Figure 1-2: The evolution of the software development process. The first diagram depicts the early
days of the software industry, when smart developers dreamed up products and then built and tested
them. Inevitably, professional managers were brought in to help facilitate the process by translating
market opportunities into product requirements. As depicted in the third diagram, the industry
matured, and testing became a discipline in its own right. With the popularization of the graphical
user interface (GUI), graphic designers were brought in to create icons and other visual elements.
The final diagram shows the Goal-Directed approach to software development, where decisions about
a product’s capabilities, form, and behavior are made before the expensive and challenging construction
phase.
Figure 1-3: Building successful digital products. Three major processes need to be followed in
tandem to create successful technology products. This book addresses the first and foremost
issue: how to create a product people will desire.
