01 October 2006

Scott Millett - Collected Quotes

"A lack of focus on a shared language and knowledge of the problem domain results in a codebase that works but does not reveal the intent of the business. This makes codebases difficult to read and maintain because translations between the analysis model and the code model can be costly and error prone." (Scott Millett, "Patterns Principles and Practices of Domain Driven Design", 2015)

"All models are not created equal; the most appropriate design patterns are used based on the complexity needs of each subdomain rather than applying a blanket design to the whole system. Models for subdomains that are not core to the success of the product or that are not as complex need not be based on rich object‐oriented designs, and can instead utilize more procedural or data‐driven architectures." (Scott Millett, "Patterns Principles and Practices of Domain Driven Design", 2015)

"Any team can write a software product to meet the needs of a set of use cases, but teams that put time and effort into the problem domain they are working on can consistently evolve the product to meet new business use cases." (Scott Millett, "Patterns Principles and Practices of Domain Driven Design", 2015)

"Areas of low complexity or that are unlikely to be invested in can be built without the need for perfect code quality; working software is good enough. Sometimes feedback and first-to-market are core to the success of a product; in this instance, it can make business sense to get working software up as soon as possible, whatever the architecture." (Scott Millett, "Patterns Principles and Practices of Domain Driven Design", 2015)

"By sketching out high‐level logic before you write code, you are in a better position to build the component efficiently and properly because you understand what you are doing. This is where a component diagram provides a lot of benefit. A useful time to start creating component diagrams is during knowledge‐crunching sessions with domain experts. You can produce basic sketches together using just boxes and lines to communicate domain events and processes. When you then sit down to start coding, you already have an idea of what you need to build and terminology from the UL that needs to be modeled in your system." (Scott Millett, "Patterns Principles and Practices of Domain Driven Design", 2015)

"Domain-Driven Design (DDD) is a process that aligns your code with the reality of your problem domain." (Scott Millett, "Patterns Principles and Practices of Domain Driven Design", 2015)

"Don’t let design patterns and principles get in the way of getting things done and providing value to the business. Patterns and principles are guides for you to produce supple designs. Badges of honor will not be given out the more you use them in an application. DDD is about providing value, not producing elegant code." (Scott Millett, "Patterns Principles and Practices of Domain Driven Design", 2015)

"If key areas of the software are not in synergy with the business domain  then, over time, it is likely that the design will rot and turn into a big ball of mud, resulting in hard‐to‐maintain software." (Scott Millett, "Patterns Principles and Practices of Domain Driven Design", 2015)

"It’s important to understand that not all parts of a problem are equal. Some parts of the application are more important than others. Some parts need more attention and investment than others to make the application a success. During knowledge crunching with domain experts, it’s important to reduce the noise of what’s unimportant to enable you to focus on what is important. Model‐Driven Design is hard and should only be reserved to the areas of your systems that are vital to its success. This chapter covers how you can reveal the most important areas of a system and how by using distillation you can focus on those areas. With the knowledge of where to focus you can deeply model what is core, and focus on what will make a difference." (Scott Millett, "Patterns Principles and Practices of Domain Driven Design", 2015)

"It may seem sensible to model the entire problem domain using a single model. However, this can be problematic because it needs to cater to all the needs of your domain. This renders the model either too complex or overly generic and devoid of any behavior. If you have large systems, it is far better and more manageable to break down the problem space into smaller, more focused models that can be tied to a specific context. Remember DDD is all about reducing complexity; a single monolithic model would increase complexity. Instead you should break the problem domain down so that you are able to create smaller models in the solution space." (Scott Millett, "Patterns Principles and Practices of Domain Driven Design", 2015)

"Knowledge crunching is key to bridging any knowledge gaps for the technical team when designing a solution for a problem domain based on a set of requirements. In order for a team to produce a useful model they need to have a deep insight of the problem domain to ensure important concepts are not overlooked or misunderstood. This can only be done through working in collaboration with the people that understand the domain the most; i.e., the business users, stakeholders, and subject matter experts. Without this there is a danger that a technical solution will be produced that is void of any real domain insight and something that cannot be understood by the business or by other developers during software maintenance or subsequent enhancements." (Scott Millett, "Patterns Principles and Practices of Domain Driven Design", 2015)

"Model‐Driven Design is the process of binding an analysis model to a code implementation model, ensuring that both stay in sync and are useful during evolution. It is the process of validating and proving the model in practice, because it’s pointless to have an elaborate model if you can’t actually implement it. Model‐Driven Design differs from DDD in that it is focused on implementation and any constraints that may require changes to an initial model, whereas DDD focuses on language, collaboration, and domain knowledge. The two complement each other; a Model‐Driven Design approach enables domain knowledge and the shared language to be incorporated into a software model that mirrors the language and mental models of the business experts. This then supports collaboration because business experts and software developers are able to solve problems together as a result of their respective models being valid. Insights gained in either model are shared and knowledge is increased, leading to better problem solving and clearer communication between the business and development team." (Scott Millett, "Patterns Principles and Practices of Domain Driven Design", 2015)

"Not all of a large software product needs be perfectly designed - in fact trying to do so would be a waste of effort." (Scott Millett, "Patterns Principles and Practices of Domain Driven Design", 2015)

"The DDD philosophy is not about following a set of rules or applying coding patterns. It is a process of learning. The journey is far more important than the destination, and the journey is all about exploring your problem domain in collaboration with domain experts rather than how many design patterns you can employ in your solution." (Scott Millett, "Patterns Principles and Practices of Domain Driven Design", 2015)

"Unfortunately, many developers find it difficult to create effective diagrams. However, when drawing sketches, one basic principle can help you to create highly effective diagrams: keep your diagrams at a consistent level of detail. If you’re talking about high‐level concepts like the way independent software systems communicate to fulfill a business use case, try not to drop down into lower-level concepts like class or module names that will clutter the diagram. Keeping your diagrams at a consistent level of detail will prevent you from showing too much detail or too little detail, meaning everyone can understand what you are trying to convey. It’s often better to create multiple diagrams each at a different level of detail." (Scott Millett, "Patterns Principles and Practices of Domain Driven Design", 2015)

"When you have a sound understanding of the problem domain, strategic patterns of DDD can help you implement a technical solution in synergy with the problem space. Patterns enable core parts of your system that are crucial to the success of the product to be protected from the generic areas. Isolating integral components allows them to be modified without having a rippling effect throughout the system." (Scott Millett, "Patterns Principles and Practices of Domain Driven Design", 2015)

"You won’t get a useful model on the first attempt; you might not even get one on the second or third attempts. Don’t be afraid of experimentation. Get used to ripping up designs and starting over. Remember that there is not a correct model, only a model that is useful for the current context and the set of problems you are facing." (Scott Millett, "Patterns Principles and Practices of Domain Driven Design", 2015)

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