Comments on: Adam Smith vs. Fred Brooks http://hedges.net/archives/2007/06/28/adam-smith-vs-fred-brooks/ Fri, 21 Nov 2008 07:03:55 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.2 By: Paul Beckford http://hedges.net/archives/2007/06/28/adam-smith-vs-fred-brooks/#comment-28259 Paul Beckford Mon, 12 May 2008 08:21:56 +0000 http://hedges.net/archives/2007/06/28/adam-smith-vs-fred-brooks/#comment-28259 I'm not sure that the two are talking about the same thing. The difference I think is that software development is a process of creation, not manufacture. It is inherently creative and akin to new product development not product manufacture. Divison of labour and specialisation can occur in a manufacturing environment (to some degree) since the desired outcome (replicating a pre-designed product) is known at the outset. When you are creating something new, you do not know what the end product will be, and the creative process requires a great deal of trial and error. For software, manufacture is the replication of CD's or more commonly today, the replication of bytes downloaded over the internet. These are mechanical processes that do not require people. The part of the process conducted by people is the creative design phase. A computer program is a design and programmers create new designs and new products. Normaly design studios contain a few very highly skilled individuals who are suported by a number of assistants. I think it is this that Fred Brooks is eluding to in his idea of a Surgical team. I’m not sure that the two are talking about the same thing. The difference I think is that software development is a process of creation, not manufacture. It is inherently creative and akin to new product development not product manufacture.

Divison of labour and specialisation can occur in a manufacturing environment (to some degree) since the desired outcome (replicating a pre-designed product) is known at the outset. When you are creating something new, you do not know what the end product will be, and the creative process requires a great deal of trial and error.

For software, manufacture is the replication of CD’s or more commonly today, the replication of bytes downloaded over the internet. These are mechanical processes that do not require people. The part of the process conducted by people is the creative design phase. A computer program is a design and programmers create new designs and new products.

Normaly design studios contain a few very highly skilled individuals who are suported by a number of assistants. I think it is this that Fred Brooks is eluding to in his idea of a Surgical team.

]]> By: Andrew http://hedges.net/archives/2007/06/28/adam-smith-vs-fred-brooks/#comment-22187 Andrew Mon, 09 Jul 2007 14:29:57 +0000 http://hedges.net/archives/2007/06/28/adam-smith-vs-fred-brooks/#comment-22187 I've been thinking about Economics and Software Engineering too - Seemed to me when I read Keynes' "The Economic Consequences of the Peace" that his re evaluation of classical economics and questioning of accepted wisdom (which by his day basically distilled and over simplified Smith) could also apply to S/W Eng and "Big Design Up Front" adherents: "But, most important of all, he regarded this state of affairs as normal, certain, and permanent, except in the direction of further improvement, and any deviation from it as aberrant, scandalous and avoidable." The Economic Consequences of the Peace, pp.61-62 Watch out for an essay on Agile Architecture using this quote and many more when I get a spare second to write it... Oh, and BTW, did I mention my great great grandfather was from Kirkaldy? ;-) I’ve been thinking about Economics and Software Engineering too - Seemed to me when I read Keynes’ “The Economic Consequences of the Peace” that his re evaluation of classical economics and questioning of accepted wisdom (which by his day basically distilled and over simplified Smith) could also apply to S/W Eng and “Big Design Up Front” adherents:

“But, most important of all, he regarded this state of affairs as normal, certain, and permanent, except in the direction of further improvement, and any deviation from it as aberrant, scandalous and avoidable.” The Economic Consequences of the Peace, pp.61-62

Watch out for an essay on Agile Architecture using this quote and many more when I get a spare second to write it…

Oh, and BTW, did I mention my great great grandfather was from Kirkaldy? ;-)

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