Useful Software: The Metric That Matters

From Matt Barcomb on Twitter comes this gem of a tweet::

1. Software
2. Working software
3. Working tested software
4. Working tested deployable software
5. Working tested deployed software
6. Working tested deployed useful software

I love these states identified by Matt Barcomb. [Note: I numbered the points for his Twitter post.]

Too many companies stop in the continuum somewhere between Level 2 and 5 but rarely achieve Level 6. Time and budget runs out before Level 6 can be achieved.

Yet, Level 6 is where real value and return-on-investment occurs.

Level 6 is about addressing the needs of the stakeholders or end-users–the people who have real work to do with the software. So very many software deployments fall flat for so many reasons but useful is paramount.

When software is being deployed, those preparing it need to constantly remind themselves that everything they are doing is for the benefit of the stakeholders or end-users, not for them.

Too often, bonuses are tied to meeting dates, and not based on usefulness which undermines adoption. It is time to look at how bonuses are earned. It is too easy to throw software over the wall without regard to achieving Level 6.

Photo Credit: BK2000 on Flickr

Thought for the week:

“If Felix Baumgartner can jump from a capsule at the edge of space and skydive at supersonic speeds to earth, what’s stopping you from doing that thing you are hesitating to do?” – @DanielJPeter (on Twitter)