I’ve been trying to understand one of the latest AI coding buzzword: Spec-driven development (SDD). I looked at three of the tools that label themselves as SDD tools and tried to untangle what it means, as of now. Definition Like with many emerging terms in this fast-paced space, the definition of “spec-driven development” (SDD) is […]
Fragments and Links
Mathias Verraes writes about the relationship between Domains and Bounded Contexts in Domain-Driven Design. It’s a common myth that there should always be a 1:1 relationship between them, but although it’s sometimes the case, deeper modeling often exposes a more interesting structure. Gary Marcus: (NYT Gift Link) If the strengths of A.I. are truly to […]
Agentic AI and Security
Agentic AI systems can be amazing – they offer radical new ways to build software, through orchestration of a whole ecosystem of agents, all via an imprecise conversational interface. This is a brand new way of working, but one that also opens up severe security risks, risks that may be fundamental to this approach. We […]
Fragments Nov 3
I’m very concerned about the security dangers of LLM-enabled browsers, as it’s just too easy for them to contain the Lethal Trifecta. For up-to-date eyes on these issues, I follow the writings of coiner of that phrase: Simon Willison. Here he examines a post on how OpenAI is thinking about these issues. My takeaways from […]
The Learning Loop and LLMs
Software development has always resisted the idea that it can be turned into an assembly line. Even as our tools become smarter, faster, and more capable, the essential act remains the same: we learn by doing. An Assembly Line is a poor metaphor for software development In most mature engineering disciplines, the process is clear: […]
My Foreword to “Frictionless”
I find most writing on software productivity to be twaddle, but Nicole and Abi are notable exceptions. Here is my foreword to their just-published book. I’m at lunch with a bunch of senior technology managers, and one is regaling the table with his latest initiative to improve his software development teams. He’s launching a metrics […]
Fragments Nov 19
I’ve been on the road in Europe for the last couple of weeks, and while I was there Thoughtworks released volume 33 of our Technology Radar. Again it’s dominated by the AI wave, with lots of blips capturing our explorations of how to use LLMs and similar technology. “Agents” are the big thing these days […]
Fragments Dec 4
Rob Bowley summarizes a study from Carnegie Mellon looking on the impact of AI on a bunch of open-source software projects. Like any such study, we shouldn’t take its results as definitive, but there seems enough there to make it a handy data point. The key point is that the AI code probably reduced the […]
Joining LinkedIn
As the enmuskification of Twitter continues, I’ve increasingly heard that more people are using LinkedIn to keep up with new professional material. So, a couple of weeks ago, I set up my LinkedIn account, so people can follow me on that platform. I’ve always avoided LinkedIn – I’ve found the whole vibe of connections rather […]
Uncovering the Seams in Mainframes for Incremental Modernisation
In a recent project, we were tasked with designing how we would replace a Mainframe system with a cloud native application, building a roadmap and a business case to secure funding for the multi-year modernisation effort required. We were wary of the risks and potential pitfalls of a Big Design Up Front, so we advised […]
