Software Trends

“True art is in the doing of it.”
-- Jean Renoir

Have you noticed what's happening in software? It's getting flat-out easy to build business applications.

Consider this tutorial for Apple's Core Data -- a simplified way to build applications that connect to a database. In the past, it may have taken more than 100 lines of code to build this model. Now, it takes zero.

From Apple to Web 2.0, building blocks are being created that simplify the development of business models. And because this trend is only going to get stronger, it supports another trend: The hiring of ambidextrous employees -- people with business and technology skills.

As it gets easier to build applications, a balanced professional can complete the full development life cycle. So instead of having a business analyst and a software engineer, you now have a business engineer.

Investment banks have been using this hiring model for years -- they hire people (financial engineers) with a solid understanding of finance and software to create complex financial models.

You could have employed a business analyst with software skills years ago, however, that would have been visionary. Indeed, you would've had to circumvent the IT feudal system -- the CIO and her cronies. And a revolution of the institution isn't always successful.

For those managers out to sea, forget about your beloved methodologies -- If you're unable to internalize it and forget it, forget trying to internalize it. Instead, here's what a modern-day business engineer should base her craft upon:

• User Interface Design -- Human Factors
• Business Models
• Software Design

By mastering these three areas, you'll be able to perform true art.

Comments

[Kare Anderson]

as you noted, the people who'll attract the most opportunity in this flattening world (per Tom Friedman) are the Creative Class (per Richard Florida) who think for a living, have several kinds of expertise and are nimble enough to befriend others with the talents they do not have. As a lover of this enabline "we the people" stuff but a non-techie, I'm lucky to have found multi-talented Adam duVander to launch some blogs (sausalitobythebay), following up on your past "honey" comment about my work... "Speak English Like it Tastes Good" - a handy talent for ambidextrous allies, some of fwhom may be employees. Keep up the great writing

[Steve Neiderhauser]

Kare,

I hadn't thought about it before, however, in many ways the ability to communicate with yourself (in pictures and metaphors) is the foundation needed to develop ambidextrous talent.

Glad you like the writing -- your excellent article "Speak English Like it Tastes Good" continues to help me write well.

Steve