I think you are getting to the heart of it, but the analogy I like is
making a movie, the final result is very open-ended and coordinating the
activity of getting a result very complex, also, whether the end result
is a success is very much dependant on intimate knowledge of the humans
who will view (use) the outcome.
I think that a better analogy is a large construction project like an
office building or a large bridge. They often run over budget and
schedule, and often develop unforeseen problems. Some of them are
almost exactly like previous ones, and some have many new elements.
During construction, unexpected problems arise, and once completed,
usage patterns may turn out to be quite different from those
anticipated. Many of the implementation details are routine and
implemented by tradesmen who don't know much about the overall
architecture.
