I follow an architecture principle I call The Law of Collective Amnesia

Software systems inevitably drift from their original design as teams change and new requirements emerge. To combat this "collective amnesia," design systems where the correct architectural path is the easiest one to follow. Use contracts as constraints, control entry/exit points, build modular interfaces from day one, and assume future developers won't understand or follow your intentions. Documentation alone won't prevent architectural decay—structural guardrails that make the right choice the path of least resistance will.