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Errors in Conceptual Design
Look to past failures to unravel how technical design is intertwined with economic and aesthetic objectives.
Paconius sought an innovative solution to moving a massive pedestal from a quarry to the building site at the temple of Apollo at Selinous. The factors that contributed to his design appear to be primarily economic and aesthetic in hindsight. His solution, rather like a spool unwinding from the top, was apparently easier to construct, and allowed for heavier loads to be pulled with fewer oxen. Moreover, in contrast to the standard wooden frame solution, Paconius’ innovation required no holes to be drilled in either end of the pedestal (to be fitted with iron and lead inserts). The spool approach also kept the pedestal more protected from the road and elements.
These all seem like big wins. Therein lies the problem, it’s a trap, and a seductive one at that. There are two fundamental flaws with Paconius’ spool:
As the oxen distanced themselves from the spool, it became less stable and was prone to running off the road, undercutting the economic efficiency of using fewer oxen. The problem of scaling the solution over long distances made things even worse for Paconius. He ended up in financial ruin.
Every consumer facing software project has economic and aesthetic objectives that are weighted to varying degrees. How do we balance these aims with technical design?
Goals alone aren’t enough to keep a project on track. To spare future generations the humor of reading about your own spectacular failures:
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