How different are the hardware and software mindsets?

We need to break down our silos to survive in the world of software-defined vehicles

How do the HW and SW mindsets differ?

How do our two protagonists differ: Harry Hardware and Siggi Software?

Harry and Siggi are passionate engineers, but their mindsets are completely different

They are both passionate engineers - but they have a different mindset. This needs to be realised first.

Harry loves complex designs - the more details the better

Harry loves complex systems - they show the true art of engineering, because anyone can do simple. This is the environment in which most innovations in a hardware-defined world have emerged.

Siggi hates complex designs, the more details the more horrible

When Siggi comes across a complex software architecture, he is not at all enthusiastic. On the contrary, he begins to despise the system in its current form.

One difference is that software requires constant maintenance and care

Why is there such a striking difference in mindset? If we look at the above illustration, we can see a significant difference in project work when it comes to reaching the important milestone of SOP (Start of Production):

• Harry has to develop the best possible solution to the letter to enable production.

• Although Siggi also has to work towards this milestone, he still has to maintain the code and use it to deliver further updates and other product lines in parallel. Instead, he needs to invest in an overall architecture and also explore new methods to make the growing complexity manageable.

Such poor architecture is simply not maintainable

This picture makes it a little clearer: a highly complex system architecture is not maintainable for Siggi. He has to look for other ways to get out of this dilemma.

We need a common language

We need a common language. You can find out how we can achieve this in the following blog posts.

What experiences and examples do you have of SW and HW people not getting along?

Do you agree that you first have to agree on a common language in order to be able to work together effectively and efficiently?

Please leave a comment or send me a message. Stay tuned for more to come soon!

And don't forget: keep on rocking in a free world!