Conway's Law - Organizations design systems that mirror their communication structure
When designing systems or teams
Understanding the Rule
System architectures reflect organizational structure. Teams that don't talk produce disconnected systems. Communication patterns determine system boundaries and interfaces.
What Happens When You Break It
Ignoring Conway's Law produces systems that reflect organizational dysfunction, creating poor architectures that mirror communication problems.
Benefits of Following This Rule
Understanding Conway's Law enables structuring teams to produce desired architectures, recognizing that organization design determines system design.