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Why Rapid Delivery Matters More Than Detailed Functionality

publish date2026/06/04 22:55:36.219362 UTC

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The diagram below illustrates the relationship between a changing business environment and software delivery speed.

Changing businessenvironmentNew opportunitiesCompetitor pressureRapid deliverybecomes the mostcritical requirement(even at quality cost)Software may beoutdated beforedelivery if too slow(effectively useless)


Which of the following best explains why rapid delivery and deployment of new systems is often more important to businesses than the detailed functionality of those systems?

Correct Answer

Because in a rapidly changing environment, a system delivered quickly — even with limited functionality — allows a business to respond to new opportunities and competitive pressures before they disappear; a fully featured system delivered late may be outdated and effectively useless

Explanation

Businesses operate in a global, rapidly changing environment and must respond to new opportunities, markets, and competitive pressures. Rapid development and delivery is therefore often the most critical requirement — many businesses are willing to trade off software quality and compromise on requirements to achieve faster deployment. By the time a complete, fully functional system is delivered through a conventional plan-driven approach, the original reason for procuring it may have changed so radically that the software is effectively useless.

Reference

Software Engineering, Ian Sommerville, 9th edition


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