Software Design: Tidy First? • 1060 implied HN points • 10 Feb 25
- Oscillation occurs when systems swing between extremes, like adjusting a thermostat. A delay between making a change and feeling the effect can cause back-and-forth adjustments.
- In nature, predator and prey populations can also oscillate, like rabbits and hawks. More rabbits lead to more hawks, which eventually can cause the rabbit population to drop, repeating the cycle.
- Calls for comprehensive documentation in software may lead to oscillation. As information decays over time, teams might swing between needing more documentation and finding fewer resources to support that need.