Don’t waste resources on things that [... aren't] worth it even if they do work.

There are plenty of things that the market would accept that aren’t worth creating.

I’ve heard people say that “People don’t always know what they need till we give it to them.” Bullshit, and that’s kinda my point here.

If someone is thirsty, they tell you want water. If someone tells you that they need a faster way to review new orders, they tell you. The fact that you, the developer, know what the customer needs without them telling you is just ego.

So, to phrase better:

c) Don’t waste resources on things that you think people will need.

I’m amazed at how many developers are the source of their own scope-creep issues… but that’s a whole ‘nother discussion.

I’m working on an article now–actually more like a manifesto, as pretentious at that may sound–to explain why software development takes so long and costs so much, when it really is just a matter of making instructions.

Shifting requirements are part of the problem, but if you could magically prevent the shifting we would still have trouble.

I think it has more to do with the fact that requirements are necessarily analog in nature while implementations are always digital. There is no English-to-C++ translator. English is really good at conveying nuances and connotations. It’s really bad at conveying details in an unshakably specific manner.

For that you need Loglan. Guess what? Speaking Loglan is as hard as programming. You can’t win, at least not easily.

Oh, and Josh? I think your c) is a subset of my b).

Absolutely key … if the one giving the requirements is trying to cure cancer (which represents a production or solution that is hard+complex), it is going to take a strong developer or project manager to try and reign in the one asking for the new battery car that can go 500 miles on a charge and carry a deck worth of pressure treated wood from Home Depot.

I enjoy when time goes by and then the discussions surrounding “how come we have spent this much time and I don’t have a use-able product yet? I clearly told you what it needs to do, why doesn’t it do it?” … and by enjoy I mean loathe.

(Let me know if I can work in some additional mixed metaphors in my comments going forward)

You’re right, Josh. The key is that if you’re going to fail, get it out of the way as soon as you can–whether it’s a project for a particular client, or a product for a wider market. Don’t waste resources on things that either a) can’t possibly work; or b) aren’t worth it even if they do work.

Why? To make the product real as quickly and cheaply as possible. Even though it’s just a stack of screen concepts, people get it. They will give you feedback.

That feedback tells you what to do. That may mean canning the project, or just feedback towards continuing.

The goal here is to gain direction, not affirmation. I’ve never gotten feedback that says “You’ve got this perfect, just keep going as is.” If you do get that, just press for feedback anyway.

Another awesome post.