PRAGMATISM
Let's balance the ideal and the feasible for full-value deployment with limited resources.
TL;DR: We are more than dreamers - we are doers. We are pragmatists who navigate the realm of the possible. We focus on achieving what's tangible through pragmatism, balancing the ideal and the feasible. This is how we become valuable. We don't just write code; we build practical and relevant solutions. We use our resources wisely, prioritize what matters, and constantly learn from our users. And we leverage existing tools and only focus on theoretical scaling limitations when necessary. Pragmatism isn't about settling; it's the secret for valuable engineers; it's the difference between being a cog in the machine and being the engineer that drives the project forward.
Imagine a social media startup in its infancy—the founder dreams of a globally transformative platform with revolutionary features. Yet, reality presents constraints - a small team, limited time, and finite funding. In this context, what is the way forward?
A pragmatic engineer steps in. They recognize the social network's core lies in the straightforward, user-friendly interface facilitating connection and conversation. This engineer comprehends the impracticality of chasing all envisioned features simultaneously. Given the constraints, they prioritize.
Their strategy continues beyond feature selection. They decided to initially launch the platform to a particular user group - digitally savvy and socially active college students. This group's quick adoption promises the momentum needed for the platform's spread, allowing the startup to scale methodically, learn from actual usage, and refine.
Now, consider a similar scenario: a startup founder aspires to launch a restaurant offering an extensive, varied menu. However, they, too, face identical resource limitations. What does the pragmatic approach look like here?
They start with a small, carefully chosen menu catering to their target audience's preferences. They perfect these initial offerings, win over a loyal customer base, and use the feedback to plan their future expansion.
Both scenarios underline a common thread - the pragmatist's approach. In the world of software engineering, such pragmatism becomes an invaluable asset. The constant challenge is to navigate the fine balance between the ideal solution and available resources. Those engineers who can make the right compromises and who understand how to prioritize the doable over the ideal are the ones who rise to the top.
This essential pragmatism is far from an optional trait. It is a distinctive characteristic of the high performers in the software industry, enabling them to consistently deliver superior results despite constraints. They turn obstacles into opportunities and, in doing so, become invaluable assets to their teams.
In the piece, we'll dive into the essence of pragmatism in software engineering, underline its importance through relatable examples, and offer a roadmap to cultivating this skill. After all, the pathway to becoming valuable is paved with pragmatism. Valuable engineers are pragmatists who have mastered making the right compromises.
Pragmatism vs. Simplicity
In a previous piece, we explored the concept of simplicity - its role in making things straightforward, uncomplicated, and easy to understand, and its value in steering clear of unnecessary complexity. Some may perceive these two principles as synonymous. They're not. Pragmatism and simplicity, while closely related, have unique essences and roles in the engineering landscape.
Pragmatism is the principle of valuing practicality and effectiveness over theoretical perfection. It is about striking a balance between the ideal solution - the one perfect in theory - and the solution that delivers the most value within the given context. Pragmatism recognizes the constraints that often come with real-world scenarios and urges engineers to maximize value within those constraints. Conversely, simplicity is about making things straightforward, uncomplicated, and easy to understand. It's about shaving off the unnecessary layers of complexity to create effective and manageable solutions.
Interestingly, in software engineering, the pursuit of pragmatism often naturally leads engineers to embrace simplicity. With their understanding of the cost of complexity, pragmatic engineers recognize that a complex solution, while theoretically perfect, can become a maintenance, scalability, and debugging nightmare. Consequently, they gravitate towards straightforward, robust, and easier-to-manage solutions. Focusing on the core problem and sidelining unnecessary details, they devise solutions that beautifully intertwine pragmatism and simplicity.
The Pragmatic Mindset
Pragmatism has the power to enhance your value as a software engineer considerably. It bolsters efficiency, eliminates waste, and accelerates delivery. Let's explore this in practice.
Picture yourself tasked with building an e-commerce platform for a new retail brand. The brand is new, and the traffic expectations are modest. Engineers might fall into a pitfall when designing the system for a massive scale, anticipating millions of users. This could involve implementing extensive caching systems or advanced load balancing from the onset.
A pragmatic engineer, however, recognizes that building for scale prematurely could exhaust valuable resources and time. Rather than constructing every component from scratch, they leverage existing libraries and tools. For instance, they might use pre-built libraries for features like authentication and email notifications, thus saving time and reducing potential bugs.
They may also postpone implementing a comprehensive monitoring and alerting system until after the platform's launch. Instead, they opt for a basic monitoring system that is adequate for the initially expected traffic, then enhance it later when scaling becomes necessary. This pragmatic approach enables them to deliver a reliable, user-friendly e-commerce platform quickly, thereby adding significant value.
My Personal Journey: From Future Focusing to Pragmatic Problem-Solving
Reflecting on the early days of my engineering career, I remember a tendency to plan too far ahead. I had ambitious dreams of building everything from scratch and perfecting every detail. However, with time and experience, I realized this approach often led to diminishing returns. I learned from observing high achievers who embraced pragmatism and focused on delivering value.
One of my cherished projects is a Bitcoin wallet I built as a side project. I started with the ambition to build it from scratch because I wanted to learn all the ins and outs. However, the task soon overwhelmed me, particularly since I juggled a full-time job. That's when I chose to adopt a pragmatic approach. I found an open-source wallet that I could build upon. This wallet provided basic functionality that I could expand. I integrated an onramp, enabling users to buy Bitcoin directly in the wallet. By leveraging existing tools, I addressed the users' core problem without building everything from scratch.
Despite the project not gaining significant traction, I am incredibly proud. It signifies a monumental shift in my approach, from striving for perfection to focusing on delivering real value. I often speak about it with immense pride, not for its success but for the lessons, it taught me about pragmatism. Pragmatism has significantly shaped my career trajectory, making me more efficient, effective, and valuable. It's a trait few genuinely possess, making it all the more precious. Embracing pragmatism has also allowed me to guide others in cultivating this powerful mindset, thus adding value to my teams and projects.
Cultivating Pragmatism: The Power of the 80/20 Rule
To cultivate pragmatism in your software engineering practice, you can adopt the Pareto Principle, also known as the 80/20 rule. This principle suggests that 80% of results come from 20% of efforts. Here's how you can apply it to become more pragmatic:
Understand the Problem: Start by thoroughly comprehending the problem you need to solve. Invest time listening to your users or stakeholders and identifying their primary concerns.
Prioritize Tasks: Identify the tasks that contribute most to the project's value and prioritize them over less impactful ones. It's not about doing everything but about doing what matters most.
Limit Scope: Beware of feature creep. Maintain your focus on the core functionality that delivers the most value. Features that don't address the primary problem can be set aside for future development.
Iterate and Improve: Launch your project with its core features and gather user feedback. This feedback guides future improvements, allowing you to refine and optimize your solution continually.
Course Correct: Stay agile. Be prepared to change your strategy based on user feedback, new insights, or shifts in circumstances. The path to creating value is not a straight line but a series of twists and turns.
Final Thoughts
In software engineering, pragmatism is our true north. It's the guide that leads us from being players in the field to becoming game-changers. Forget perfection; we're in pursuit of solutions that are real, achievable, and, above all, valuable.
As valuable engineers, our role isn't limited to building. We're strategists. We don't linger in the what-if world but dive into what can be done. Pragmatism isn't about settling; it's about seizing control. We commit to being effective and efficient. We commit to delivering value.
Our worth isn't measured by the size of our dreams but by the realism of our approach. As we rise, let's remember our pragmatic outlook distinguishes us. It's our ability to deliver what matters. Let's harness pragmatism and reshape what it means to be truly valuable.