7 architectural sins: why we keep making them and how we can stop
Conference (INTERMEDIATE level)
Room D
Why do we keep making the same mistakes over and over? Why do we praise best practices like TDD, DDD and Team Topologies but don’t practice them consistently? Why do I find the same problematic architectural patterns in almost every company I have worked in?
This talk will discuss seven real life architectural sins, discuss how they come to manifest and the impact they have using real case scenarios drawn from many experiences I have had with such problems. I will draw out the common factors that underpinned these difficulties, describing not only how they presented in code, but also the causes that led to them. I will introduce Holistic Engineering, the practice of designing tech thinking of all the intrinsic parts of the organic system, embracing how people, management, organisational structure, budgets, company goals, production vision, security and even the political climate impact directly your code. This talk will help you better understand the boundaries of the organic system you are making technical decisions for and apply strategies to incorporate technical and non-technical factors to your decision process for your ever evolving organic system.
This talk will discuss seven real life architectural sins, discuss how they come to manifest and the impact they have using real case scenarios drawn from many experiences I have had with such problems. I will draw out the common factors that underpinned these difficulties, describing not only how they presented in code, but also the causes that led to them. I will introduce Holistic Engineering, the practice of designing tech thinking of all the intrinsic parts of the organic system, embracing how people, management, organisational structure, budgets, company goals, production vision, security and even the political climate impact directly your code. This talk will help you better understand the boundaries of the organic system you are making technical decisions for and apply strategies to incorporate technical and non-technical factors to your decision process for your ever evolving organic system.
Vanessa Formicola
Engineering leader and hands-on architect/staff+ with 15 years transforming the way technology organisations design, build, and deliver software. Equally comfortable defining technical strategy at leadership level and getting into the detail of systems, teams, and engineering practices.
Background spans Microsoft, ThoughtWorks, and senior roles across multiple sectors, working across legacy modernisation, socio-technical architecture, developer experience, and engineering effectiveness. Experienced leading and growing cross-functional teams across multiple countries and time zones.
Conference speaker, community builder, and advocate for inclusive engineering cultures.
Background spans Microsoft, ThoughtWorks, and senior roles across multiple sectors, working across legacy modernisation, socio-technical architecture, developer experience, and engineering effectiveness. Experienced leading and growing cross-functional teams across multiple countries and time zones.
Conference speaker, community builder, and advocate for inclusive engineering cultures.