Emergent Phonomenons and Other Cases of Empathy

Dear Mark Burgess,

I know we haven't met.   I can't remember how you crossed my twitter feed.   This is rare for me as my one skill is an ability to apply unnatural empathy to other people's passion for technology.  It is almost as unusual as synesthesia.   I love technology but I remember it through people.

Thus your tweet "Let's not kid ourselves. Software from teamwork is an emergent phenomenon. It is not a simple case of engineering." [Mark Burgess, September 23,2014] has me wrestling.   I have two* tenets in my life : engineering** is the fix to nearly everything and sharing the feelings of another is the secret to nearly everything. 

Why is Software from Teamwork not easy? (or how to take a sports analogy to far)

1. Clarity of Roles - Tim Howard needs Jozy Altidore to play his position.  Every once in a while Tim needs Jozy in the goal.    (Do your job, trust others to do theirs and ask for help if you see things going wrong)
2. Clarity of Score - Cam Newton can't settle for a 1-1 game while Thomas Mueller just won't.  (Keep your priorities simple and inspiring)
3. Clarity of Rules - While they all get a ball, LeBron James shows up to a court and uses his hands.   Lionel Messi gets a pitch and his feet!  (Cultures and Requirements matter)

And as always an excuse to post some music:

-G

PS> Mark how does one become an ex-guitarist?   Was there a tragic pick accident or are you waiting for the reunion tour? 

* I have two tenets only in the sense that 2 < the volumes of helpful and conflicting tenets I live by.
** When I say engineering, I mean computer science because all other engineering is dark magic at this point in my life.