There are some people doing really neat things with technology. But, on the whole, my company is not doing it. So, I ask myself, why is this so? Some thoughts:
* Lack of the “R” in “R&D”. It’s trite to say that 99% of computers is “programming” and 1% is “Computer Science,” but it remains true that the challenge today is analyzing problems and finding appropriate solutions. The thing we’re missing is knowledge transfer from the cutting edge to the troops in the trenches.
* Unambiguous requirements. I love requirements that read “I need a system that does X, Y, and Z.” What I usually get are things like “Support the new Printer”. Doesn’t describe what the new printer does, or what’s new about that printer. By the time I get my HANDS ON that printer, it’s likely too late for me to do integration tests to determine if I can even talk to that printer adequately.
* No commitment to User Interface. None. Management wants to shovel software out with no concept of how people are going to use the darn thing.