The Essence of Software

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A revolutionary concept-based approach to thinking about, designing, and interacting with software is essential as our reliance on technology grows. Despite this, much software remains flawed, and a systematic, scalable method for creating user-friendly, robust, and secure software is lacking. This work introduces a theory of software design that redefines how we view software systems—as collections of interacting concepts. By breaking functionality into manageable parts, it provides a new framework for design thinking. Daniel Jackson presents a practical path accessible to a diverse audience, including strategists, marketers, UX designers, architects, and programmers, to create empowering and dependable software. He delves into the nature of concepts—what they are, how to identify and define them—and offers prescriptive principles and practical tips applicable across various domains. Drawing from contemporary software designs and examples from major companies like Adobe, Apple, and Google, Jackson illustrates how concepts enable designers to preserve and reuse design knowledge, avoiding the need to start from scratch with each project. This work serves as both an argument against the status quo and a guide for improvement, providing a fresh perspective on software creation for both experienced designers and newcomers to the field.