Whatever works
A call for pragmatism in software development: avoid dogma, observe what works, and leave room for doubt.
Blog
Why Software Quality Is Determined Before the First Line of Code Is Written
High-quality software is well-designed software before it is well-built software. Let’s explore together how to go about this.
Measuring Software Quality: Don’t Fight the Wrong Battle
Measure an outcome rather than an output. This way, you empower your teams and align them with your company’s goals.
If you think Agility is expensive, understand that it’s a risk premium
The problem is that the benchmark (Waterfall) leads to software that doesn’t meet users’ needs…
Take back control of your development, without the illusion of estimates
Don’t ask, “How long will this take?” Instead, ask yourself if you can break your work down into even smaller pieces.
Software quality means moving fast, for the long haul
Moving fast is easy. Maintaining that pace for years is more difficult and is the true mark of software quality.
Software quality is too important to be left to your CTO (or the art of shooting yourself in the foot)
Producing high-quality software involves organizational aspects that go beyond technology and can undermine the CTO’s efforts.
€10,000 to save €500: the true ROI of modularization
A lack of modularity is costly. Investing in a modular architecture protects your software and prevents massive financial losses.
Bugs: The Developer, an All-Too-Easy Scapegoat
It’s easy to blame developers. But bugs also stem from design, organization, and culture.
Domain-Driven Design: Why There Is No Universal Model
A model is never a faithful representation of reality, but an abstraction designed for a specific purpose. A model exists only through its use.
The Trials and Tribulations of Optimization
An example of algorithm optimization (the skyscraper game) and the lessons that can be learned from it. Pareto’s Law applies fully.
Effectuation: Entrepreneurship Without Being a Hero
Effectuation, theorized by Saras Sarasvathy, takes the opposite approach to the entrepreneurial myth: here, the goal is defined based on the available resources.
5 Tips for Hiring Tech Professionals
Here are a few pieces of advice, drawn from my experience working with companies, that I wish I’d had back when I was a manager.
There are different kinds of MVPs: it all depends on the context
Some MVPs cost 10,000 euros; others, 10 million euros. The goal is the same—to acquire real users—but it all depends on the market.
I’m the developer, and you’re the quality guy
The road to hell is paved with good intentions, and your Quality Department is no exception: it’s impossible to distinguish between “doing” and “doing better.”
JIT Learning
When it comes to IT, you’re bound to be playing catch-up. For greater peace of mind, discover Just-In-Time Learning.
B2B Software Publishers: Your Customer Pays You, but They’re Killing You
Co-creating your product with your first customers is a good thing. However, that doesn’t mean giving in to all their requests.
Changing the Company: Between Sincere Intentions and On-the-Ground Reality
To bring about lasting change, it’s better to persuade than to order. However, this change takes time and requires self-directed individuals.
The Hexagonal Architecture: Developing from the Domain Up
Hexagonal Architecture, formalized by Alistair Cockburn, aims to isolate the domain. It is based on dependency inversion and dependency injection.
Once a ticket, always bullshit
User Story or technical task? Behind a battle of words lies the trade-off between today’s value and tomorrow’s.