Learning from business
Business people know that they need accurate information to make informed decisions. So, when data gets too large they invest in tools that provide them with the summaries they need, and that support their custom workflows. They insist on having their own summaries and workflow because it is exactly these summaries and workflows that make the difference when making decisions.
Thus, a significant area of the enterprise applications landscape is focused exactly with producing tools that
- offer the automation needed to handle the size of data, and
- are customized to match contextual needs.
As a result, software development thrives, and everyone wins. But, what about the business of software development? This is a business as well. It has its own workflow and it deals with millions of details on a daily basis, too. So, how to software engineers typically approach gathering the information needed for making decisions? Mostly through manual code reading.
Sometimes, standard reporting tools do get used, but when it comes to actual problem solving, it is mostly code reading. Why code reading? Because details matter, and standard tools are too generic. And details are in the source code.
Software engineers need to learn from business people and do what is profitable and start relying on tools that:
- offer the automation needed to handle the size of data, and
- are customized to match contextual needs.