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How to Identify and Manage Risks at Software Project Planning Stage

Once upon a time, several blind sages groped an elephant in order to understand what it looks like. But everyone studied only the part of the animal that was closest to him. One said the elephant was like a snake, holding it by its trunk. Another held its leg and insisted that it looked like a tree. The third held a tail and said the elephant looked like liana. In the end, the wise men could not agree and understand how the elephant looks like.

An interesting fact is that each of them was right in his own way; each simply saw the situation only from his own side and refused to accept information from his peers. If they had put together their observations, then, most likely, they could compile complete information and see the whole picture.

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In a Software-Driven World, Who Is Responsible for the Risks?

The power of software to improve our lives and our world is almost limitless. Consequently, those creating software are wielding a power that demands a new level of responsibility.

When I think about how fast the world is changing, I wonder how our ancestors must have felt at the dawn of past industrial revolutions. Everything changed — the way we made, shipped, and sold goods evolved, and daily schedules and lives changed as people moved to cities to escape subsistence farming and find work in factories and mills. All of this change was fueled by new technologies and innovations. While many of these changes were positive, there were risks and costs, such as increased injuries, rising wealth inequality, and, as urbanization took hold, an increased spread of disease. It became the responsibility of factory workers, and in some cases the government, to address these concerns in order for our economy and society to flourish and grow.