Should software really be soft?
J.H. Erbetta · 1996
There is a tendency to promote the soft features of software. However, successful software is a solution meeting specific requirements which need to be agreed before contract signature to ensure on-time, within budget delivery. The paper considers the issues that can arise if software is considered as the soft part of engineering projects. It is suggested that if on-time within-budget delivery of software is to be achieved then hard specification of software is needed, from initial marketing and bidding through project development to delivery and in-service support. The author's experience suggests that there is frequently pressure in the marketing process to concede changes, without proper evaluation of the impact on project costs and time frame. (3 pages)