Why more efficiency and stricter processes don’t solve the real problems
In our previous article, Why Business Metrics Fail in Software Development, we explored why traditional business metrics fail to measure what truly matters—customer value. But even when companies recognize this, they often fall into another trap: believing that more control, efficiency, and process optimization will fix everything.
The Wrong Response to Software Struggles
When software companies start to struggle, leadership often resorts to the same classic measures: introducing bonus systems to “motivate” developers or optimizing internal processes down to the last detail. The prevailing mindset is often: “With more effort, efficiency, and better organization, we can get this back under control!”
But these approaches only scratch the surface—they address symptoms rather than the root cause. When customers don’t buy a product, it’s rarely because developers lack motivation or processes aren’t efficient enough. More often, it’s because the product fails to provide tangible value to the customer.
No matter how well-organized a development process is, it won’t make the market embrace a product that ignores the needs of its target audience.
Why The Old School Approach Doesn’t Work
Most software failures don’t happen because:
- Developers aren’t working hard enough
- Processes aren’t detailed enough
- Teams aren’t following the plan
They happen because:
- The product doesn’t solve a real problem for customers
- The user experience is frustrating or confusing
- The company is focused on internal goals rather than external needs
No matter how well-organized a development process is, it won’t make the market embrace a product that doesn’t provide tangible value to users.
Instead of pushing teams to be more efficient, companies should be asking:
- Are we solving a real problem?
- Do we understand what our customers actually need?
- Are we measuring success in terms of user impact, not just financial performance?
The Focus Must Shift
The solution does not lie in more controlling or even more detailed process optimization. The key lever is placing the customer at the center. Only by truly understanding the expectations, challenges, and needs of the target audience can companies create products that deliver genuine value—products that not only generate short-term sales but also build long-term trust and loyalty.
The key takeways are:
- From efficiency to customer value – Instead of optimizing workflows, optimize the experience for the end user.
- From internal goals to real-world needs – Stop building products that look good on paper but fail in practice.
- From management oversight to customer feedback – Let user insights guide development, not just internal metrics.
The companies that succeed in the long run are those that prioritize:
- User-centric development – Building products around real customer needs.
- Iterative learning – Improving based on feedback, not just process refinement.
- Cross-functional collaboration – Bringing in different perspectives, not just optimizing engineering workflows.
What’s Next? From Control to Customer Experience
If traditional control mechanisms don’t work, what does?
In the next article, we will explore:
- Why many software projects prioritize technology over customer experience
- How companies can reverse this mindset
- Why the best products are built with user needs first—not technology first
→ Continue reading: The Focus of Software Development Is Misplaced