ATTACKING ORGANIZATIONAL COMPLEXITY

Host

Michael T. Nygard

Track abstract

A collection of systems doesn't behave like a "single system only bigger." Dealing with a portfolio of systems isn't just a question of where to put a new feature or tweak some functionality. Complexity creeps in everywhere--from technological issues, certainly, but also from organizational and financial concerns. (Conway's Law holds in the large just as it does in the small.) The accumulation of complexity in systems and organizations gradually leads to that swamplike, paralyzing condition we usually label "Enterprise". This track examines two approaches to attacking this complexity. You will learn architectural and portfolio management techniques to dealing with collections of systems. Using these methods, your organization can deliberately create opportunities to move, adapt, and flex in the future.