give people option to opt out.
• Don’t use Gender API, that guess your gender based on other information such as your name.

Changes & Deletion

• Make it easy for people to change.
• Give user’s options if it isn’t. e.g. legal name and preferred name options.
• Support change username. Don’t use username as primary key. What happens to the old username? Can old username be reused.
• Changing email. Security implications.
• Deleting data.