It's not just software that doesn't "square the very definition of a project ... with our real world experiences". The same happens on the business side. There's always the other side of the equation: how the system reacts to what you're trying to do.
Perhaps some component doesn't really gel the way you had hoped for. The same goes for business opportunities. Sometimes it just doesn't work out and it can be a real blow to the project. And sometimes the users just aren't there or don't appreciate what you've done.
Management generally has to be flexible, not just in software, but in a lot of divisions. Because ... unknowns ... that are discovered as you go.
Perhaps some component doesn't really gel the way you had hoped for. The same goes for business opportunities. Sometimes it just doesn't work out and it can be a real blow to the project. And sometimes the users just aren't there or don't appreciate what you've done.
Management generally has to be flexible, not just in software, but in a lot of divisions. Because ... unknowns ... that are discovered as you go.