Integrated design environments have to be applicable by designers in an evolutionary manner. With each step, the immediate improvement in productivity should compensate for the additional effort.
Precise information modelling and the early creation of working software prototypes are essential for the construction of complex, useful, and extensible information systems of any kind.
The use of complex and latest technology is less decisive for the success of a product than the continuous dialogue with prospective users, clean and simple concepts and an efficient implementation.
The publication of interfaces and the creation of reference implementations for user extensions promise more success than the selling of a "black box".
Complex software systems should provide primitive operations which can be flexibly combined by users according to their requirements.
"Underground projects" often prove as important procreator of progress.
