Rubber Ducky Debugging
How scripting and automation turned hours of manual work into seconds — and why every artist should learn a little Python.
The Landscape
When bringing in a new hire, particularly recent graduates, or interns, I get asked a lot of questions at the studio. While I love answering questions and helping out, much of the time I dont need to do anything, before people can solve their own issue. Not long after their workspace is graced by a little gift to help them in the future, A rubber ducky.
Rubber ducky debugging
“Rubber ducky debugging” is an old programmer trope, you walk through your code, explaining your issue to a toy duck. The duck says nothing, but by the time you finish, you’ve solved your problem. This works for any problem really, and it shows how the programmers like to hoard their magic knowledge away from mortals. The actions of re-presenting the landscape of the issue to a fresh mind often reveals the answer.
Duck distribution system
I’ve adopted the duck as a mascot of sorts for moments like these. I’ve handed out dozens to interns and artists alike over the years. You’ll find them next to monitors, behind tablets, and by coffee mugs, ready to absorb bug reports, render woes, or timeline tangles, like a little happy voodoo doll. I have large bag of them that was a gift from my father after a lunch where we discussed my frustration with this situation. I still have many more and if you cross my path you just may end up with one.
It has been interesting over time, they have gotten a little bit of a life of their own, sometimes interns coming into the studio already know of them from classmates, or new hires, when sometimes they ask, when will they get their duck.
in fact, I have been gifted with some back over the years as well, and I still have many more and if you cross my path you just may end up with one.
🦆