The fundamental misunderstanding in Team Topologies
summary
Argues Team Topologies is wrongheaded: it tries to force microservices by reorganizing and deliberately limiting communication, citing a misread Conway's law, a mistranslated cognitive load argument, and a bogus use of Dunbar's number (plus leaning on two Spotify blog posts). Claims this produces brittle APIs, requires costly documentation/technical writers and developer advocates, and misses Conway’s point that organizations must remain flexible. Recommends letting communication reveal needed structure and building networks by helping people, not by banishing conversations.
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chapters (4)
- 0:00Introduction
- 1:25Critique of book principles
- 53:33Rethinking the organization
- 55:47Building an effective culture
related talks
01mChris Richardson at DDD Europe 2025
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45mLessons learned from introducing Team Topologies
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47mMicroservices and the Inverse Conway Manoeuvre
58mMicroservices and the Inverse Conway Manoeuvre
