The value of software is not what you think it is
More features != better
"If failure is not an option, then neither is success."
— Seth Godin
Most people would argue that the primary value of software is for it to do what the consumer expects. They think that the value of software is something like the sum of all its features.
But that it’s not the main value of software, that’s its requirement. If your software does not meet what your clients were seeking out of it, your software does not work.
The main value of software, then, it’s that it’s soft. It can change. It can meet our customers’ expectations today and do it tomorrow as well whenever those expectations evolve.
That’s where we need to put our focus when we are building a piece of software: and I’m not even talking about developers only; designers and product managers (to name a few) should bear this in mind too.
Building things from the perspective of being open to change allows us to be listening more to our customers, and meet their expectations quicker, every day.
Softening our software also comes with softening ourselves. We need to see things from the eyes of the customer, and care for what they care, care for what they see.
Be soft, and build softer things.
Love your perspective on this!
Building things from the perspective of being open to change helps us to stay in the mindset of being aware of where changes might need to come into a system both from a product perspective as well as a nuts and bolts coding perspective.
Great piece. Couldn't agree more.
I 'm convinced lately that "evolvability" should be a quality attribute equivalent to maintainability and adaptability.