What Melvin Conway thinks about design

@melvin-conway · 12 positions · 0 changes of mind

Computer scientist; his 1968 paper How Do Committees Invent? gave the observation known as Conway's law, that organisations design systems that copy their communication structures.

Melvin Conway did not write this page.

We collected these quotes from things they published elsewhere, and every quote links to where it was said. They have no account here and have not endorsed this site. Quotes are word for word; the short line under each one is our own restatement, not their wording. Their own site. Is this you? Claim it or ask us to remove it. Or tell us what is wrong here.

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10 dated positions, c. 1968, in their own words. Our reading of what Melvin Conway has said — not written or endorsed by them.

1. c. 1968

   Our readingNo design group can be both organised and unbiased.

   Their wordsTherefore, there is no such thing as a design group which is both organized and unbiased.

   ↗How Do Committees Invent?melconway.com All 12 from this paper

3. c. 1968

   Our readingAny system design will someday be bettered by someone.

   Their wordsIt is an article of faith among experienced, system designers that given any system design, someone someday will find a better one to do the same job.

   ↗How Do Committees Invent?melconway.com All 12 from this paper

5. c. 1968

   Our readingAn organisation that is not fully flexible in how it communicates stamps an image of itself on every design it produces.

   Their wordsTo the extent that an organization is not completely flexible in its communication structure, that organization will stamp out an image of itself in every design it produces.

   ↗How Do Committees Invent?melconway.com All 12 from this paper

7. c. 1968

   Our readingA small, well-chosen design team gives a better system; reasoning that works for peeling potatoes fails for design.

   Their wordsFrom experience we know that the two men, if they are well chosen and survive the experience, will give us a better system. Assumptions which may be adequate for peeling potatoes and erecting brick walls fail for designing systems.

   ↗How Do Committees Invent?melconway.com All 12 from this paper

9. c. 1968

   Our readingProbably the biggest common cause of poorly designed systems is a design organisation in need of work.

   Their wordsProbably the greatest single common factor behind many poorly designed systems now in existence has been the availability of a design organization in need of work.

   ↗How Do Committees Invent?melconway.com All 12 from this paper

11. c. 1968

    Our readingMilitary-style organisations design systems that look like their organisation charts.

    war

    Their wordsThis is one reason why military-style organizations design systems which look like their organization charts.

    ↗How Do Committees Invent?melconway.com All 12 from this paper

13. c. 1968

    Our readingOrganisations that design systems are constrained to produce designs that copy their communication structures.

    Their wordsThe basic thesis of this article is that organizations which design systems (in the broad sense used here) are constrained to produce designs which are copies of the communication structures of these organizations.

    ↗How Do Committees Invent?melconway.com All 12 from this paper

15. c. 1968

    Our readingA design effort should be organised according to the need for communication.

    Their wordsPrimarily, we have found a criterion for the structuring of design organizations: a design effort should be organized according to the need for communication.

    ↗How Do Committees Invent?melconway.com All 12 from this paper

17. c. 1968

    Our readingBecause the first design is almost never the best, organisational flexibility matters for good design.

    Their wordsBecause the design which occurs first is almost never the best possible, the prevailing system concept may need to change. Therefore, flexibility of organization is important to effective design.

    ↗How Do Committees Invent?melconway.com All 12 from this paper

19. c. 1968

    Our readingAdding people to a design effort does not simply add productivity.

    Their wordsThere is need for a philosophy of system design management which is not based on the assumption that adding manpower simply adds to productivity.

    ↗How Do Committees Invent?melconway.com All 12 from this paper