3 ms·

How to Plan?

76 points by kiyanwang 4y ago

roenxi 4y ago
Planning in software is limited by two factors: - If we could articulate what we want, it will happen relatively quickly. - If we knew what made money, we would all be billionaires. So we probably don't know what makes money. Current darling in the spotlight, sqlite, advertisies a 3 person team: https://sqlite.org/crew.html https://sqlite.org/crew.html. What sort of corporate planning could possibly achieve something with the value-add of sqlite with a 3 person team? Great software depends on the right person with a clear vision, pushing an outcome. Doesn't have to be someone who knows how to program. If your planning gets in their way it is a problem. Apart from that, it is nice to be organised I guess. It is a coincidence if the value-add parts of the development play out way in a predictable way. To use the word 'planning' to describe what a software company does is an affront to planners. Software companies guess, communicate & negotiate. Their planning is at best cargo-culting, it influences the future in only the most general sense.
- ilrwbwrkhv 4y ago
  Great software is enjoyable to use.
lasermike026 4y ago
Oh my word, this is useless. Plan what? It's about the product. Product first them plan for that.
- _se 4y ago
  I mean, presumably the author is talking about planning around how an established company is planning on improving or innovating on their existing product. I don't think the advice is useless to someone who doesn't have much experience with this kind of thing; believe it or not, organizing a large group of people is a complex and difficult thing. "It's about the product" isn't really advice that can be integrated into an organization of any significant size.
hbrn 4y ago
One big issue with planning is that it is enjoyable. And if it is enjoyable, you will likely overdo it. Planning is "dreaming" about the future. All of your biases will emerge and self-reinforce during planning. The amount of planning should correlate with predictability of your business. If you're a factory, plan all you want. If you're a startup, have a vision, take baby steps towards it and re-evaluate often.
pkrumins 4y ago
The best plan is not to plan and just do it and ship to production.

76 points by kiyanwang 4y ago

Planning in software is limited by two factors: - If we could articulate what we want, it will happen relatively quickly. - If we knew what made money, we would all be billionaires. So we probably don't know what makes money. Current darling in the spotlight, sqlite, advertisies a 3 person team: https://sqlite.org/crew.html https://sqlite.org/crew.html. What sort of corporate planning could possibly achieve something with the value-add of sqlite with a 3 person team? Great software depends on the right person with a clear vision, pushing an outcome. Doesn't have to be someone who knows how to program. If your planning gets in their way it is a problem. Apart from that, it is nice to be organised I guess. It is a coincidence if the value-add parts of the development play out way in a predictable way. To use the word 'planning' to describe what a software company does is an affront to planners. Software companies guess, communicate & negotiate. Their planning is at best cargo-culting, it influences the future in only the most general sense.

ilrwbwrkhv 4y ago
Great software is enjoyable to use.

lasermike026 4y ago

Oh my word, this is useless. Plan what? It's about the product. Product first them plan for that.

_se 4y ago
I mean, presumably the author is talking about planning around how an established company is planning on improving or innovating on their existing product. I don't think the advice is useless to someone who doesn't have much experience with this kind of thing; believe it or not, organizing a large group of people is a complex and difficult thing. "It's about the product" isn't really advice that can be integrated into an organization of any significant size.

hbrn 4y ago

One big issue with planning is that it is enjoyable. And if it is enjoyable, you will likely overdo it. Planning is "dreaming" about the future. All of your biases will emerge and self-reinforce during planning. The amount of planning should correlate with predictability of your business. If you're a factory, plan all you want. If you're a startup, have a vision, take baby steps towards it and re-evaluate often.

pkrumins 4y ago

The best plan is not to plan and just do it and ship to production.