An Action Hero’s Guide to Software Delivery

Fictional characters can teach us a surprising amount about what it takes to deliver software. Let’s imagine some advice we might get from the great action heroes of our time.

Understand the stakes, and own them. Someone’s life is going to be impacted here, and it is up to you to make the world better for them.

Be decisive. An imperfect decision is better than no decision. Keep moving or risk death.

Don’t dwell on mistakes. Time spent figuring out who to blame when something goes wrong is time you aren’t spending on the next plan of attack.

Keep your motives pure. Real action heroes aren’t in it for the fame, glory, or money. Real action heroes are in it to help people.

Trust your allies to do their part. You are all fighting the same battle even if you aren’t all doing it the same way.

Own your fight. There may be someone else in charge, but you are just as responsible for the outcome as they are.

Recuperate between skirmishes, but not for too long. The enemy isn’t waiting for you to fully recover, and you shouldn’t afford the same courtesy to them.

Stay focused on the mission. Most of what is going on around you is a potentially disastrous distraction. Don’t get sucked into someone else’s fight.

Always move forward. Reduce your options. Burn the ships if the allure of retreat is too great.

Be willing to accept the consequences of your choices. Every decision comes with a cost. Get comfortable with that.

No complaining. Setbacks are part of the deal. Pick up, dust off, change tactics, and keep fighting the good fight.

Maintain a sense of humor. Especially if the stakes are life or death. The more dire the situation, the more important it is to lighten the mood.

Have a catch phrase. While not strictly necessary, a memorable bit of dialog — especially one that is useful in a wide variety of contexts — will help people remember you long after you’re done and gone.

Most importantly, know this: the hero always triumphs in the end. Victory will be yours eventually, even if you have to wait for the sequel.