Working Up

by Dwayne Phillips

Sometimes you just want a system to be operating in some usable state. You will come back later and finish the job.

Some 21st century software companies called it “good enough software.” The idea was that you had software that did something useful for the user. Once it reached that state, you shipped it. You continued to work on the software and improve it with regular updates for the user.

Those ignorant of systems development history hailed this as some sort of milestone in the progress of mankind. Sorry, it was just the movement from IOC to FOC. Wikipedia has some good articles on IOC and FOC.

Initial Operational Capability is the good-enough software of general systems. Reach that point, and the users have something useful. Final, or Full, Operational Capability is when the system does just about everything the user wishes.

We recently moved my mother from a house to an apartment. The move was rushed due to several constraints. We reached IOC in a couple of days. We are not at FOC, yet. For example, it is summer time and we didn’t move her winter clothing yet. We will one day.

There are many systems in daily life that can use the IOC and FOC concept. Everyone seems to know that already, and most people seem to use that already.

Sometimes, however, it is good to remind ourselves that these are neither new nor earth shattering. Just formal use of concepts that are common sense, but not in common use.