Architecting for uncertainty - part 1: thriving in a VUCA world requires frequent deployment

This is the first in a series of articles based on my talk Architecting for Fast Flow: Thriving Amid Uncertainty. In this series, I define the term fast flow and explain why it has become an essential software delivery capability. I discuss how fast flow emerges from a socio-technical architecture, which consists of a software architecture and its development organization. Finally, I describe how to design and evolve a socio-technical architecture in order to sustain fast flow.

This first article is the motivation for the rest of the series: today’s business environment is turbulent, and businesses must rapidly adapt their products and services. And since modern businesses are powered by software, their ability to adapt depends on how quickly they can change their software.

Let’s start by looking at the world that businesses operate in today.