Busting The Most Popular Software Myths In Software Engineering

11 min readMar 23, 2022

Table of content:

What is software engineering?
Why is Software Engineering required?
Myths around Software
10 Common Software Myths Dispelled
Characteristics of a good software engineer

Since the beginning of time, man has been surrounded by myths, superstitions, and false beliefs. Software engineering, a relatively new and advanced sector, is no exception. A common myth in software engineering, unlike traditional legends with underlying life lessons, merely mislead businesses, end-users, software managers, and engineers themselves.

As a software development outsourcing firm, we frequently deal with the consequences of software misconceptions. False assumptions and beliefs stymie communication and product development. Some clients have unrealistic or stereotyped expectations. Others are wary of making critical judgments and are hesitant to do so.

Let’s clear up some of the most common misunderstandings regarding software engineering.

What is software engineering?

Software engineering is an engineering process for developing software in a methodical way. A software engineer is a person who designs, builds, maintains, tests, and reviews computer software using software engineering principles.

Role of software engineering

Software engineers use engineering principles to create software. They analyze and alter current software, as well as develop, create, and test end-user programs that match user software requirements, all using software programming languages. Identifying software bugs, false expectations, and regular patterns, as well as defining standard operating procedures, will help to improve system software quality and software configuration. Identifying areas for improvement, providing recommendations, and creating and implementing systems are all part of the process of improving applications. Existing codebases are kept up to date and enhanced, and code changes are peer-reviewed.

Why is Software Engineering required?

Software engineers are well-versed in the software development process, but they frequently require feedback from IT leaders on software product requirements and the desired end result. Regardless of their official education, all software engineers should follow a set of software engineering best practices so that others may assist with some aspects of the work. Software development is usually always a collaborative effort. The code must be understood by designers, authors, developers, testers, other team members, and the full IT team. Software engineering is essential since customized software is required in almost every industry, organization, and function. It becomes increasingly important as time passes — if something goes wrong with your application portfolio, you’ll need a quick, effective solution.

Myths around Software

Software myths are deceptive beliefs that have caused severe issues for both managers and programmers. Myths about software spread disinformation and misunderstanding.

Software myths are divided into three categories:

1) Management myths

Managers in charge of software are frequently under pressure to stick to budgets, meet deadlines, and improve quality.

The misconceptions about management are as follows:

Myth: We already have a book full of software development standards and practices; won’t it provide my team with all they need to know?

Reality: The book of standards may exist, but it is rarely consulted. The majority of software developers are unaware of its existence. It also isn’t complete and doesn’t represent contemporary software engineering standards.

Myth: My workers have cutting-edge software development tools because we buy them the most up-to-date machines.

Reality: High-quality software development needs far more than the most recent model mainframe, workstation, or PC. CASE tools are more crucial than hardware for obtaining acceptable quality and productivity, although the majority of software engineers do not utilize them properly.

Myth: We can recruit more programmers to make up for lost time if we fall behind schedule (sometimes called the Mongolian horde concept).

Reality: Unlike manufacturing, software development is not a mechanical process. Individuals who were working must spend time teaching newcomers when more people are added, limiting the amount of time spent on product development activity. People can be added, but only under certain circumstances. Individuals who were working must spend time teaching newcomers when more people are added, limiting the amount of time spent on product development activity. People can be added, but only in a well-coordinated and systematic fashion.

Myth: If I opt to outsource the software project management to a third party, all I have to do is sit back and wait for them to finish it.

Reality: If a company does not know how to manage and control software projects internally, it will suffer when outsourcing software projects.

2) Customer myths

Customer myths lead to erroneous expectations (on the part of the customer) and, as a result, discontent with the developer.

The following are some common client misconceptions:

Myth: A broad declaration of goals is enough to start building programs; we can fill in the specifics afterward.

Reality: A lack of clarity at the outset is the leading reason for unsuccessful software projects. Functions, behavior, performance, interfaces, design restrictions, and validation requirements must all be formalized and explicit.

Myth: Project needs are always changing, but because software is adaptable, changes can be easily handled.

