When people ask me what I do all day I have a hard time summing it up. I design, I edit, I think, I review, I suggest, I teach. Some things I mess up, some things I fix up.
But what I really do most of the time is trim, tuck, iron, cut, press, and fit. I’m a software tailor.
And I’m starting to think that’s my perfect role. My team is incredible. I don’t need to tell them what to do. If there was a fantasy software league, I wouldn’t trade my team for anyone.
But there are times during the development and design process where the things we make just don’t fit as well as they could. That sentence could be slimmed down. That design element could be trimmed off. We could cut a step out of that process. And the overall experience could use a good press to iron out any stubborn wrinkles.
So while a tailor can make bespoke clothes, most of the time they’re fitting clothes other people made. And most of the time that’s exactly what I’m doing — fitting software my team made.
Some people may call this process editing, but I think it’s more akin to tailoring. So that’s how I’m going to explain my job from now on.
I’m a software tailor.
Timint
on 20 Nov 09Putting a name on things changes a lot how you see them. Glad that you found a name for what you’re doing.
Eugen Oprea
on 20 Nov 09Interesting way of describing your daily activities and your job role.
Software tailor sounds quite good and I think all of us need to discover our real vocation. :)
Jason
on 20 Nov 09Don’t tailors usually make changes to the clothing so the fit the customer?
Ryan
on 20 Nov 09Some tailors do exclusive releases, take it or leave it.
I really like the description. It’s breathes life into our usual stale tech roles. I like how the title is more purpose driven as opposed to simply descriptive.
Well done.
Steven Wagner
on 20 Nov 09I always describe my job as the gardner.
The job is never finished and I always see things that I would like to improve. And as we grow, things need to be given a larger pot to grow in.
Tor Løvskogen Bollingmo
on 20 Nov 09Curator no more?
Daniel
on 20 Nov 09Good one, Jason. Especially because it also contains the “craftsman” and “boutique” aspects often mentioned here when (attempting to) describe 37signals.
There’s a slight difference though in that a tailor tries to make the result of his/her work match someone else, whereas you guys – according to Getting Real – make stuff that you very much for your own use. Not saying a tailor can’t make his or her own clothes, and no matter what, it’s still a very good description. I’d like to become a “software tailor” myself.
Apropos “boutique” and all that: Did you ever find a term that was (dare I say) “a good fit” for 37signals as a whole? I remember you put the question to us readers a while back.
Abhijit Shirsath
on 20 Nov 09Liked the way you described your role, i would say perfectly right. every person plays a role which can be described excellently in the way you have described
Dave Roselin
on 20 Nov 09Ok…
Abhijit Shirsath
on 20 Nov 09Not always i could describe my role as designer, i would say situations make me plumber sometimes..when required i have to join some,,break some pipes in design..so that product is exactly same what client had described at the starting of pipe source.
Creativity is not always a required..it is the way you provide right solution.
bff
on 20 Nov 09Oh I know where the inspiration for this one came from!
David A Teare
on 20 Nov 09I’ve always had troubles with the “What do you do?” conversations at dinner parties; thanks for giving me a an answer that is both accurate, interesting, and understandable by non-geeks! I really liked Steven’s “gardner” suggestion too as I prefer gardening to hemming.
Ovi Demetrian Jr
on 20 Nov 09Or a plastic surgeon!
Anonymous Coward
on 20 Nov 09Instead of telling someone you’re a “software tailor” and then receive even more blank expressions … you could just tell them you own a software company
Everyday people would understand that. Even if they don’t know what your product include.
DavidCL
on 20 Nov 09This post brings to mind the Simon and Garfunkel song, “Fakin’ It”
Simon
on 20 Nov 09Sounds abit pompus to me
Jeffrey
on 20 Nov 09I agree with you. Software development is much more a craft and art than some would like to think. Personally, I like to consider it like sculpture. Get the general shape and proportions and then begin refining and adding all the special little details.
Aaron
on 20 Nov 09The tasks of a tailor fit, but the intent is totally different: while it sounds like you take something and refine it to meet the needs of a group of people, a tailor takes something and customizes it for the unique needs of one individual.
Jon
on 20 Nov 09I tend to think of myself more as an software undertaker. I ‘undertake’ to do this or that. I bury myself in my work. I make a morbid face while trying to figure out problems or how to make my code smaller. Most of the time I’m the one who feels 6 feet under.
Michael
on 20 Nov 09Trying to poke holes in a design. Making sure it is rock solid. Making it rock solid. Re-working it until it is perfect.
Ryan J Naylor
on 20 Nov 09I’ve been envisioning myself as a ‘well-paid volunteer’. You need to use what fits for you. Nice work.
Micheal
on 20 Nov 09@Jason
You are getting the question of what and how confused.
What you do is own and run a software company.
How you do it is by being a “software tailor”.
So when someone asks you “what you do all day”. If I were in your shoes, I’ll respond “I own and run a software company. If you want to know how I do that, let me tell you about being a software tailor”.
Anonymous Coward
on 20 Nov 09What about WIFE (Washing, Ironing, Fucking, Etc)
James
on 20 Nov 09Add some useful features to your software rather than thinking up grandiose pompous titles. Cut out the carbs too, then you might get into wotk before 11, avoid a 2 hour afternoon nap, and get some work done. You guys take yourselves and harebrained thinking far too seriously.
