KCDC 2025

Luis Fernandez

VML

Technology, eternal student

Don’t Let Your Org Chart Write Bad Code

In this session, we’ll explore why the biggest driver of your software architecture isn’t technology—it’s the way your teams are structured. We’ll dive into Conway’s Law, which explains how software systems mirror the communication patterns within an organization and look at Inverse Conway Maneuvers to see how reorganizing teams can help align architecture with business goals. To ignore Conway’s law is a trap that will lead to software that is more expensive, and less effective, especially in the micro-services and composable era. We’ll also examine Team Topologies, focusing on how different team types and interaction modes reduce complexity, improve collaboration, and speed up delivery. Real-world examples will demonstrate how intentional organizational design can eliminate silos and enhance product quality by keeping your codebase closely tied to the customer experience and broader business objectives. Key takeaways: • Understand how Conway’s Law reveals the link between organizational silos and siloed software.
• Apply Inverse Conway Maneuvers to create team structures that support more adaptive architectures.
• Explore Team Topologies and learn how specific team roles and interaction patterns reduce complexity.
• Gain practical ideas for rolling out these changes, managing culture shifts, and measuring success.

Relevant Links

Books

  • Team Topologies – Matthew Skelton & Manuel Pais
  • Peopleware – Tom DeMarco & Tim Lister
  • The Mythical Man-Month – Fred Brooks
  • AntiPatterns – Brown, Malveau, McCormick, Mowbray
  • Organizational Patterns of Agile Software Development – Coplien & Harrison
  • Code Complete – Steve McConnell
  • Emergence – Steven Johnson
  • Patterns of Enterprise Application Architecture – Martin Fowler
  • Joel on Software – Joel Spolsky