The term engineering is derived from the Latin ingenium, meaning “cleverness” and ingeniare, meaning “to contrive, devise” – Wikipedia
Wiki’s engineering definition goes on to define engineering as how to:
develop structures, machines, apparatus, or manufacturing processes, or works utilizing them [..] with full cognizance of their design
There are two worrying words in those definitions: cleverness and cognizance.
The definition implies that engineered things will always be correct things. That they will be tested and proven. That they will be designed in the most relevant way to solve a problem. That they they will never go wrong.
But there is always a point where a system will break down. There is no such thing as infallible.
But there is always a point where a system will break down. There is no such thing as infallible.
When you build your piece of software, how do you know that it will work and fit for purpose?
What lies do we tell ourselves and do we unintentionally tell our customers when we’re making decisions about building a piece of software? And how can we be sure that when we present it to them that they will be excited to use it?
Only when we get it in front of paying customers, will we know what our software means to the world.