Objectivity, meritocracy, high bus factor. What's not to like?

Authored by Mark Seemann, a software architect and consultant, this blog focuses on software design, object-oriented programming, and functional programming principles. Readers can explore articles and discussions on topics such as dependency injection, domain-driven design, and test-driven development. Additionally, they can learn about architectural patterns, design patterns, and best practices for building robust, maintainable software systems.

ploeh blog

Mark Seemann makes a case for selective bureaucracy in software development, arguing that some structured processes — like moving tickets, writing commit messages, and maintaining Architecture Decision Records — reduce interruptions, improve knowledge retention, and increase team bus factor. The argument draws on historical origins of bureaucracy as a fairness mechanism and applies the logic to software teams: oral-only cultures may move fast short-term but suffer long-term from knowledge loss when contributors leave. The goal isn't more bureaucracy, but trimming it to keep only the parts that genuinely help.

In defence of bureaucracy

<p>just make tradeoffs honestly, it really depends on what you need and a lot of context, no one solution fits all problems you know?</p>
