Serving Business Needs

[From PortlandJavaUsersGroupThread.]

Wonderful posting Sean. [see SoftwareInterchangeableParts] Indeed, question everything! But as Bob Dylan said "You're gonna have to serve somebody". So within the context of this thread, what IS the point of what we do? Most of us who do software as a profession are at the whim of corporate America. Unfortunately, the predominant motivation of our corporate masters tends to be short term profitability. As individuals, with obligations and responsibilities, making a living is one obvious motivation for why we do what we do. For me at least, the question is how to I serve the interests of my employer (my clients) and serve my own interests at the same time? I tend to agree that software development is still more of an art than a hard science, and there is a huge need for creativity and innovation. Perhaps this is one of the reasons I'm in this profession. However, speaking as an artist (in the more general sense) it is my experience that when art becomes a business the whole dynamic changes. For complete fulfillment of my needs as an artist, I look beyond my profession.

So to bring this back around to the question of "How SHOULD things be?" I think the answer depends fully on who you are asking. If we are asking our corporate bosses, the answer will typically relate directly to what is most important to the business entity. Profitability, of course! One need not place a value judgment on the response, but merely see it for what it is. As engineers functioning within the corporate world, we also have to think like business people. In terms of software, this means producing results that align with the business goals. In this scenario, typically the solution is not ideal from the software engineering perspective (which as we all know is by definition unattainable anyway). The best solution from the business perspective is one that is simply "good enough". The solution reflects the conscious business decisions made regarding the trade-offs of time, cost, functionality, and quality.

Regarding Sean's call to action "Question everything!", what is the true purpose behind the call to action? Are you looking to increase your own personal/professional gratification, are you striving to improve the human condition through technology, or are you looking for ways to increase the profitability of your employer?

Stimulating thoughts Sean, thanks.

-- RonEllisGaut?