I bind thee Shiny New Framework Syndrome

“Hello all, I am Tolu and I have Shiny New Framework Syndrome.”

At least that’s what I think I would sound like if there was ever a support group for those that suffer from this syndrome.

“What is this shiny new framework syndrome“, I hear you say.

Shiny new framework syndrome is the tendency for development organisations to keep adopting new software development frameworks as they get released – constantly believing in all the hype and jumping into new projects using any new framework on the block.

Shiny New Framework Syndrome is the tendency for development organisations to keep adopting new software development frameworks as they get released ….

I did not think Cousant suffered from this syndrome till recently when we got a call from an old client to upgrade a product we developed seven years ago. This was meant to be a quick project that required minimal resources however it did not turn out this way. It was painful and took far longer than expected. It was painful because we had succumbed to this condition seven years ago and adopted a new development framework at the time. Unfortunately, we didn’t have the required competency in-house and it took everything out of our team to get the upgrade done. During the project all I kept thinking was “Why did we do this to ourselves?”

Today, we are more disciplined as a development organisation but I still get cases of Deja vu every now and then. A few weeks ago I was on the phone with one of our mobile application developers and he was extolling on the virtues of another mobile application development framework.

“It is faster, it is better…”

“it is easier to use…”

 “It has more of a native look and feels…”

“Everybody is using it now…”

He sounds very convincing and I am almost sold but hold up!!! I seem to remember having the same conversation with this same gentleman 18 months ago on the virtues of another mobile application development framework. Haha!!! I can hear it from the sound of his voice. He has a case of shiny new framework syndrome. We need to bind it NOW before he infects the rest of the organisation.

He has a case of shiny new framework syndrome. We need to bind it NOW before he infects the rest of the organisation

The Challenge for Organisations

It is increasingly becoming difficult for technology organisations to choose the right frameworks for the implementation of software projects. As the shelf life of frameworks keeps getting shorter, organisations are faced with the real prospect of adopting frameworks that may have support cut off within the new 15 months.

The pace of technology development is certainly one cause of this issue. But there is another culprit. Software Development professionals!!! Many software professionals secretly have the shiny new framework syndrome. Like gadget addicts, software professionals look for any opportunity to try their hands on a new development framework. They are able to convince managers that the new framework will be the silver bullet will solve the technical challenges with the existing framework. And everyone loves a better and faster horse, so managers go-ahead to approve new projects or application rewrites. I know of organisations that have rewritten their mobile applications a few times as new mobile application development frameworks have been released.

Many software professionals secretly have the shiny new framework syndrome. Like gadget addicts, software professionals look for any opportunity to try their hands on a new development framework.

Are New Frameworks worth it?

I have used my fair share of software development frameworks in my career and I can say that the benefit usually derived from adopting a new development framework is mostly negligible. This is especially true in Nigeria where most of the popular mobile applications perform CRUD operations. In other words, these apps are either sending information to a server or displaying information from a server.

Ask end-users what their thoughts are on the development framework used for a product and you will be met with blank expressions. End users only care that your product helps them get a job was done efficiently and if that means using a product built on top of an outdated framework, then so be it.

From an end user’s perspective, the best products are not necessarily the ones that look better or adopt the better framework, rather the best products are the ones that help users to get their jobs done easier and quicker.

I know of organisations that have rewritten their mobile applications a few times as new mobile application development frameworks have been released.

Choosing New Frameworks

There are many solid cases for choosing to adopt new frameworks for implementing a greenfield (new) project or for rewriting an existing application. For managers that are faced with the decision to stick with old or go with the new, below are a number of factors to consider.

Customer Value Proposition

Any decision on adopting a new development framework cannot be made without an understanding of how this will improve the customer value proposition.  Technology hardly succeeds outside of the meeting customer needs. The decision on adopting a new framework should be based on how much we can improve the value proposition to the customer.

This is particularly important when considering adopting a new framework to rewrite an existing Application. If the whole point of adopting a new framework is for the sole purpose of improving the look and feel of an application, then it is not advisable to commit any resources to such a project. In such a case, the manager is better off hiring a UI specialist to improve the look and feel whilst committing more resources to acquire new customers.

In reviewing the potential impact to the customer value proposition, the manager should sit with the team to answer the following questions.

• Will the new framework help our product be faster, be easier, be everywhere and be always on for our customers?
• Will the new framework help our product to better earn the attention of our audience and strengthen the relationship of our existing customer base?
• Will this new framework help our product to better adapt to changing customer needs and behaviours?
• Will this new framework help our product provide more personalised experiences to our customers?

From an end user’s perspective, the best products are not necessarily the ones that look better or adopt the better framework, rather the best products are the ones that help users to get their jobs done easier and quicker.

Costs

Cost reduction is always a good business case for choosing to adopt a new development framework. For example, many organisations have saved significant costs by migrating from native mobile applications to mobile applications developed using hybrid development frameworks (Hybrid development frameworks make it easier to write code once and deploy across the different mobile operating systems). In adopting new hybrid frameworks, organisations have been able to save significantly on costs associated with managing multiple codebases and teams for one product.

In reviewing the potential cost savings, the manager needs to answer the following questions.

• Will this new framework significantly save on maintenance costs?
• Will this new framework significantly save on human resource costs?
• Will this new framework significantly save on licensing costs?
• Will this new framework significantly save on deployment costs?

Technology hardly succeeds outside of the meeting customer needs. The decision on adopting a new framework should be based on how much we can improve the value proposition to the customer

Support

Managers have to compare the level of support between the old and the new. Many new development frameworks do not enjoy the same level of support as existing frameworks do. In such instances, the devil you know is usually better than the angel you don’t.   There are cases of software professionals jumping to use new shiny frameworks only to hit technical glitches down the line for which there are no readily available answers.

In reviewing the level of support for a new framework, the manager needs to answer the following questions.

• Is there an active community supporting the new framework?
• Is it easy to find software professionals skilled in the new framework in your local market?
• Is there extensive documentation on the framework online?
• Are there useful 3rd party plugins and libraries for the new framework?
• What is the quality of support provided by the creators of the development framework?

Learning Curve

The learning curve is the silent killer of many efforts to try out a new development framework. We have learned the hard way that the learning curve is far more than the process of learning how it works.

We have had projects that kicked off with high enthusiasm because we decided to adopt a new framework only for the excitement to wane as soon as the development team hit successive technical challenges. It is not unheard of that software developers spend an extraordinary number of days and weeks trying to understand and resolve technical challenges because the framework just did not have enough support.

As a rule of thumb, when estimating the time, it will take to complete a project using a new framework, managers should expect it will take 1.5x longer due to learning curve issues.

Looking Forward

As much as possible, managers should aim for a unified technology stack within their development organisation. Succumbing to the new shiny framework syndrome can cause huge problems for an organisation down the line.

There will always be shiny new frameworks out there but there are usually better ways to do whatever you are trying to achieve with existing frameworks.