Byte-sized Wisdom — From An Engineer’s Diary
Embarking on a journey through the annals of software history, this collection of notes brings forth the wisdom and insights of luminaries from the software industry. From pioneers who laid the foundation to modern trailblazers shaping the digital landscape, these notes capture the essence of their thoughts, experiences, and perspectives.
As you delve into this compilation, you’ll find a treasure trove of knowledge, anecdotes, and visionary foresight that have shaped the evolution of software engineering. These notes not only provide a glimpse into the minds of eminent figures but also offer a source of inspiration and guidance for all those who are passionate about the art and science of Software engineering.
- A system is more than the sum of its parts. It’s a product of their interactions. The way parts fit together determines the performance of a system — not on how they perform taken separately → Dr. Russell Ackoff — one of the pioneers of system thinking
- In addition, when building systems in general, we need to consider effectiveness (building the right thing) and efficiency (building the thing right).
- Doing the wrong thing right is not nearly as good as doing the right thing wrong
- In a world of rapid changes and increasing uncertainties, organizations must continuously adapt and evolve to remain competitive and excel in the market. Designing for adaptability sounds easier said than done.
- How do you design and build systems that can evolve and thrive in the face of constant change? The answer is to take a holistic approach that combines different viewpoints from business strategy, software architecture, and team organization.
- Many organizations imagine “Digital Transformation” as a case of “catching up” or “modernizing”. The truth is that transforming to modern product practices at global scale is a new frontier. There is no play book(no matter what the consultancies are selling you). It’s an opportunity for creativity and innovation. Its be a first situation for your sector / domain.
- A platform is — when the economic value of everybody that uses it, exceeds the value of the company that creates it. — Bill Gates
- Every company needs ambidexterity now — this achieves current strategic imperatives and plans for the future → Michael L Tushman
- OKRs not for command and control. Do not use OKRs to control people’s activities. Only use OKRs if you want to direct your people towards desired outcomes and trust them enough to figure out how. OKRs ONLY work for empowered teams, otherwise they are a travesty… → Christina Wodtke
- Software architecture is now a continual flow of decisions that are revisited continuously, and architectural criteria in Definition of Dones have become ephemeral. Software architectures are never “done”, but effective automated DoDs can help to improve them with each release.
