Software Architecture - You Need Knowledge Of The Human Nature #
I once saw a custom CRM software for a small company that required about 15 steps of manual input to create a new customer. And that was before you even got to entering relevant information such as name, street etc. About 80% of the time it took to create a new customer was always the same steps for each customer. So something was simply programmed to create a new customer without any afterthought.
Software can just be really bad and stay that way forever #
Of course, the software was hated by its users, mistakes were regularly made that later had to be corrected by someone. The 15 steps could easily have been programmed as a default for newly created customers, but they were not. Such half-hearted and short-sighted software can survive for years and decades without anyone ever questioning it.
Progress through automation and experience #
Software must not be so inefficient, because users are people and not soulless golems. And software can even be fun if it does the work for the user instead of the other way around. To achieve this, in addition to systems analysis, a sound knowledge of human nature is required in order to recognize pitfalls in use as early as the planning stage. Ultimately, however, you have to involve the users to find out whether they are using the software as planned and whether there are ways to make things even more efficient. Because nothing beats the accumulated experience of many iterations of specific work steps.
Enshittification: the regression of the software experience #
It should also be noted that there is still the possibility that software may even deteriorate over time. This phenomenon is called enshittification1 and usually affects commercial software. However, the problem that the user experience deteriorates over time can also affect the workplace. The development of the Windows environment, unnecessary additional software and incorrect IT advice are to be mentioned here. As always, the solution is simply competence.