How to construct great software

In this article I'm going to explain the top 10 software development fallacies my company avoids. By avoiding these myths and concentrating on excellence, we are able to make great quality software.
Myth 1) Software must be designed in detail before development starts, so that a clear plan can be out-layed.

The truth) The more complex a design, the more like software the design itself is. By perfecting a design, then writing the software to that design, you're effectively writing the work twice. Instead, by doing just some simple design sketches and data modelling rather than a book-like design, a good development team can create a shell for the software and efficiently refine it towards the finished product. This process of refinement creates natural prototypes, allows easy adaptation when issues that would be unforseen by a design arise (or brought up as fresh concerns by a client), and the total process takes significantly less time. To pull this off requires a close team, skill, and experience, but it is by far the best option for the majority of situations.

Myth 2) There are programmers, designers, analysts, and users.

The truth) By structuring development so that all developers get some exposure to each part of the development process, skills may be shared and greater insight may be gained. If developers are encouraged to actually use the software then they can use that expertise to think of improvements that otherwise would not come to light.

Myth 3) A happy team is a productive team.

The truth) A team of people with a wide variety of natural skills, experience and concern, that criticises each other and argues vehemently over the smallest details, will bring up and resolve issues that otherwise would never be tackled. A furnace of relentless argument is the best way to forge understanding and reach perfection.

Myth 4) It's important we understand our direction and don't compromise with it.

The truth) Life is compromise, and compromise is not a weakness. There will always be issues (such as efficiency, budget, ease-of-use, power, scope, and the need for easy internationalisation) that cannot be simultaneously met without such compromise.

Myth 5) We know what the client wants, we know what the issues are.

The truth) Without constant re-evaluation, it is easy to lose track of the objective. Developers are often faced with problems to solve that they consider the issues, when those are in fact separated from the actual market goals and can become totally irrelevant. Developers must always understand the market goals and be able to adapt when other things change, or even the goals themselves change.

Myth 6) Bigger is better. Features are cool.

The truth) Features can easily confuse users, and their actual value should always be considered against the cost of confusion. In some cases it is sensible to actually remove working features due to such concerns.

Myth 7a) The customer is always right.

The truth) Most customers try hard not to look ignorant in front of software developers, and hence phrase their suggestions in a technical way. The effect is that often suggestions aren't really appropriate, because they're not founded on a solid understanding of technical issues.

Myth 7b) The customer is often wrong.

The truth) Although customers needs are often not best met by doing literally what they say, they always know what they want and why they want it - and usually for very good reason. Understand them and adapt what they say, discuss with them, but never ignore them.

Myth 8) Comment your code a lot.

The truth) Good code needs hardly any commenting, because sensible uses of naming and white-space are better alternatives. Comments should only ever explain the non-obvious, or provide standard API documentation.

Myth 9) Such and such is needed, such and such is great.

The truth) A bad workman blames his tools. Whilst some development tools aid development substantially, a good developer can do great results in most things served to them. There are a few exceptions, like Microsoft Access, or assembly language, but generally speaking the difference in quality results is much more due to the skills of the developers than the quality of their tools.

Toady

For the historical record I report the scheming,
It has liberated me, for the staff at work are accumulating.
The tardy work suppressed our feelings,
There were bookings and beginnings.
The toady is occurring to our sense
As we obviously begin with the consequence.
I report the scheme the toady endeavours,
I am actually happy with the actors.
A beggar of work is this toady,
He needs to be sacked for everyone absurdly.

quite

quite agree with ponycqu. make sure what u really want!
some of my students asked me to suggest them which discipline is easier for them to pass.i sometime will ask them which one do u like best?
if u r quite sure about what u want such kind of question is no more a question to u.if the postgraduate is just a help to earn a living, that's quiet easy to say have it or not.if it is a personal desire that's easy also.
so to be or not to be is the question for hamlet the man with hesitation with kowning what he realy wants.

ponycqu

make sure what you really want! man is the key factor ,not the enviroment. someone can learn more through his work than in the campus. everyone has the especial road. the most important thing is to find out which one is yours. I became a postgraduat one year ago. I was wandering the days if I chose to work all the time. I had to admit that the past year was not a happy memory. I know the basic question is on myself, but the education quality in the college, especiallly the education for postgraduates, is too poor. well, it's different if you are interest in study and research. do not look the postgraduate education as the grantee for work.

Thans for this topic

Thans for this topic!In china,I think the examnations are so common that we students are always complain about these boring and sometimes terribble exams,we can't get rid of examnations in the near future.And taking a postgradute exam seems to be one kind of the most important exams for college students,I don't think it is wrong to attend it.but not everyone need to take it,we should make sure it is helpful to your futrue job,as we know,many things we learned in our schools seems to never to be used! but nowadays,what we should also see is ,many companies want the students who past this examnation! I think this is why taking this examnations is a fashion.As to me,I think I will take it to further my study!