The Engineering Room with Dave Farley
The Software Industry's Evolution, Complex Architecture & Problem-Solving At Scale | Michael Nygard In The Engineering Room Ep. 35
Jan 26, 2025
Michael Nygard, Leader in Global Platforms at Nubank and former Chief Scientist at Sabre, dives deep into the intricacies of modern software architecture. He unpacks the implementation of data mesh solutions for scaling problem-solving and emphasizes the importance of traditional principles like modularity. Nygard shares his experiences managing massive datasets, tackling challenges in ETL processes, and navigating the complexities of a regulated banking environment. His insights on legacy technologies and the evolution of software practices reveal invaluable lessons for developers today.
44:58
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Quick takeaways
- Michael Nygard emphasizes the necessity of incremental problem-solving and safe parallelization in managing complex systems like data sets at Nubank.
- The podcast discusses the enduring importance of software engineering principles such as modularity and separation of concerns in evolving software architectures.
Deep dives
Incremental Design in Data Management
Addressing the vast challenge of managing 300,000 data sets, an incremental design approach is emphasized. The team faces the reality that more dependencies are created faster than they can be cleaned up, necessitating a method to parallelize work safely. Essential to this process is the establishment of clear boundaries and tools that allow multiple people to work simultaneously without disrupting ongoing business operations. This parallels the notion of adjusting large systems like a 747 in flight, where incremental changes are made to ensure stability while progressing.
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