Breaking Rules:Five rules

of software developmentthat were made to be broken

Brendan Humphreys and Matt Quail, Atlassian

#1 DTSTTCPW

#1 DTSTTCPW

“Do the simplest thing that could possibly work”

#1 DTSTTCPW

“Do the simplest thing that could possibly work”

“Do the simplest thing that could possibly work” ✘

#1 DTSTTCPW

“Do the simplest thing that could possibly work”

“Do the simplest thing that could possibly work” ✘

DTSTTCPW. BUT NO SIMPLER ✔

#2 Design for reuse

#2 Design for reuse

Design for reuse ✘

#2 Design for reuse

Design for reuse ✘

Refactor for reuse ✔

#3 Only hire the smartest engineers

#3 Only hire the smartest engineers

Only hire the smartest engineers ✘

#3 Only hire the smartest engineers

Only hire the smartest engineers ✘

Hire well rounded teams ✔

#4 Premature optimization is the root of all evil

#4 Premature optimization is the root of all evil

Premature optimization is the root of all evil ✘

#4 Premature optimization is the root of all evil

Premature optimization is the root of all evil ✘

Be mindful of performance, donʼt leave it until too late ✔

#5 The customer is always right

#5 The customer is always right

The customer is always right ✘

#5 The customer is always right

The customer is always right ✘

#5 The customer is always right

The customer is always right ✘

Delight your customer with transparency and consistency ✔

“Do the simplest thing that could possibly work” ✘

• DTSTTCPW. BUT NO SIMPLER ✔

Design for reuse ✘

• Refactor for reuse ✔

Only hire the smartest engineers ✘

• Hire well rounded teams ✔

Premature optimization is the root of all evil ✘

• Be mindful of performance, donʼt leave it until too late ✔

The customer is always right ✘

• Delight your customer with transparency and consistency ✔

“Be Wary Of Rules In Software Engineering”

- Brendan & Matt, 2009