Wording challenge: Software Development

[manfredKlein]

Hi,

my colleague told me this morning that our CIO proclaimed, that we do no Software Development.

'We are SAP Customers and only our consultants code. We just manage the applications.'

'Ok', I thought. And how are we supposed to get things going? Hmm, actually it's just a wording thing. We do not code, we customize on code level. And if we ever(almost daily) encounter tougher nuts, we compose some macros to a bigger macro. But we don't code(officially).

Can You think of more ways to mask Your Software Development? Give it an unsuspicious name.

How about:

• Talking prose to the computer(For most of You ABAP is like PROse).
• Order the bytes around/Dominate the bytes.
• Manage the information flows(I know, I know, it's data, but information sounds more manageresque).
• <please add some more>
• Manage business processes (TammyPowlas)
• Quantum mechanics. Since all we're really doing is shifting electrons around (matt)
• Keeping the wheels on the wagon, Answering questions that can't be answered, Increasing productivity, Lowering bottom line cost, Helping consultants, proactive response team, Filler of holes, anger management team (mcrapo)
• Spitting out cryptic poems, Untangling the business pro...grams, Most of the time just sitting in front of the TV screen and bit banging on the typewriter(vveliniov)

Cya,

Manfred Klein

[TammyPowlas]

Manage business processes

"What's your North Star?" - hearing that all the time at conferences lately

Your first one "talk prose to ABAP" reminded me of the old saying "talk to the hand, the mind ain't listening".

Just some quick random thoughts on reading your post.

[aravasantosh1]

I 'm good to Ask your comment on "What's your North Star?" :   It's slightly Presided to the Digital Workspace but I still don't see any further reply...

Your first one "talk prose to ABAP" reminds me " People Grows with Relativity but don't hang up at Single Ladder until the Guy's had some Personal Valentine..   thnx for your Msg..

[matt]

Quantum mechanics. Since all we're really doing is shifting electrons around.

At one very large project I was on the development team didn't have developer keys. They were supposed to just write the technical specs in sufficient detail that the offshore folk could do the actual coding. 

Not the most efficient way of getting things done, since the offshore folk weren't particular good at coding so with the level of detail required, the onshore people might as well have written the code themselves.

[manfredKlein]

That said about Prose 🤣

Reminds me of a murphy's law derivate: No matter how monkey-proof You build your application, the universe spawns an even dumber user...

[vvelinov]

Spitting out cryptic poems
Untangling the business pro...grams

Most of the time just sitting in front of the TV screen and bit banging on the typewriter

[mmcisme1]

Keeping the wheels on the wagon, Answering questions that can't be answered, Increasing productivity, Lowering bottom line cost, Helping consultants, proactive response team, Filler of holes,  anger management team....

Oh there are so many - those are the nice ones.   

[fl]

re. the job description angle: little placard on the wall in my colleague's office says: "Sind sie Entscheider? Nein, Ausbader".

in english: "Are you a decision maker? No, I'm

• rap taker
• blame taker

suggestions welcome. On the original question: I think that comment plays to the general sentiment that "low code/no code" is a Good Thing(tm). I find that whole low code fad looks like an excuse for a blame shifting exercise. Tool doesn't work? Not our fault, as you need no code to change it 🙂

[manfredKlein]

A good word for 'Ausbader' in English is a tough nut. Perhaps our native speakers here find a better word if we describe it a little. 'Ausbader' is the one dealing with the consequences. For better or WORSE. It's connotation is clearly negative, as most consequences are. Literal translation would be to 'bath out' something. So it's figuratively: Sitting in some liquid; It gets unpleasant; You can't leave.

[sergei-u-niq]

the decision maker gets the credit if all goes well in the end 

the blame taker gets the blame if it doesnt

(not sure though if there is a specific term for that in English - scapegoat?)

[manfredKlein]

While this is true, the term scapegoat/blame taker reflects only a part of being the 'Ausbader'.

• If things go terribly wrong => blame taker. Ok.
• If a decision is apparently met but the success comes at a high cost the 'Ausbader' is the one paying the price(lots of recurring manual effort that can't be delegated, for instance). That's something completely different.

The challenge is here finding a term that covers both cases.

Does anyone know the movie 'Sin Eater'? While the movie goes in another direction the term seems fitting. Either you have to chew on the blame or on the consequences.

[matt]

I've seen Sin Eater.

Deepl.com is completely confused by Ausbader.

[manfredKlein]

That's right. Either you play by the rules and nothing runs like desired or you get things going and spare the decision makers the bloody details. Keep in mind: Decision makers order a well done steak. Not gorey carnage.

[serkansaglam]

As an ABAP Developer, sometimes I feel like a "Code Consumer" or "Someone bringing the blocks together". 🙂