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Ask HN: Are software engineers unsuited to creating an MVP and lead a startup?

1 pointsby trestenhortzover 4 years ago
Professional software engineers have deep rooted need to run agile processes, CICD deployment pipelines, Docker based infrastructure, test suites with code coverage, Jira ticketing, documentation etc.<p>Why? Because that’s exactly what they DO. All this stuff is what professional software engineering IS.<p>Professional software engineering isn’t writing and application, it’s driving a process, of which one part is coding.<p>Perhaps the professional software engineer is exactly the wrong person to lead a startup and create an MVP?<p>Perhaps instead what’s needed is just a hack coder who throws it together?<p>Maybe founders seeking to find someone to build their application should avoid the software engineer.

2 comments

Grustafover 4 years ago
In 49 out 50 cases sure, they are the wrong person, but most people in general are unsuited for leading people and companies. Developers might be worse than average at this, but they are better than average at understanding the technical needs and processes, so perhaps it evens out.
al2o3crover 4 years ago
<p><pre><code> Perhaps instead what’s needed is just a hack coder who throws it together? </code></pre> &quot;Founders&quot; who think they know how to write software should just do it.<p>If they _don&#x27;t_ know how, maybe they should focus on what they know and STFU about what they don&#x27;t.