When does innovative software development shows?

Question

I've been working as a software developer for almost a year (not much though) in a corporate environment but all I've done so far is a raw software implementation of company needs. Senior coworkers don't seem to be doing some fairly different stuff. In fact their "benefit" for being experienced is simply an app design and getting their hands on new projects first. My elder software developer friend's jobs don't seem to differ from the overall picture.

Currently I'm a student of a CS department and what I really want to bring in this world is some innovative(not new but innovative) stuff that haven't been there. Something as great as google wave or JARVIS (if that can be done at all) or even much better, but yet it looked like that's not possible. The question is: when do people in a corporate environment choose to create something innovative? (from your experience/thoughts)

Answer 1

Most of the time, the answer to your question would be never.

The motivation to go off and do something innovative is entirely dependent on the person. When it comes to typical corporate America, I wouldn't expect to be creating anything innovative and amazing. I would say the majority of anything truly interesting and innovative happens after hours on their own time if the person in question has a real job.

Answer 2

These are your options:
A) find a company that does something that you like
B) Find a company that gives you time to do your own thing
C) do your own thing at home

Answer 3

For the most part, software innovation doesn't happen very much in environments such as yours, and when it does it is usually done as a "skunkworks" project without official management approval. If you want to be involved in innovative work your goal should be to eventually work for a software technology company like Google or the like, or you can just join one of the many open source projects out there. Doing the latter is a good way to build credentials to get a job with a more interesting employer.

Answer 4

what I really want to bring in this world is some innovative(not new but innovative)

Don't we all. Sigh.

If you're actually brilliant, you'll have opportunities to do this. "working as a software developer for almost a year" Remain calm. The "long run" is 30 or 40 years of a working life.

If you're like the above-average people I've met, you'll be just able to produce software that's good enough to help your company get ahead. Until dumb management subverts things.

If you're like the rest of us, you'll spend your career struggling to chase after the above-average folks.

Answer 5

Notable innovation usually only occurs at a few select companies (Google, as others have said, Microsoft, though they're not doing it as much, and Apple). However, the main thing for an innovative program comes from just an idea.

Can you think of something others haven't done? Can you do it? Will you do it?

If the answer to any of these is no, then you're not going to be the guy coming up with "The Next Big Thing". It only comes from having an idea, and doing something with it. (I read something about this recently, I think from Joel, but not on his blog. Anybody know the article I mean?)

Unfortunately, working in a corporate culture, unless that corporation promotes new ideas (see above), you're going to be stuck doing the same crap as everybody else. I know for myself, I spend all day in front of a computer, looking at code. When I get home, I keep meaning to work on my own "innovative" idea, but I play video games, drums, with my dogs, go to the gym, hang with friends, whatever. I have no desire to spend yet another few hours in front of a computer working on more code.

The same thing happens to a lot of people, and unless you can get past this, you're never going to build something.

So, simple answer: When you have an idea, and actually do something with it.

Answer 6

It shows when you can prove you have a market for your innovative software. Have a proof of concept ready and be prepared to defend your idea. If it can really bring in the cash, it will catch someone's eye. Ideas that are provocative yet fail to gain any financial support remain to be followed in your own spare time.