Why Most Software Is Built Backwards (opens in new tab)

One of the more uncomfortable conclusions I've reached over the years is that a lot of software is built backwards. Not because developers are bad. Not because teams are incompetent. Because we're often rewarded for the wrong things. Features get attention. Architecture doesn't. Announcements get attention. Documentation doesn't. New capabilities get attention. Maintenance doesn't. As a result, many projects begin with the visible parts of the product and only later discover they neglected th...