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"The bottleneck for success often is not knowledge of the tools, but lack of understanding of the customer needs." This is an issue I constantly encounter. Eng

"The bottleneck for success often is not knowledge of the tools, but lack of understanding of the customer needs." This is an issue I constantly encounter. Engineers are terrific problem solvers, but the problems to be solved are often not communicated effectively to the engineers capable to solve them.

ecpottinger 6y ago
Often the customer does not understand their real needs either, and if they don't properly understand their needs it can be hard to communicate to the engineers. Also, something I have had happen to me is the use of words can have different meanings to different people. So the customer can think they have clearly described their problem but the person listen to them may think they want something different.
- mpweiher 6y ago
  That's why showing customers actual software quickly, getting feedback directly from them and iterating rapidly on that feedback is so incredibly important.
  - nine_k 6y ago
    No need for actual software! A rather crude mock-up which shows the logic, the steps, the data involved, when discussed with the real prospective users, helps immediately find gaping voids in understanding, both to the developers and to the customers themselves. "Hmm, we never thought about it" is a rather frequent reaction. If somebody ever wondered what product people do, this is it. They research the needs of the customer, and research, discuss, and achieve agreement on ways to solve them.
- aslakhellesoy 6y ago
  This is exactly why I love Example Mapping. https://cucumber.io/blog/bdd/example-mapping-introduction/ https://cucumber.io/blog/bdd/example-mapping-introduction/
  - MaxBarraclough 6y ago
    From the site: > By continuing to browse, you consent to our use of cookies That's not how the GDPR works. [0] Here's an alternative summary. [1] [0] https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/guide-to-pecr/cookies-and-similar-technologies/#consent https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/guide-to-pecr/cookies-a... [1] https://automationpanda.com/2018/02/27/bdd-example-mapping/ https://automationpanda.com/2018/02/27/bdd-example-mapping/
m463 6y ago
better to do the right thing poorly than the wrong thing well
- snidane 6y ago
  100% except for one thing. You have to be careful about building things "poorly". There will always be someone who will judge your engineering capabilities by your "poor prototypes". Usually someone non technical from management or waterfall thinking colleagues with mindset of releasing only when it doesn't embarass them.
  - bluefirebrand 6y ago
    Or people whose careers have been a train of following behind people who built the right thing poorly, made a quick buck and moved on.
    - m463 6y ago
      ok, so "do the right thing mvp, ..." :)
Person5478 6y ago
This is exactly why I say for best results, let your engineers and "customers" talk directly to each other.

ecpottinger 6y ago

Often the customer does not understand their real needs either, and if they don't properly understand their needs it can be hard to communicate to the engineers. Also, something I have had happen to me is the use of words can have different meanings to different people. So the customer can think they have clearly described their problem but the person listen to them may think they want something different.

mpweiher 6y ago
That's why showing customers actual software quickly, getting feedback directly from them and iterating rapidly on that feedback is so incredibly important.
- nine_k 6y ago
  No need for actual software! A rather crude mock-up which shows the logic, the steps, the data involved, when discussed with the real prospective users, helps immediately find gaping voids in understanding, both to the developers and to the customers themselves. "Hmm, we never thought about it" is a rather frequent reaction. If somebody ever wondered what product people do, this is it. They research the needs of the customer, and research, discuss, and achieve agreement on ways to solve them.
aslakhellesoy 6y ago
This is exactly why I love Example Mapping. https://cucumber.io/blog/bdd/example-mapping-introduction/ https://cucumber.io/blog/bdd/example-mapping-introduction/
- MaxBarraclough 6y ago
  From the site: > By continuing to browse, you consent to our use of cookies That's not how the GDPR works. [0] Here's an alternative summary. [1] [0] https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/guide-to-pecr/cookies-and-similar-technologies/#consent https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/guide-to-pecr/cookies-a... [1] https://automationpanda.com/2018/02/27/bdd-example-mapping/ https://automationpanda.com/2018/02/27/bdd-example-mapping/

m463 6y ago

better to do the right thing poorly than the wrong thing well

snidane 6y ago
100% except for one thing. You have to be careful about building things "poorly". There will always be someone who will judge your engineering capabilities by your "poor prototypes". Usually someone non technical from management or waterfall thinking colleagues with mindset of releasing only when it doesn't embarass them.
- bluefirebrand 6y ago
  Or people whose careers have been a train of following behind people who built the right thing poorly, made a quick buck and moved on.
  - m463 6y ago
    ok, so "do the right thing mvp, ..." :)

Person5478 6y ago

This is exactly why I say for best results, let your engineers and "customers" talk directly to each other.