For decades, the "iron triangle" has illustrated the inherent trade-offs in software development, balancing quality, speed, and cost. This principle suggests that achieving all three simultaneously is unrealistic—developers often prioritize two at the expense of the third. For instance, choosing a low-cost and rapid development approach often compromises product quality. This trade-off model has been a foundational concept among software professionals for years.
A related, longstanding notion in software development is that adding more team members does not always translate to proportional productivity gains. The classic book The Mythical Man-Month by Fred Brooks (1975) delves into this idea, illustrating how productivity diminishes as more developers are added to a software development project. This insight underscores the need for efficiency beyond merely expanding efforts.
With recent advancements in Large Language Models (LLM) and Generative AI (GenAI), we are witnessing a shift that could redefine these longstanding constraints. AI capabilities could now meet quality, speed, and cost.
The tech services industry is at the threshold of transformation, moving beyond an execution-centric role to driving more strategic, business-focused outcomes. The boundaries between software and services may continue to blur.
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