“Everything in software architecture is a trade-off, and the why is more important than how." Neal Ford is a Director and software architect at ThoughtWorks. In this episode, we discussed all things about software architecture covering his three most recent books: “Fundamentals of Software Architecture”, “Software Architecture: The Hard Parts”, and “Building Evolutionary Architectures”. We first discussed the definition of software architecture and how it relates to software design. Neal then described the two important laws of software architecture related to trade-offs and the why. Neal then explained why software architecture is difficult and discussed the hard parts, such as finding the least-worst combination trade-offs, understanding the importance of data, and managing coupling. Towards the end, Neal shared about the evolutionary architecture concept and some of its principles to support making incremental change across multiple software architectural dimensions. Listen out for: Career Journey - [00:04:25] Definition of Software Architecture - [00:10:48] Software Architecture vs Design - [00:14:29] Laws of Software Architecture - [00:16:24] The Hard Parts of Software Architecture - [00:20:55] Least-Worst Combination of Trade-offs - [00:26:42] Importance of Data - [00:29:51] Coupling and The 3 Co’s - [00:35:54] Evolutionary Architecture - [00:40:11] Incremental Change - [00:45:26] Principles of Evolutionary Architecture - [00:49:32] 3 Tech Lead Wisdom - [00:52:01] _____ Neal Ford’s Bio Neal Ford is Director, Software Architect, and Meme Wrangler at ThoughtWorks. He is also the designer and developer of applications, articles, video presentations, and author and/or editor of an increasingly large number of books spanning a variety of subjects and technologies, including the two most recent Fundamentals of Software Architecture and Building Evolutionary Architectures. His professional focus includes designing and building of large-scale enterprise applications. He is also an internationally acclaimed speaker, speaking at over 700 developer conferences worldwide, delivering more than 3000 presentations. Follow Neal: Website – nealford.com Twitter – @neal4d _____ Our Sponsors Skills Matter is the global community and events platform for software professionals. You get on-demand access to their latest content, thought leadership insights as well as the exciting schedule of tech events running across all time zones. Head on over to skillsmatter.com to become part of the tech community that matters most to you - it’s free to join and easy to keep up with the latest tech trends. Are you looking for a new cool swag? Tech Lead Journal now offers you some swags that you can purchase online. These swags are printed on-demand based on your preference, and will be delivered safely to you all over the world where shipping is available. Check out all the cool swags available by visiting techleadjournal.dev/shop. And don't forget to brag yourself once you receive any of those swags. Like this episode? Follow @techleadjournal on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram. Pledge your support by becoming a patron. For episode show notes, visit techleadjournal.dev/episodes/120.

"Neal Ford, Director and software architect at ThoughtWorks, discusses software architecture and design in this episode. He explains the definition of software architecture, the difference between architecture and design, and the importance of trade-offs and the why. Ford also explores the hard parts of software architecture."

Experts discuss the 2024 technology trends focusing on AI, augmented reality, digital twins, responsible tech, and the need for an ethical code in the tech industry.

It's often said that technology moves quickly, but the decisions we make about it can have long-term consequences. That's why identifying these trends — and understanding what they mean — matters. At Thoughtworks we do that with our Looking Glass report. Our most recent edition was published at the end of 2022; it provides a useful framework for thinking through the major shifts that look set to happen across the industry in 2023.  In this episode of the Technology Podcast, regular hosts Mike Mason and Ken Mugrage take the guest seats to talk to Neal Ford about the six key trends in the latest Looking Glass. They explain why they were chosen before diving deeper into a selection of some of the most hotly debated trends that feature in the report, such as metaverse and Web3. Explore the latest Looking Glass: https://www.thoughtworks.com/insights/looking-glass Read Mike Mason's metaverse article (co-written with Barton Friedland) https://www.thoughtworks.com/insights/articles/metaverse-practical-review

Join Ken Mugrage, a tech industry veteran from Seattle, and Neal Ford, acclaimed author and architect from Atlanta, as they dive into the latest trends shaping software development. They dissect the rise of generative AI, cautioning against overreliance on AI tools and calling for a balance with traditional practices. Discover Rust's innovative surge, its speed, and efficiency, as well as the transformative impact of WebAssembly on web applications. Finally, they explore the explosion of AI tools, likening it to a Cambrian explosion, showcasing the need for collaboration in this evolving landscape.