Modern technology has reached far lengths when it comes to complicated and intricate functions of computer systems. Thanks to the teams of software engineers and developers who have collaborated and worked laboriously in creating well-designed software systems that benefit the majority of people today.
Developing software takes skills, knowledge and a lot of trial and error in improving your product. Some people compare software development to playing Jenga. In the game, a team will strive to build a taller tower by stacking up pieces of rectangular wood over the other. The goal is to build a tower that would not collapse. This game mechanism is similar to building software. Each update should not compromise the function of the previous code.
Coding a software product needs undivided attention and insists on using analytical and logical thinking. One miscalculated move, a mistaken collection of elements and the whole project will result in erroneous software, or it will totally crumble.
What is the secret ingredient in making a
successful software development? Are there a set of principles to follow to ensure a higher chance of succeeding? You are about to find out here.
Below are the guiding principles of the most successful software engineers. If you follow and implement them, these principles can make any developer build a well-designed, reliable, understandable, above all; a perfectly working software which can satisfy the software developer team and most especially the clients.
Software Value Principle
If the software offers some form of value, but only the developer understands it, does it really help the user or offer them value? The least that users could do is ignoring the software and would opt for a clearer and simpler software interface. Every user will normally seek value from the newly developed solution or in gradually improving the distributed solution. It is important that developers understand that in software development, they should always consider how users would react to their project.
Does the product present the users a clear instruction on its operation? It is therefore crucial that the developers must not only create an industry-responsive and strong product but also offers an easy software interface value. Some third-parties will always try to appreciate what they have been given. So, code with the expertise of a software engineer but with anticipation and expectations of ordinary tech-savvy users. Many software have failed because they have intricate operations even if they have great value to offer and could potentially help people address some common technical problems.
DRY (Don’t Repeat Yourself) Principle
Don’t dry out by doing everything by yourself. Also, avoid DRY or acronym for Don’t Repeat Yourself. The guiding principle is based on the premise of a deliberate and well-planned approach to “divide and conquer” strategy.
At the beginning of the large software project, there can be too many tasks at hand. It can feel quite overwhelming with the level of difficulty that could potentially take too much time, efforts and resources. In order to manage this complexity, try to divide the system workload into smaller components and subsystems.
With this type of project management, the scope of tasks will be smaller and easier to complete. This can save redundant tasks and roles which in turn saves time, efforts, and resources. Andy Hunt and Dave Thomas coined the term “DRY” in their book ‘The Pragmatic Programmer’ which emphasized that “every bit of knowledge must have a particular, unambiguous, commanding representation within a system.”
KISS (Keep It Simple, Stupid) Principle
Coding software should be kept simple. However, it doesn’t mean it should lack internal features. The principle of KISS or acronym for Keep It Simple, Stupid; presents the premise of keeping the design simple in the different systems of the software. The simpler the system is coded, the easier it is to use and operate. Software simplicity should translate to easy manageability and less possible error in the system. And just because you need to develop the simple software doesn’t mean it is less work. On the other hand, the simpler the systems, the more work, craftsmanship, and knowledge are needed to build simple software with more features but minor bugs that can easily be fixed.
YAGNI (You Aren’t Gonna Need It) Principle
YAGNI or acronym for “You Aren’t Gonna Need It” is created on the principle that software engineers should build a system that addresses a problem at the current time and not code for the future. The principle reiterates that coders should always implement thing at the time of need and never on when you anticipate that you might need them. Create codes that are required at the moment. Coding is one raw form of art that fits just-this-time business. As the company launches the program, it will eventually show some minor discrepancies that needs some fixing in the coding. Overall, designing software is a continuous process of improvement resulting from trial and error of the initial set of systems previously created.
Think Logically, Clearly, and Rationally
This is probably the utmost guiding principle in building a stable software system. It is crucial that developers think clearly, logically, and rationally when working on the codes. When a developer thinks and reasons objectively and cautiously, he is likely to build an effective and clean software that can become a basis for success. He must put the target users in mind on how they can easily perceive and understand the programs as well as applying his know-how on the technical and analytical side of the system.
Successful software development is founded on the abundance of principles that have been proven over time. It is not done by mere magic or stroke of luck but instead on the repetitive improvement of the binary digits. This allows the developers to test the software and improve its functionality to get the best possible results. These guiding principles listed here can help software engineer and developers create improved performing software systems. Moreover, as more and more users benefit from the system, more and more system upgrades will be implemented as the need arises.
