I think this is a great abstraction of the process I've never considered in those terms and I like it. It explains a bit of how software development differs from some other building processes where the desired outcome is being discovered as you figure out how to make something that produces that outcome

There are plenty of processes that have this property, though. For example: setting up a home, workspace, kitchen, factory, office, etc. to fit a particular purpose. As you discover what works well in a particular space, you will refactor your workflows, seating organization, storage systems, etc to fit what you're doing. And it may even have multiple valid configurations - for example seasonal variations like outdoor vs indoor areas.