software design and asking questions

We ask questions when we want to make the world better.

Like when we want to use less resources, become better, earn more money - or when we want to help a customer to do any or all of the above and thus be able to deliver a product or service.

The software designer asks the questions of the customer and creates a product to deliver an answer.

But...

We ask "how" too often:

How can I communicate better?
How can I gain more knowledge about my customers?
How can I control my resource use better?

That would lead to better PIMs, word processors, CRM and ERP systems. A safe but slower and slower incremental path to a better and more profitable future for our customers.

We should ask "why" more often:

Why do I need to communicate?
Why do I have those customers?
Why do I use those resources?

That could lead to better processes and less communication, it could lead to better values offered and more customers, and it could lead to a revisit to the strategy and a better business model. Risk is higher but so is the chance for quantum leaps to a better world and higher profits for our customers.

The core of the "how-software" is given and the focus is on user interface, speed and delivery.
The "why-software" will require process as a core and flexibility as framework, a much more daunting task.

I think that software should support the "why"s.

Comments

[Ian Prince]

Couldn't agree more.

Ian.

[Mary]

it is documented over and over again that constantly asking why is the path to greatness

[sig]

Mary, and it's the cornerstone of philosophy, most important word ever perhaps?
Kids asks it every day, grownups are seen as provocative when using it... no wonder why they say "philosophy and climbing are two things you do not learn, they are something you forget!"

[Sara]

local bank provides a service to customers which allows them to purchase shares of stock in a local software company. The commission that a customer must pay for a stock purchase transaction is calculated using the amount of money that the customer will pay for the stock. If the customer is purchasing less that $100 of stock, the commission rate is 20 percent. If the customer is paying between $100 and $200 for the stock, the commission rate is 15 percent. If the customer is paying over $200 for the stock, the commission rate is 10 percent.
Can you write an algorithm that determines the commission rate as a percentage given the number of shares the customer will purchase and the price per share of the stock.