Software Design: Tidy First?

The Substack explores the intersections of software design, human psychology, and work culture, aiming to offer insights into improving technical skills, design intuition, and professional relationships. It covers topics from programming philosophies to managing complexity, addressing both technical challenges and personal growth in the technology sector.

Software Design Programming Practices Professional Development Technology and Society Human Psychology Work Culture Business Strategy Innovation and Experimentation

The hottest Substack posts of Software Design: Tidy First?

And their main takeaways

The Open/Closed/Open Principle

1565 implied HN points ā€¢ 12 Mar 24
šŸ•¹ Technology Software Design Isolation Experimentation
  1. In software design, there are ordinary phases (small changes) and revolutionary phases (fundamental changes) - understanding when each is needed is important.
  2. Revolutionary design violates the open/closed principle by requiring new elements and relationships that don't fit with the existing design.
  3. Revolutionary changes in design require different values and care compared to ordinary design - they are essential for accommodating new types of features.

Design is an Island

740 implied HN points ā€¢ 18 Mar 24
šŸŖ‘ Design Web Software Architecture Product
  1. Designing is like navigating an island: staying above waterline signifies acceptable designs.
  2. The acceptability of designs can vary like tides, impacted by different factors like seasons.
  3. Improving designs requires effort and sometimes moving to a new 'island' means temporary setbacks before progress.

Exploring AI

2389 implied HN points ā€¢ 25 Jan 24
šŸ•¹ Technology AI Experiments Innovation
  1. Every technological revolution involves something valuable becoming cheaper.
  2. In an exploration phase, conduct many experiments and embrace duplication.
  3. Embrace the changed cost landscape and actively explore new possibilities.

The Tale of Two Teams

1226 implied HN points ā€¢ 19 Feb 24
šŸ’¼ Business Leadership Software Development Management Innovation Team Dynamics
  1. Software development teams can take two different paths over time - one struggling to maintain progress and innovate, the other accelerating and exceeding expectations.
  2. Executives play a crucial role in steering teams towards successful software development by fostering a culture of continual improvement, tidy code, automation, and collaboration.
  3. Understanding software design fundamentals as an executive can help diagnose ineffective teams, bridge communication gaps between business and technology, and inspire innovation and excellence.
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Tidy First? in One Page

1184 implied HN points ā€¢ 16 Feb 24
šŸ•¹ Technology Software Development
  1. Resistance to tidying in software development can come from various angles like product managers and colleagues.
  2. To ensure lasting change in software development, there needs to be a partnership between implementors and executives.
  3. Creating a 'Surprise Factory' in software development involves incorporating software design in the right proportions and at the right times.

Dissecting a Case of Imposter Syndrome

1543 implied HN points ā€¢ 02 Feb 24
šŸŽ¶ Music Self-reflection Personal experiences
  1. Imposter Syndrome can make you doubt your own abilities, even when others appreciate your work.
  2. Challenging negative thoughts and focusing on the evidence of your success can help overcome Imposter Syndrome.
  3. Exploring underlying reasons like past experiences or fears can provide insights into dealing with Imposter Syndrome.

Professional Pricing

2411 implied HN points ā€¢ 03 Jan 24
šŸ’¼ Business Business Model Revenue growth
  1. Consider raising prices to increase revenue, but be aware of potential tradeoffs.
  2. Subscribers can expect to improve software design and communication skills, connect with a community, and receive thought-provoking ideas.
  3. New pricing for the newsletter will be $25/month starting January 15, 2024, so signing up before then locks in the current $7/month rate.

A New Literature

1903 implied HN points ā€¢ 11 Jan 24
šŸ“š Literature Writing Model Content creation Evolution Interactivity
  1. The new companion model called Rent-a-Kent combines blog posts with a trained language model to promote reader interaction.
  2. Creating the companion model felt more like programming than writing a blog post, with less control over the model's responses.
  3. This new form of literature allows for immediate questions and comments without the delay of waiting for replies, but may lack the human connection found in traditional comment sections.

Money Shapes Design: The Economic Drivers of Software Development

549 implied HN points ā€¢ 29 Feb 24
šŸ•¹ Technology Software Development
  1. Software development can sometimes become disconnected from economic principles due to factors like lack of competition and high demand.
  2. Money plays a significant role in shaping the design and development of software products.
  3. Executives can benefit from understanding the economic drivers behind software development to make informed decisions and drive business success.

Features & Design: A Dance of Contrasts

359 implied HN points ā€¢ 07 Mar 24
šŸŖ‘ Design Features
  1. Executives could create more value with software projects if they understood the strategic importance of software design.
  2. The post discusses the role of programming and software design in project success.
  3. Paid subscribers can access exclusive content in the post.

Just Ship, Baby

1332 implied HN points ā€¢ 27 Nov 23
šŸ•¹ Technology Software Development Testing
  1. Focus on shipping software is essential, even if it means not adhering perfectly to all practices.
  2. It's better to ship imperfect software than to not ship at all.
  3. Adhering to good practices is important, but lack of skills is not an excuse for lack of progress.

TDD is Kanban for Code

1268 implied HN points ā€¢ 01 Dec 23
šŸ•¹ Technology Development Software Coding Testing Workflow
  1. Kanban aims to increase value by limiting work and enhancing feedback in production.
  2. Test-driven development involves dividing features into tests to ensure correct functioning of the system.
  3. In the TDD process, tests act as kanban cards, triggering coding and refactoring steps with immediate feedback on logic and design.

Recommending Kent Beck: 2011

1120 implied HN points ā€¢ 08 Dec 23
šŸ’¼ Business Recommendation Employment Management Career development Software Development
  1. Kent Beck's role in enhancing engineering teams for growth and prosperity by working on product features and tool building.
  2. Kent Beck's impact through research and publication on software design, attracting new recruits and revolutionizing design ideas.
  3. Kent Beck's personal relationships and pair programming sessions significantly improving engineering skills and career prospects of individuals.

Design Intuition

2432 implied HN points ā€¢ 22 Aug 23
šŸ•¹ Technology Design Software Intuition Rationality
  1. When designing software, prioritize safety of evolution over efficiency.
  2. Don't rush decisions; it's better to wait for more information to make informed choices.
  3. Getting feedback early and making design changes sooner is more valuable than waiting for the 'perfect' solution.

Book Editing

909 implied HN points ā€¢ 15 Aug 23
šŸ“š Literature Editing Writing Book Publishing
  1. Editing a book can have emotional impacts like disrupting sleep and causing stress.
  2. Author seeks PR submissions for examples in their book and requests opinion on preferred book layout.
  3. Fear of losing control over how words are interpreted and used is a major concern for the author.

The Pleasure of Pattern

45 HN points ā€¢ 14 Feb 24
šŸŽØ Art & Illustration Patterns Music Programming Psychology
  1. Finding patterns in tasks like programming, music, and poker can be intensely satisfying and enjoyable.
  2. Music is full of patterns that can be discovered and enjoyed, especially through improvisation and communication.
  3. Seeing patterns in different activities like programming, music, and poker can lead to moments of satisfaction, indicating a brain wired to crave order and appreciate pattern recognition.