Do you specialize in business applications as well as software?

Question

I am a software generalist, a polyglot, with some bias to web-based applications. This is only my software hat.

I also wear a business hat.

Most every system that I have worked on in my career has had a been a logistical management system, sometimes more on the inventory side, sometimes more on the procurement side... but logistics. I have found design patterns that match this business much the same way that we all find design patterns that match our software, that can be reused over and over again.

This has helped me greatly in creating and maintaining the software.

Are you also a business specialist who applies their software skills to a business discipline?

Answer 1

As a data warehouse manager, most of my work resolves around solving business problems. I work very closely with key executives as well as operations managers to understand their needs and ensure that our BI solution can match it. In many ways, I understand the inner workings of the business better than some of them.

I did pure programming for years and moved into data warehousing when there was a need at my last company. I found that, after a time, for me solving the software problems became repetitive. It was always the same set of problems that required the same set of solutions strung together slightly differently. Collecting data, moving data, displaying data. The move toward solving the business problems has been exciting and refreshing -- there's enough intangibles that I'm always forced to think creatively. I also take pride in the fact that I'm able to quickly provide answers to most of the tangible problems -- something that was unavailable before I implemented out BI solutions.

Answer 2

I'm a traditionally educated developer; I'm not one of those people who have moved into development as a natural progression of their work.

But in every job I've had, I've had to learn a certain amount about aspects of the businesses that I am working within; I can't see how else you can do a good job without understanding a certain amount about the business.

Naturally, for some projects you get more and more involved in the business as a consequence of the your work.

I wrote the management system for one of our business units. Last year, there was a staffing crisis, so I was called in to train some temps how to operate the system. The problem was that the system was only the thin end of the wedge; knowledge of the business itself was essential. In the end, I ran the day to day operations of that business for nearly 4 weeks until the key staff came back.

Earlier this year, I developed a simulation 'game' to model this business unit, and I worked with the the bean counters from HQ to model various proposed changes to the business; more notable for that fact that no-one from that unit itself was majorly involved in the exercise as I was considered the expert.

On the flip side, I find that IT professionals are regarded with suspicion; I find businesses regard us as technicians only - what would we know about business, eh?? And when trying to formalise requirements, I find some clients try to tell me them, and are resistant I want to know more about the underlying business and it's needs. 'What do you need to know more for? I've told you what I want!'.