It saddens me that throughout software engineering, there is a very “tech will fix it” all-pervading attitude. Code first, think later. Move faster with AI. More is better. Change is good.
This is wrong and dangerous. It doesn’t matter if a software change is tiny or large – ALL changes modify how we humans have to work with the resulting system. This includes the continuous merry-go-round of vulnerability patching that we all find ourselves in these days.
We can improve our chances of achieving system stability if we invest enough in automation, testing, and continuous delivery. However, how many times do the things that should make our lives easier get left out of the sprint? The tech debt we want to eliminate simply piles up because we don’t have the time and “ooh, look shiny new thing”?
The very bedrock of our engineering ‘process’ should be “why did this break, what changed?” Now we’re in a world of “everything’s changing, are we still up”?
Changes are disruptive. They are tiring and disrespectful to everyone else who needs to work with a system. Before we knowingly make a change, try to understand what we’re trying to do and why. All changes inevitably add to cognitive load, and we’re already overburdened. So think before you change.
Tech is just the tool; we fix things by talking to each other. Stop being tech-first, be human-first.
(This post originally featured on LinkedIn)