Thomas
on 20 Nov 09God, your so self aggrandizing “inspirational quotes” getting lamer by the day. Don’t you ever get tired of yourself?
Anonymous Coward
on 20 Nov 09SvN sure brings out the pompous commenters who comment pompously.
Anonymous Coward 2
on 21 Nov 09O Jesus, this blog has reached new levels of bs!
Mike
on 21 Nov 09@AC2 I second that
PaulWinstonSmith
on 21 Nov 09A lot of people say: “I am what I am”. As if to imply that they are just good enough as they are. JF clearly views himself as “I am what I am becoming”. Big difference. The fact that he and the rest of the 37s gang let us all peer into their thought processes on a daily basis is magical, not because they give us perfection. Rather, because they give us themselves as very interesting (and successful) “works in progress”. So, those who suggest pomposity are simply missing the point. Just watch and learn. Digest what might work for you and reject the rest (politely). But either way, respect the revelations. Whether you call yourselves software developers or curators or tailors, keep up the fantastic work JF and crew!
MC
on 21 Nov 09Sorry, but I actually wanted to puke when I read this. “I am a software tailor”... get real man! Embarrassing, but I’ll get over it. Looking forward to more practical posts in the future.
Anonymouse
on 21 Nov 09I’d hardly call writing web applications “software development”. It’s merely scripting, since it sidesteps much of the compexity of real world desktop software dev. There’s a book called Getting ReL you guys should read. Stop taking yourselves so seriously and get a life.
Nick
on 21 Nov 09@Anonymouse: You must be kidding, or stuck in 1990.
Web applications have a host of unique problems such as availability, scalability, security, and multitenancy.
Besides, “real world desktop software dev” has become dead simple, thanks to platform and hardware agnosticism afforded to you by high-level languages like Java and .NET.
Alex
on 21 Nov 09Software tailor or product tailor?
How close to software (code, design patterns, technology infrastructure) do you actually “tailor”?
None the less, you guys rock!
dzhus
on 21 Nov 09Pretty good metaphor
Berserk
on 22 Nov 09@Jon:
I thought Microsoft and Yahoo were software undertakers..
Sinan Ata
on 22 Nov 09I think, simply; you are an architect.
Your people talented and your digital buildings are awesome.
Ayush Jain
on 22 Nov 09I think this is the best part of the post, which explains the essence of what JF is trying to say:
“So while a tailor can make bespoke clothes, most of the time they’re fitting clothes other people made. And most of the time that’s exactly what I’m doing — fitting software my team made.”
Quite truly tailors today are responsible for fitting up the readymades. The metaphor goes well with what JF wants to express as his role here.
Mark Frankel
on 22 Nov 09It’s interesting that you’re using a tailor metaphor which implies making the software fit the client, like custom software.
37s is much more like off-the-rack software, this is what it is, this is what it costs and we proudly ignore many of our customer requests. Take it or leave it.
They’re great products at a great price, but a tailor metaphor is a stretch.
Brandan Lennox
on 22 Nov 09@Ayush Jain
You’re right, and it’s a point that most of the commenters are missing.
Jason isn’t saying that 37signals is “tailoring” software to meet individual customers’ needs. Obviously, that has never been and will never be their business.
The point is that he takes a “garment” — the software his team creates — and trims and adjusts and aligns it to fit the vision he has for the product.
It’s an apt metaphor. Maybe pompous, but certainly not inaccurate.
Jesus A. Domingo
on 23 Nov 09Really great post. It made me think about what is it that I really do and what my real role is.
Mark Frankel
on 23 Nov 09But hopefully his vision of the product is to benefit his customers, and in this case the customers all have to wear the same size, hardly a tailor.
Yes a tailor trims and adjusts, but so does a hairdresser and many other professions. The essence of tailoring is to fit individual needs, and that is not what 37s is about and imo the metaphor does not fit.
But if JF really thinks this metaphor looks good on him, should we burst his bubble, nah, enjoy it.
Anonymouse
on 23 Nov 09@Nick
“Web applications have a host of unique problems such as availability, scalability, security, and multitenancy.”
What fire up another instance in the cloud! Come on man that’s hardly programming.
Cameron
on 23 Nov 09I can’t believe a nice little metaphor like this is making people kick and scream. Way too much time on your hands if you can’t just read that with a pinch of salt and enjoy it.
Mark
on 23 Nov 09@Mark Frankel
I think ‘software hairdresser’ is a great job title ;-)
VickyH
on 24 Nov 09I got the tailor reference right away and I don’t think Jason was saying this is what @37signals does, this is what I do, which is quite different.
I mean I don’t know why he’s gotten so much gruff on this tailor reference. I think of it like a product that needs small tweaks to fit perfectly and be an outstanding fit.
If many of his team are doing the more technical aspects of it and since he has the vision for the company along with David than they are the perfect ones to put the final touches on the product to make it perfect (per say).
Quit being so literal, you know that’s not what he meant nor is that what he describes in the second sentence.
I’m sure we’ve all been called worse :-P
Vicky
Yossef
on 25 Nov 09I agree that “tailor” sounds nice but is not all that accurate. On the other hand, I don’t care enough to make a big stink about it.
Why is editing so far off the mark? Great Caesar’s Ghost, you’re practically the Perry White of 37signals!
This discussion is closed.