2025-09-20

2025-09-20 Saturday - Why is Software Development Hard?

This post was spurred by a recent LinkedIn post by Keith V., Manager, Software Engineer, with The Knot Worldwide

[image source: LinkedIn]


 

I would argue that AI isn't going to solve the problem of getting better requirements - when the root cause is buried under complex layers of organizational politics, competing agendas, and incomplete/partial visions/strategies.

I would have included some references to the very real struggle to solicit/understand the *actual* requirements, correctly. As well as getting alignment and agreement.

Based on my observations, writing the code is rarely the real blocker / reason for delay / cause of rework.

It is usually attributable to delays (and rework) in divining the vision/idea that is sometimes just a wisp of a thread...floating around in the heads of several/many different stakeholders...which may encompass competing ideas, or sometimes - even antagonistic/hidden agendas.

Real, meaningful, clarifications of requirements - requires human-to-human conversations. 

[Also see my reply on LinkedIn

[My LinkedIn companion post, referencing this blog post]

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