Reality: True, software requirements change, but the impact of that change differs depending on when it is implemented. When changes are requested throughout the software development process, the cost effect increases quickly.

A design framework has been established, and funds have been allocated. Change might result in significant extra expenditures. When a modification is requested after the program has been released, it might be substantially more expensive than if the change was requested earlier.

3) Myths about practitioners

Myths about practitioners include the following:

Myth: Our effort is done once we develop the software and get it to run.

Reality: According to industry statistics, between 60 and 80 percent of all software effort is wasted after it is given to the client for the first time.

Myth: I won’t be able to judge the program’s quality until it’s “running.”

Reality: The formal technical review is one of the most successful software quality assurance procedures, and it may be used from the start of a project.

10 Common Software Myths Dispelled

Myth 1: Testing Is Too Expensive

Reality: There’s an old proverb that says you should pay less for testing during software development and more for maintenance or correction thereafter.

In many ways, early testing saves both time and money; yet, cutting costs without testing may result in a software application with an incorrect design, leaving the product unusable.

Myth 2: Testing takes a long time to complete. Testing is never a time-consuming activity during the SDLC phases. Diagnosing and correcting mistakes discovered via appropriate testing, on the other hand, is a time-consuming but worthwhile exercise.

Reality: Only fully developed products are tested.

Myth 3: Only fully developed products are tested.

Reality: Testing is, without a doubt, dependent on the source code, but analyzing requirements and building test cases are not. As a development method, however, iterative or incremental approaches are preferred.

However, as a development life cycle model, an iterative or incremental method may lessen the testing’s reliance on completely produced software.

Myth 4: Comprehensive Testing is a Feasible

Reality: When a client or tester believes that complete testing is possible, it causes a problem. It’s conceivable that the team has tested all of the options, but thorough testing is never achievable. Some scenarios may never be run by the test team or the customer throughout the software development life cycle, but they may be run once the project is launched.

Myth 5: A bug-free software is one that has been thoroughly tested.

Reality: This is a widespread misconception held by clients, project managers, and the management team. Even if a software product has been thoroughly tested by a tester with exceptional testing abilities, no one can guarantee that it is bug-free.

Myth 6: Testers are to Blame for Missed Defects

Reality: Blaming testers for flaws that remain in the program after testing is done is not a good strategy. This misconception is about altering constraints like time, cost, and requirements.

However, the test technique may result in the testing team missing bugs.

Myth 7: Product quality is the responsibility of testers

Reality: It is a prevalent misunderstanding that product quality should be solely the responsibility of testers or the testing team. Testers are responsible for identifying flaws and reporting them to stakeholders, after which they must decide whether to repair the bug or release the program. The testers will be held responsible for any errors if the program is released at the wrong time.

Myth 8: Test Automation should be utilized whenever feasible to save time

Reality: While it is true that test automation saves time, test automation cannot be started at any point during software development. When the program has been manually tested and is somewhat reliable, test automation should begin.

Furthermore, if requirements are continually changing, test automation cannot be used.

Myth 9: Software applications can be tested by anyone

Reality: Outsiders to the IT business assume that anyone can test software and that testing is not a creative profession. However, testers are fully aware that this is a fallacy.

For the person who designed the program, it is not feasible to try to crash it with the goal of exploring potential problems.

Myth 10: A tester’s sole responsibility is to find bugs.

Reality: Testers are responsible for finding problems in software, but they are also domain experts in the program they are testing. Developers are only accountable for the component or region to which they have been assigned, whereas testers are familiar with the whole operation of the product, its dependencies, and the consequences of one mistake.

