Scott Porad

Our friend Jill made the most amazing gazpacho for Lisa and I tonight.  “Jill, this is hands down the best gazpacho that I’ve ever had!  How do you make it?!”  “Well, Scott, a little secret: the Barefoot Contessa.”  Of course, she followed a recipe.

Jill's Gazpacho

That reminded me of a conversation Martin and I had earlier today Cheezburger Inter-Galactic HQ.  I was stumbling through trying to explain some new tables in the database by way of a tortured analogy to abstract classes.  “Well, it’s a Decorator Pattern,” Martin said.

Martin’s smart like that: he uses tried-and-tested software design “recipes” (called “patterns“) when he builds stuff.  Likewise, Jill doesn’t waste hours trying to invent her own reciepe for gazpacho–she relies on a tried-and-tested cooking “pattern” (called a “recipe”) when making gazpacho.

It struck me that for many of the problems out there somebody has already figured out a pattern or recipe.  For some things, there is no pattern which is probably why you’re in business–you’re getting paid to figure something out that nobody has figured out before.  (Or, you’re getting paid because you’ve figured out a better pattern.)

Being able to determine when there is an existing pattern or recipe is important for companies big and small, but especially for startups.  As I’ve said before, startup resources are extremely scarce, so using them wisely is critical.  Effectively, by devising your own recipe for gaspacho when plenty of recipes are out there to follow means you’re overpaying for the gaspacho.  That is, you’re investing development dollars to develop something that already exists.

Or, to put it more succinctly: what value is there in reinveting the wheel?

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