In some pockets of the industry, an axiom of software development is that deploying software quickly is at odds with thoroughly testing that software. One reason that teams believe this is because a fully automated deployment process implies that there’s no opportunity for manual quality assurance. In other pockets of the industry, the axiom is quite different: you can get both fast deployment and manual quality assurance by using feature flags to decouple deployment (shipping the code) and release (enabling new functionality).

Lethain, authored by Will Larson, offers a unique perspective on engineering management, leadership, and organizational dynamics. Developers and engineering leaders can explore topics such as team building, career growth, and organizational design, gaining insights into building high-impact engineering organizations. With thoughtful reflections and actionable advice, Lethain serves as a resource for those navigating the complexities of engineering leadership.

Irrational Exuberance

Tradeoffs in software development can be improved by adding additional dimensions to the decision-making process, allowing for both fast deployment and manual quality assurance. Examples include project budgets, diversified portfolios, data-informed restrictions, and feature flags. By following a set of steps, such as believing in the presence of additional dimensions, being specific about stakeholder requirements, and seeking input from individuals who have solved similar tradeoffs before, better outcomes can be achieved.

Useful tradeoffs are multi-dimensional.