Characteristics of a good software engineer

In-depth expertise of the complete technological stack is required. It should go without saying that any excellent software engineer or developer must have technical domain knowledge and abilities. The software engineering environment is not only continually and swiftly evolving with new breakthroughs, but it’s also extremely competitive — despite the fact that there are virtually not enough software engineers to match the ever-growing need.
Being a full-stack coder helps you stand out in such a market. Don’t worry if this makes you think you’ll be expected to master every programming language known to man. The term “full-stack” does not imply “everything.” It simply means “from beginning to end.”
There are multiple levels to a software development project: front-end, back-end, server, hardware, network, and database. A great software engineer would not only understand the functioning of each stack, but they would also be able to step in and address problems independently at any stage of application development. This is significant since a software engineer’s goal is to make the software operate as a whole, not just individual lines of code along with the detailed descriptions in the comments.
The ability to adapt, learn, and progress: According to a LinkedIn poll, programmers and development teams spend more time learning than any other profession: 48 percent of software engineers recently compared to 36% of all professionals who mastered a new skill. Continuous improvement is beneficial not just to the software but also to the developer. Some of the most significant learning materials for software developers are as follows:
Other on-the-job learning platforms include GitHub, StackOverflow, and others. Any software engineer should have this. The basic least is to identify faulty code and look for fixes online.

Bootcamps or upskilling programs. Online boot camps might be a good alternative if you want to study specialized expertise, such as data science or artificial intelligence. For example, a program like Springboard’s Data Science Career Track allows you to study without having to abandon your work, for a fraction of the cost of a typical university degree, and with skills that are up-to-date for current market demands.
Seminars and conferences are two types of events. The most current breakthroughs in any area are routinely presented and debated at industry gatherings. Identifying the most relevant ones and engaging in them on a regular basis is essential for staying ahead of the curve.

Mentorships and coaching are two types of programs that might help you achieve your goals. There is a limit to how much you can learn on your own, no matter how dedicated you are. A good mentor may help you see things more clearly and advance your software engineering career.
Business savvy: While an MBA isn’t required to be a competent software engineer, you can’t ignore the business backdrop. Program developers must be able to understand how their software works in the actual world. Good programmers also devote a significant amount of time to refining their business abilities by:

Clearly comprehending the end-user personalities
Close collaboration with the business teams
User feedback is being gathered and analyzed.
Analyzing utilization data and other performance indicators
In fact, prominent software engineers and software developers

Senior software engineers and leaders, in reality, are interested in the product’s marketing, sales, and revenue KPIs in order to assess the total worth of their job.
Effective time management: A software developer must be a master at time management in order to fit so much activity into each working day. To organize their time and split up the lengthy hours, programmers use a range of tools and methodologies. Here are a few examples:

To avoid distractions, use Pomodoro clocks and internet blocking programs.
Time-tracking is a useful tool for determining productivity.
Goal-setting clarity — from daily and monthly to annual and beyond
Reviewing progress on a regular basis

Personality traits: According to Hired’s 2020 State of Software Engineers research, over half of software engineers want to work in an office every day.
Software engineers have a reputation for being solitary workers who thrive while working alone. They are, nevertheless, an active player in the ecosystem, which comprises a variety of stakeholders, business teams, and end-users.
The ability to communicate effectively is a key characteristic that divides good developers from exceptional ones.
Great software engineers understand this, which is why they place a high priority on honing their soft skills in addition to their technical expertise. Great developers are team players with excellent communication skills, a positive mindset, and a thorough understanding of the collaborative process that goes into the creation of a product.
Collaboration skills are important interpersonal abilities for a software developer. You must be able to work well with technical people from a variety of cultures and backgrounds.
Communication abilities You must be able to communicate, clarify, explain, and convince in order to succeed.
Empathy abilities. You must comprehend the user’s requirements and how the program responds to them.
Skills in critical thinking. Software engineering is nothing more than a jumble of issues that need to be resolved. Software developers must be able to examine circumstances objectively and solve difficulties.
Ability to lead. By its very nature, new software necessitates a shift in how things are done. You must take the initiative and lead from the front. The ability to lead is a valuable quality that the finest programmers possess.

To summarise, exceptional software engineers like not just create fascinating things, but they also know how to dissect well-built things in order to learn and grow. They’re eager colleagues with excellent communication skills. Bugged code does not defeat them; in fact, it drives them to better.

Building products and delivering value to consumers’ demands are what distinguishes a successful software engineer from the others.

Summing up…

We hope that this article has helped to debunk some of the most common software development myths and alleviate some of the accompanying worries. Excellent work, on the other hand, is the finest method to eliminate any software misconceptions.

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