T-SHIRT DESIGN SOFTWARE?

Which one is important either algorithms or software design?

• I am a software engineer, working in a one of the big software firms. The problems that I solve is more likely software design problems (sort of more design pattern problems, writing better test cases, structuring down large problems into easy-to-understand design modules). Many times,  I try to use many language features extensively, like meta programming, which helps me to go forward quickly. In my company, one group of people are working on algorithms. I used to wonder which one is very important for a software engineer, algorithms or software design, in the long term to successfully lead a career. Please provide your opinion on this. In the long term, I want to start my own startup company. If that is my goal, which area I should concentrate more?

• Answer:

  This is like asking which is more important: eating or breathing.   It really doesn't matter, you stop doing one, you'll probably die.  Similarly, if you stop worrying about algo or software architecture, your software will suffer considerably.  In the short run, software design seems more important, since getting a product out is such a focus in startup culture, but if you ignore algorithm design, you'll have to rewrite entirely when you find out your final product is too slow to be useful.  It is important to keep algorithm design in mind during the entire process.