Vicki Boykis, On the Team as a System.

Vicki Boykis, “On the Team as a System,” September 10, 2022, https://veekaybee.github.io/2022/09/10/on-the-team-as-a-system/.

Reading notes.

Software quality comes from systems that value quality, not individuals.

Good management starts with the understanding that there is a theoretically ideal system design, one that is completely efficient and produces perfect work output. From this system, you can make tradeoffs to make it more realistic. You can add code reviews to slow down the system but increase maintainability. Carefully make these tradeoffs, though, to make sure the deficiency does not outweigh the benefit.

Bad management is the adoption of tools and practices without understanding the tradeoffs they create. Breaking up teams introduces queues into the process flow while optimizing comms within it. If this is done without understanding the tradeoff is a problem.

Good teams have effective process. What is missing in a system is just as important has what it has. Slack in work as in kanban adds efficiency. 1:1s are for providing regular feedback, but also puts gaps in the flow of feedback. Takes away the ability to have uninterrupted work. Have to interpret what is being removed and gained when making these changes.