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If true, this is truly amazing. So here's a quick test: 1. Write a letter outlining the above to a VC. Explain how this works in somewhat more detail; 10-15 pa

by kabdib 11y ago

If true, this is truly amazing. So here's a quick test: 1. Write a letter outlining the above to a VC. Explain how this works in somewhat more detail; 10-15 pages should get it across. Sure it's work. But you seem resolved, and the reward is great. If you pull this off, not only are you gonna get a Turing award, they're going to mint a whole new award and name it after you. Anyway, give it a decent treatment and mail it off. 2. Tell us how that went over. Hundreds of thousands, heck, millions of pretty smart people have been thinking of ways to solve "the software problem" for over 60 years. Many of those people are smarter than I am, and probably smarter than most of the readership on HN. The actual improvements have been incremental. I'm not saying there hasn't been improvement. For instance, we tend to write more secure systems these days, but security remains really, really hard. Saying "you're doing it all wrong" to the incredibly smart and driven people I know who are experts in security is pretty bold. So, I urge you to make a proposal and report back.

calinet6 11y ago
Interesting sarcastic, insulting proposal. I'm tackling just that issue within my own company now, and it's incredibly difficult. I'll explain why. The main issue is that once you exceed a certain number of developers, the problems become more human than software. It's not the software problem we need to solve, and our solution to the human problem thus far is highly individual and anti-system, riddled with ineffective processes, "communication problems," and "culture issues" that we believe are someone else's problem that we can do very little to fix even as leaders. These are the root cause of quality issues, and without looking at the whole system—and indeed, creating a whole organization capable of looking at the whole system—the quality issues will continue dependably. The final issue is that when it comes to people problems, everyone has their own beliefs. Ideas are easy—ideas can be explained, processes implemented, software designed—but beliefs are hard. If I were to write to a VC outlining these ideas (which are W. Edwards Deming's ideas circa 1950, Joseph Juran's ideas circa 1980, and Peter Sholtes's ideas continuing into the 90's, and the foundation of the current Lean movement in software, education, manufacturing, and healthcare)‚ what would really change? I can make a convincing argument, but I would be in for a 1-3 year conversation about beliefs about management and people, depending on the person and their adaptability and openness to new ideas. It's much easier to simply do it, and I'm trying to do as much as I can in the context of a growing company at present. Plus, there are companies who are already into this stuff. Pluralsight integrates Deming's philosophy into their management and onboarding. Check them out. Someday I will start my own company, and these concepts will be at the foundation. For sure. Until then, I'll try my best to shift some perspectives.
- kabdib 11y ago
  As a boots-on-the-ground guy, it was intended to be a little rattling. I've seen soooo many smake oil proposals, and wishy-washy garbage that amounted to "just do a better job", and I've kicked out a couple of consultants who wanted money (and one wanted a process patent!) for a scheme that amounted to "track team member progress on a whiteboard in your common area". Too many people with not enough background (or bad motives) think they have the answer. So, I'm jaded. And allergic to rhetoric, because so much of it over the past 30-40 years has been vacuous bullshit. This stuff is hard, no fooling. And rhetoric won't solve it. I'm happy you're actually doing something about it, and realize that it's difficult, and I honestly hope that you do well.
  - calinet6 11y ago
    Hey, I appreciate this response. It's easy to become jaded. I'm often jaded too, and it takes everything I can muster to keep trying to improve things. Some days it's all I can do just to do my job and shut up the systems thinking part of my brain that wants to look outside it. There are a lot of great ideas out there. What matters is what we do. Good luck, I wish you the best as well. For what it's worth, this stuff is really great, and a good mental model for the reality of organizations. I highly recommend Peter Scholtes' book, The Leader's Handbook.

by kabdib 11y ago

calinet6 11y ago

Interesting sarcastic, insulting proposal. I'm tackling just that issue within my own company now, and it's incredibly difficult. I'll explain why. The main issue is that once you exceed a certain number of developers, the problems become more human than software. It's not the software problem we need to solve, and our solution to the human problem thus far is highly individual and anti-system, riddled with ineffective processes, "communication problems," and "culture issues" that we believe are someone else's problem that we can do very little to fix even as leaders. These are the root cause of quality issues, and without looking at the whole system—and indeed, creating a whole organization capable of looking at the whole system—the quality issues will continue dependably. The final issue is that when it comes to people problems, everyone has their own beliefs. Ideas are easy—ideas can be explained, processes implemented, software designed—but beliefs are hard. If I were to write to a VC outlining these ideas (which are W. Edwards Deming's ideas circa 1950, Joseph Juran's ideas circa 1980, and Peter Sholtes's ideas continuing into the 90's, and the foundation of the current Lean movement in software, education, manufacturing, and healthcare)‚ what would really change? I can make a convincing argument, but I would be in for a 1-3 year conversation about beliefs about management and people, depending on the person and their adaptability and openness to new ideas. It's much easier to simply do it, and I'm trying to do as much as I can in the context of a growing company at present. Plus, there are companies who are already into this stuff. Pluralsight integrates Deming's philosophy into their management and onboarding. Check them out. Someday I will start my own company, and these concepts will be at the foundation. For sure. Until then, I'll try my best to shift some perspectives.

kabdib 11y ago
As a boots-on-the-ground guy, it was intended to be a little rattling. I've seen soooo many smake oil proposals, and wishy-washy garbage that amounted to "just do a better job", and I've kicked out a couple of consultants who wanted money (and one wanted a process patent!) for a scheme that amounted to "track team member progress on a whiteboard in your common area". Too many people with not enough background (or bad motives) think they have the answer. So, I'm jaded. And allergic to rhetoric, because so much of it over the past 30-40 years has been vacuous bullshit. This stuff is hard, no fooling. And rhetoric won't solve it. I'm happy you're actually doing something about it, and realize that it's difficult, and I honestly hope that you do well.
- calinet6 11y ago
  Hey, I appreciate this response. It's easy to become jaded. I'm often jaded too, and it takes everything I can muster to keep trying to improve things. Some days it's all I can do just to do my job and shut up the systems thinking part of my brain that wants to look outside it. There are a lot of great ideas out there. What matters is what we do. Good luck, I wish you the best as well. For what it's worth, this stuff is really great, and a good mental model for the reality of organizations. I highly recommend Peter Scholtes' book, The Leader's Handbook.