Sequencing Apple's DNA

Appendix 2On the True Nature of Software

This appendix provides the basic elements necessary to understand the specificities, and hence, power of software, as a distinctive activity requiring consideration, management and metrics.

A2.1. Software role, software people role

A washing machine, a car radio or almost any product of everyday life now incorporates some amount of software (often a lot). This software is frequently “buried”, in the sense that its presence is not obvious or “visible”, neither for the end-user nor even for the manager responsible for its development.

In many cases, softwares have creeped into long-lived products – frequently through the man–machine interface – without any noticeable change in the development process.

As time goes by, software development costs demonstrate that software is no longer negligible, but rather may even become the main product.

However, the technical hierarchy within the enterprise remains unchanged. If, for example, the company makes electronic products, the electronics specialists will still occupy all management positions, with no intention of granting software people the smallest part of their influence. A similar situation occurs when other engineering specialities are historically dominant in the design process: hydraulics, mechanics, etc.

Even in companies already confronted with several coexisting engineering disciplines (such as mechanics and electronics, biology and computing or material sciences and chemistry), and ...