Communication & Structure
These Laws explain how team structure, communication, and flexibility impact Agile development.
| Concept | Agile Relevance | Usage in Agile |
|---|---|---|
| Conway's Law | "Organizations design systems that mirror their communication structures." | Supports cross-functional Agile teams, DevOps collaboration, and breaking silos to improve software design. |
| Larman's Laws | Large enterprises resist true Agile transformation, preferring to maintain their existing structures. | Helps Agile leaders navigate enterprise Agile adoption, SAFe/LeSS scaling, and organizational change management. |
| Postel's Law | "Be liberal in what you accept, and conservative in what you send." | Encourages flexible API design, modular system architecture, and robust Agile team interactions. |
| Putt's Law | "Technology is dominated by those who understand it least, and those who understand it best are driven out." | Highlights the need for strong Agile leadership, empowering technical experts, and avoiding bureaucracy in Agile teams. |
| Pournelle's Iron Law of Bureaucracy | Organizations prioritize self-preservation over their mission. | Warns against excessive governance in Agile transformations and advocates for decentralized decision-making to sustain agility. |