This process doesn't sound much different from software: you design (rough outline), get everyone to agree to the design (try to sell idea to publisher), then fill in the holes (write the code), go through code review (editors), and then, once everyone is happy, check in to your source code control system (hits shelves).

True, not everyone goes through every step. But that may be because writing software is such a young business compared to authoring fiction that people think they can still take shortcuts and get quality output. You can't.