Changing the World...

(aka - Google vs. Meetup.com - part 2)

I wrote an entry a few days ago about why people work for different companies.  HeatherLeigh, an HR person for Microsoft, wrote an interesting blog entry today about a cartoon Hugh McLeod created:

It's really an interesting little cartoon because I think it speaks to most software developers (I know it spoke to me).  As I mention on the front-page of this site - The word "Samurai" is taken from an old Japanese word - meaning "to serve".  I firmly believe that software developers are in the business of serving their users.  After all, without the users - we wouldn't have jobs. 

I think people forget that sometimes - especially if you're working for a large multi-billion dollar company.  I know that with my company, the developers are so far abstracted from the user community that it is really hard to put a face to a function point.  All we see (for the most part) are Software Requirement Specifications and wireframes.  It's really hard to know how our stuff is effecting our users without any form of feedback.

I think that's one of the reasons that I've been a bit restless at my current company.  I'm EXTREMELY passionate about developing software, applications, tools, etc. for my user community - but after something has rolled out - where is the feedback saying "wow!  this is great!" or "eh, this is okay, but it would have been better if..." or even "this totally sucks!".  Without that kind of feedback, how are we to gauge the results of our work? 

Along that same vein, I am a firm believer in focus groups - taking samples of users from the community and asking them what they think about the latest version of software or about what features *they* would like to see in the next release.  This type of information is all extremely valuable in delivering a better solution.  I don't think some people understand that when you build something that fulfills a need and does it well - you ARE changing the world of those people using your product. 

That is an incredible feeling to know that someone's life is better off because of something you have done.  I'd say that it's akin to adopting a third-world child - but it's so much bigger than just one person. 

Developers have the ability to effect people en masse - not just one-by-one but in the order of hundreds, thousands or even Millions of people!  What other profession out there can claim that? 

To bring this already lengthly blog entry full circle, though, I think I find myself jealous of a company like Microsoft.  While I am starved for feedback, they are getting feedback on their products and services every second of every day.  Just do a search on the web for the word Microsoft (or just click here).  At current count, it returned "about 400,000,000" pages.  That's potentially 400,000,000 people that have something to say about a Microsoft product, service, employee, etc.  It can be positive feedback or negative feedback.  In the end, though, it doesn't really matter what kind of feedback it is - because it shows that someone cared enough to post something on the web - and that's something that can be built upon.

I think, in the end, that's all most people want - they want to be making a difference in the lives of others and in the process - they want to change the world.