How a developer team work together?

Question

when i think about microsoft writing a windows, i just cant imagining they work only for one purpose. can you please tell me how can they works? or maybe you can tell me how you and your developer team work together?

Answer 1

You have to design the software first. To start with you design it from a user perspective (high level). You eventually break the project down into smaller and smaller parts / modules, sometimes even specifying what a function needs as input, output etc. So for Windows, someone might have been assigned to create the mouse driver. A specification tells you exactly how the mouse driver will work, but also how it should communicate with other modules.

This is why we call it software engineering. An engineer does things by the book. If me, you and a team were designing a push bike, and you were designing the wheels, we'd have to agree the width of the axle, and how it would attach to the frame of the bike. If we didn't specify the specifications properly, then your wheel would be unlikely to fit onto the frame properly.

It's difficult to explain the whole engineering process here. Testing is also needed (different types of testing). There is a lot to doing this properly.

Answer 2

It is definitely complex. Indeed, as the system grows in a linear fashion, the complexity growths exponentially, unless you really get on top of things. A lot of people who can write a small program, think they can also do large projects, but it's far harder. It's like thinking you can build the Taj Mahal or a skyscraper after having mastered building a garden wall!

I predicted that the NHS global computer system (conceived of many years ago), would never work / be finished, as I realised it would become exponentially complex! They should have created lots of smaller systems, instead of having too much ambition! My prediction was right, the project cost the UK tax payer huge amounts, and it was canned!

Answer 3

wow, sounds like very complicated. i still cant imagining how microsoft team can work so systematically. more than 1000 developer there.