Good, Fast, Cheap – Software delivery and its drawbacks

Delivering world class software has always been the dream of every company in the overall IT industry. Ever since the early days of Software production enterprises strive from a business side for results that represent their public image, and not in rare-cases over-promise on the capabilities of their software being delivered.

Software in modern life fulfills all kind of purposes, independently of where software is in use, mobile devices, web applications or even legacy apps, the same rules apply – mainly to Senior Management: Only the best is good enough.

In order to understand the process of writing, developing or creating software, it takes a whole bit of technical understanding which – unfortunately, senior management, underestimates, in a drive for cost reduction or optimizing business processes.

In over 30 years of being part in this process – delivering the full cycle of software – from idea inception to hiring top notch talent, delivering software and maintaining it over its complete lifespan, I’ve seen all kind of approaches, shaped approaches myself and in the recent 10 years I am an active decision maker when it comes to running full blown IT departments – that fortunately deliver as promised.

Whether you are running you own e-commerce site, are a provider of services, own a news website, a bank or just your own personal blog, there are 3 things you need to consider when it comes to the software solution to use or develop;

Good – Fast – Cheap!

Good & Fast – is likely being more expensive due to the amount of talent needed to deliver the solution. A good way if your expectation is high and a lot is on stake!

Good & Cheap – will likely take an extensive amount of time to deliver, what looks good is not always right though. Good looking code can be more expensive on the long run.

Fast & Cheap – will likely be of lower quality, temporarily do the job, good for prove of concept, but will not stand in real life situations. Maintenance will be up to impossible and cost sufficiently more due to lower quality coding.

Good & Fast & Cheap – can work only in imagination. Not much to say, all those three together are rarely achieved, and when tearing down cost, one will see that this type – on the short and long run is simply not achievable.

Software is overpriced

Most companies that leverage in-house or outsource development will sooner or later run into cost. Substantial cost. Why is software development effectively an expensive sport? Let’s talk straight: So you believe:

- Developers work 8 hours a day

- Are concentrated on the job while working on your solution

- Have always the intuition to get it right on first try

Well, let me disappoint you, coming from this vertical, having done the job in the past, having worked with development teams of more than 200 developers, you must be insane.

A developer works concentrated: 3-4 hours in an 8 hour shift

Communicates with colleagues: 1 hour in the 8 hour shift (verbal, email, chat)

Waits for dependencies: In average another hour (can be days or weeks depending on projects)

Uses Google to clarify some strange code: 1 Hour (more or less, depending on the seniority)

Watches a tutorial: 1 hour (yes, coding is about LLL (Life long learning) or staying up to date.

Here are your 8 hours! Now the business and finance people will start thinking to optimize the process, get developers more productive. Take this. You are insane. You can’t optimize the process, you can’t shorten communication times with other team members or stake holders. You shouldn’t blacklist Google, Youtube and Facebook, because effectively the development process will even take longer. You also can’t take dependencies away, or forbid education.

What you need to understand is simple, plain and straight forward: Creating World Class Software takes time and costs money. Depending on the quality of your Development team, the motivation (remuneration, work climate, reason and quality of management) the “Fast” can be achieved.  

Cut the crap

Aim for the best possible result that represents your brand. Use “Finance” to budget an overhead of 30%, then your calculation will be right. Be elastic when it comes to promotions. Keep your word and promises. Give freedom of decisions to the people with the knowledge ( I tend to say: My horse is smarter because he has a bigger head ), simply cut the crap and instead of making your problems the ones of your developers, help in understanding the business goals. Don’t become a desperate shooter because software is not delivered in time - Good things take time, and cost money.  

Helping Developers to deliver better, faster, cheaper  

You wanna be in charge, well done. You are an entrepreneur, business thinking and the good of your company is all that counts. You take the risk, after all the idea was yours. Now do the thing that counts: Help your people, not only developers, to understand your plans, but the wider part of people involved in running your thing. Discuss your plans, be this “open door” guy that people like and open up to.

Being a dictator that rules from the top floor – these times are gone Honey! Times change, Millenials work form Home, or a beautiful beach, or in some other country while being on travel. Working in an office, seeing the same people over and over again – these times have passed. Adopt to new circumstances. Involve your people, make them even shareholders, split the risk and get the uttermost best out of each single individual that is part of your operations. Stop being selfish, and you will see that your Good, Fast and Cheap comes a step closer.