Most developers are not cut out to create these generic components, but most can use them. The process for creating them is a non-process. You fiddle, you scratch your head, you wake up a 3 a.m. with a great idea, you rip your code up over and over (and over and over). In short, you iterate. You're trying to put 10 pounds of stuff into the proverbial 5-pound bag. People who don't like to think ― to solve puzzles ― need not apply.

http://www.parashift.com/c++-faq-lite/big-picture.html