Comments on: the mark of sucessful software http://www.equivalence.co.uk/archives/1446 Technical Blog for Software Developers Thu, 08 Jul 2010 05:20:39 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Gregg http://www.equivalence.co.uk/archives/1446/comment-page-1#comment-530 Gregg Fri, 18 Sep 2009 08:38:34 +0000 http://www.equivalence.co.uk/?p=1446#comment-530 Yo Chris. I'm actually unsure whether I was specifying them in order, subliminally or not! I was probably just running them in 1) the order I thought of them and 2) the order in which they flow into each other/overlap. Back to your point. I agree that cost should be number one but I think I would switch round your 2 and 3 - as I would accept a high quality product that ran a little late, but not vice-versa. As you point out though, one point can bleed into the other, which maybe eludes to the fact that it's a combination of these things. Yo Chris. I’m actually unsure whether I was specifying them in order, subliminally or not! I was probably just running them in 1) the order I thought of them and 2) the order in which they flow into each other/overlap.

Back to your point. I agree that cost should be number one but I think I would switch round your 2 and 3 – as I would accept a high quality product that ran a little late, but not vice-versa. As you point out though, one point can bleed into the other, which maybe eludes to the fact that it’s a combination of these things.

]]> By: Chris McDermott http://www.equivalence.co.uk/archives/1446/comment-page-1#comment-529 Chris McDermott Fri, 18 Sep 2009 07:22:41 +0000 http://www.equivalence.co.uk/?p=1446#comment-529 I agree that these are all valuable metrics in measuring the success or failure of a particular piece of software. Although I'm not sure I agree with the order in which you've ranked them, if of course that was your intention. This is how I'd order them: 1. Software that is cost effective: No matter the quality or delivery time if doesn't produce value for money then you might as well throw it away. 2. Software that is finished to schedule: If clients require to be able to use your software to carry out a particular task on a specified day then in needs to be ready on time. 3. Software of high quality: You could argue that this comes under the cost effective banner but that probably depends on your contract with the client. If your code is bad then it becomes more expensive to maintain and extend. 4. Software that the end user is happy with: If people don't like it then you won't sell new versions or more versions or be given contracts new contracts. If they like it then they will tell others. 5 - 6. I'd agree with this order. Chris I agree that these are all valuable metrics in measuring the success or failure of a particular piece of software. Although I’m not sure I agree with the order in which you’ve ranked them, if of course that was your intention.

This is how I’d order them:

1. Software that is cost effective: No matter the quality or delivery time if doesn’t produce value for money then you might as well throw it away.

2. Software that is finished to schedule: If clients require to be able to use your software to carry out a particular task on a specified day then in needs to be ready on time.

3. Software of high quality: You could argue that this comes under the cost effective banner but that probably depends on your contract with the client. If your code is bad then it becomes more expensive to maintain and extend.

4. Software that the end user is happy with: If people don’t like it then you won’t sell new versions or more versions or be given contracts new contracts. If they like it then they will tell others.

5 – 6. I’d agree with this order.

Chris

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