If I’m not mistaken, the terms software and hardware were ordinary English words, but they have been widely popularized by popularity of computers. How much they are common (and acceptable by native speakers) to be used for other systems; for example, defining software and hardware in a company. It is indeed common in management literature, but I am not sure if it is plain English or a metaphor for comparing the system with well-known computer architecture.
In a logical comparison, we can define a coach as software and players as hardware (just a schema not exactly). How does is sound to a native speaker? Of course, I mean in general, not this exaggerated example.
Best Answer
Hardware does have an ordinary meaning: “[t]ools, machinery, and other durable equipment”.
Software only has its technical meaning, which was coined by analogy to hardware.
As you noted, these words have now developed broader, metaphorical meaning, so that we can, for example, talk about the human mind as software of the body.
Wetware is another term that has been coined by analogy.
You can research these words fully by googling [ define hardware ], etc., or by visiting OneLook.com and searching from there.