Introduction

Often, software developers at the start of their careers struggle to understand the primary purpose and goals of software development within an organization. Technical decisions are made to achieve business-oriented goals and may not always be technically logical.

Business Decisions Might Not Make Sense Technically

Throughout the life of an organization, decisions are frequently made that may not seem logical from a technical standpoint. This can occur in various situations.

For example, there may be instances where an old codebase is maintained to remain operational rather than being modernized. From a technical perspective, it may not make sense to retain an old codebase, as it might utilize outdated technology that is more challenging to maintain and work with.

Tech Decisions Can Entail Unneeded Costs

Building on the previous example, if a decision were made with a strict technical focus, it would necessitate rewriting the codebase for modernization.

Such a decision would incur significant unneeded costs and resource consumption that could otherwise be allocated to creating value in other areas. This consideration is particularly crucial in organizations where maintaining efficiency is essential.

Tech Decisions Must Be Defensible in Terms of Business Rationale

This does not imply that technical decisions cannot be made within an organization; after all, many organizations that develop software are tech companies. It simply means that for a technical decision to be viable, it must align with business objectives.

Building on the previous example again, modernizing a legacy codebase could be a sensible decision for an organization if it promises to reduce costs in the long or short term.

Having every decision in an organization be strictly tech-focused is a recipe for disaster and failure. In contrast, if the same decisions can add and create business value, they are often advantageous for the organization.

Ending Notes

While certain decisions within an organization may not be appealing to developers, particularly those early in their careers, they are necessary steps to ensure the organization’s continuity.

Technical decisions must be justifiable in terms of business rationale; otherwise, they could lead to the depletion of human or monetary resources.