Business professionals lack experience in software/hardware development and show no interest in understanding technical principles. To them, backend systems are a "black box" – they care only about inputs/outputs and set vague KPIs they barely comprehend. For these stakeholders, a project’s success hinges on "how it feels to use."
First, this stems from educational backgrounds and human inertia. Expecting someone trained solely in Finance or MBA programs (e.g., a fresh graduate turned BCG research analyst) to suddenly grasp technical details like memory allocation or network protocols is unrealistic. This knowledge gap creates communication barriers.
Second, business teams face immense operational pressure and feel no obligation to understand technical details. While understandable, this mindset perpetuates stagnation. If professionals remain confined to their silos, refusing to engage with technology’s strategic role or align communication with engineers (note: understanding, not coding), they’ll lack the holistic perspective needed for senior roles.
In one project I worked on, the business team initially relied on uploading spreadsheets for data processing. After we implemented a WebSocket-based real-time progress bar, even though they did not request it, their enthusiasm skyrocketed.
This issue plagues not just finance but even tech-driven industries. Financial markets evolve daily, with trades measured in nanoseconds. While building simple tools is easy, advancing engineers must cultivate architectural thinking – blending proven practices with innovative solutions for novel challenges.
When a 7-day development task (requiring stability testing) is compressed to 2-3 days for "business urgency" or "market timing," it plants landmines. Future scenarios then demand patchwork fixes, dragging down overall efficiency.
A colleague once designed a robust database system that performed flawlessly for two years. Under mounting pressure, he resorted to writing inefficient SQL scripts to meet deadlines. Over time, cascading bottlenecks overwhelmed the update chain, leaving him trapped in endless firefighting.
Developers thrive on the "skill-challenge equilibrium" – tasks that are neither overly difficult nor mind-numbing. Short-term requests (e.g., adding data sources, API integrations) often fall into the "boring" zone, reducing engineers to service providers.
Top developers prioritize intellectual engagement over timelines. If business teams act as product managers – identifying engineers’ passions and framing projects as collaborative missions with real impact – talent will flock to the challenge.
I once built modular applications aiming for a unified service architecture, but the business side abandoned long-term support. Later, I pitched applying LLMs to workflows – met with utter silence.
Become Full-Stack, Master UI/UX
Make your tools visibly valuable. Pair robust backends with intuitive interfaces that "visualize the black box." Ask: What tangible output can traders see from your work?
Automate the Mundane
Document optimization opportunities (TODOs, logs). Maintain architectural discipline – refactor relentlessly, even if it means overtime.
Embed Yourself in Business Context
Attend stakeholder meetings. Find mentors on the business side. Track industry trends to build ownership. Proactively seek feedback (filter out low-quality input). Act as a "needs therapist," uncovering unspoken requirements. Align projects with your interests – these "extras" compound your value.
Or just develop for developers. They know your drill.