Harshad >> What according to you are the top 3 factors which determine the technology to use for a software solution?

Atul : 1) Why should we use it? (In other words, prove that it is not a fad).
2) How easy it is for the developer community to learn, adopt, and experiment with it?
3) What are the areas that you could use to market the technology to the business?

Deepak: Features, Maturity, Availability of skills

Gaurav : Generally, in a software services organization, the technology and tools that we use are governed by the clients. So, clients decide what they want the s/w to be made of. This is generally cause the high end consultancy firms generally do their system study and propose technologies to be used. In situations, where we have a say, there are a combination of factors like, the complexity of the problem, the type of the problem, availability of skilled resources for that particular technology etc.

Subodh : The choice of technology depends on the answers to the following key questions:

1) Is the technology of choice effective in solving the problem at hand – does it speed up the process by providing off-the-shelf components as building blocks to form your solution? 2) Is the technology proven in a demanding production environment – can it address non-functional requirements of performance, stability, etc. satisfactorily? 3) Is it a widely available skill in the developer community or is it a niche-skill?

Harshad : Java has traditionally pitched that unlike a Microsoft solution, with Java there's no vendor lock-in. How important is it for a solution to be based on open technologies (need not be open source) and not locked into a vendor?

Gaurav : I think it is important not to get locked in with the vendor. There are many areas where the vendor may not be providing the most optimal solution. Well, it also depends on the kind of project/problem one is facing.

Atul : I think it is very important if the vendor is not reputed/competent. For instance, if you are getting locked into IBM, Oracle, Microsoft, and so on, there should not be any problem. We know that these companies will deliver come what may. However, the real danger is getting locked into small time players. In such cases, it is better to trust open technologies. On a general note, of course, any day, open technologies would be better than closed ones, unless closed ones really do something that is lacking in open ones.

Harshad >> Software quality is often underrated as it does not seem to generate as much buzz as new programming tools and techniques. Any quality tools and techniques that are making a significant impact in your organization?

Atul : I think we need to bring in a lot of tools, such as code review tools that detect memory leakages, performance issues, security problems; testing tools that help in automating regression tests; performance analysis and monitoring tools; etc. Currently, a lot of this happens manually, if at all. This is where we lose a lot of time and energy.

Deepak : Nothing special. Static code analyzers, unit testing tools, mock objects.

Subodh : No particular tool. Recently, I came across an open source framework for test automation called Jameleon and found it quite interesting and easy-to-use.

Atul : I think sometimes there is a mentality issue as well. Many people do not like tools, because they feel that tools may not be good enough! It needs some sort of education and a lot of insistence on the part of technical leaders to imbibe the importance of technology tools to take some pressure of the humans.

Harshad >> Which would be the top three irritants in the execution of a project?

Atul : 1) Vague requirements 2) Unrealistic deadlines 3) Lack of appropriate hardware/software/environment for development/testing

Deepak : Lack of understanding of basic software engineering principles in developers, lack of dependability in leads and managers and lack of good tools to measure progress (and take corrective actions) of deliveries

Gaurav : Good Question. I would say, the changing requirements of the clients, the lack of quality engineers and shortage of time in producing quality software in a project life cycle.

Subodh : Nothing in particular…. As a PM you have to manage Cost-Schedule-Effort triangle to ensure promised deliveries on-time.

Harshad >> A few years back I had written a piece "IT Survivors: Staying alive in a software Job". An overwhelming majority of the 100s who commented on the article felt that unrealistic deadlines and late hours were the thing that they hated most about their work. Why do you think that's the case in India. Are things changing?

Gaurav : Deadlines are unrealistic not only due to the changing requirements but also due to partially or unskilled manpower available to the industry. On a different platform, it is also about the way Indians look at work. I have seen clients in the UK going for a vacation even during the critical times of their business. We can’t even think about this, probably because of the insecure background the working class of India comes from.

Atul : It is quite interesting. On one hand, many people in India keep complaining about long working hours etc, and on the other, they seem to waste so much of time that I sometimes wonder why they cannot complete their work in about 9 hours in a day. Many people like to start their working day at 10 AM or so with a breakfast and general discussions, followed by some work, by which time it is already lunch time. Work actually starts only after lunch, and then there is little wonder that they are in the office till 10/11 PM. Sadly, they take pride in this! I think, it is simply a question of prioritizing, time management, and understanding work-life balance. I understand that at times, there are very stiff deadlines, and many people have to also work in other time zones and so on. However, that does not mean that you become someone who has no existence outside of your home and office!

Harshad >> What's your take on IT education standards in India. Do you find freshers ready for real world projects? Is there anything that you think is amiss?

Atul : Not at all. They are taught the theory too much, and that also incorrectly many times. Even if they come only with theory, but then really solid foundation theory, then also it is acceptable. However, what we actually get is a dismal mix of weak theory and horrible practical knowledge. They often end up doing projects from which they do not learn anything of real practical use, nor the project itself is useful to anyone! They seem to be still in the world of C/C++, when we are talking of even Java possibly being dead. No body looks at crucial issues such as design, architecture, performance, security, application plumbing, new trends. The syllabi are horribly outdated, the teachers are going through motions, and in the process, everyone suffers!

Deepak : While there are exceptions, most freshers are not ready for projects. The time to groom them could be as much as 3 months. The course work/curriculum may need revision.

Gaurav : I am of the opinion that although IT education is omnipresent in this country but the people that are reaching the industry are not completely ready for it. Basically, unless the academic institutes have industry affiliations and/or high quality research exposure, it's tough to get the skilled s/w professionals ready for the industry.

Subodh : IT education in India is of acceptable standards. You will never get freshers ready for real-world projects, simply because it needs a change in the mind-set from being academic to being pragmatic. Each organization has a unique culture, so freshers need to be ‘inducted’ into the organization; they need to be exposed to the processes and best-practices being followed, and also to real-world problems that are being solved by the use of software solutions.
As long as the educational institutions ignite the desire for continuous learning in the students, you don’t have a problem - if they become ‘factories’ that churn out software engineers, you have a serious problem.

Atul : I think it is a question of big confusion. The academicians are today not sure what to teach, and how. Some so-called experts in the industry are raising questions such as “Do strong theory and fundamental concepts matter?” That adds to the confusion. The impression that academics gives to students is that they must be very bookish. The industry tells them that they must be very practical. Sadly, no one tells them that it should ideally be a combination of the two, and achieving it is not impossible at all!

Harshad >> It's been a pleasure taking to you all. I am sure readers of this discussion would have received valuable insights into the software development scene today. Thank you all.

Discussion conducted by Harshad Oak, founder of Rightrix Solutions and editor of IndicThreads.com. He is author of 3 Java books, several articles and is an Oracle ACE Director and a Sun Java Champion.

Readers - If you agree / disagree with anything said here or wish to add an important missing point, please use the comments section below to have your say. Thank you.

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