Software Engineering Lessons from a Fern

Overview This blog post uses the example of a fern with the world's largest genome to illustrate how incidental complexity can creep into software systems, leading to hidden costs and slower delivery. It explains why seemingly "easy" shortcuts often create long-term technical debt and offers guidance on keeping architectures simple.

Key Takeaways

• Incidental complexity is a hidden source of technical debt that erodes team velocity.
• Short-term "easy" solutions often incur hidden long-term costs.
• Prioritising simplicity and clear abstractions helps maintain sustainable delivery speed.
• Regularly reassess and refactor to avoid accumulation of unnecessary complexity.

Who Would Benefit

• Engineering managers looking to reduce hidden technical debt.
• Tech leads and architects aiming to keep systems simple.
• Team leads responsible for maintaining long-term delivery velocity.
• Developers interested in understanding the cost of over-engineering.

Frameworks and Methodologies

• Simplicity-first design principles.
• Continuous refactoring.
• Technical debt tracking.