The principles behind the work.
Eight convictions, read in sequence. Each carries its theme, its thesis, and a link into the writing or work where it was earned.
8 convictions earned across 4 engagements 3 essays 0/8 read
Walk one
Structure is a form of care
The shape you give a system tells the people who use it how much you respected them.
Essay Good systems reduce panic Work Rentgrata
The user experiences your boundaries, not your diagram
Architecture diagrams describe the system to its makers. Users encounter only the seams.
Essay A product is also an operating model Work Rentgrata
Reliability is part of the product
Users do not separate "the product" from "the platform that delivers it." Neither should you.
Essay Good systems reduce panic Work Rentgrata
Continuity matters more than intensity
Most things worth building are won by people who showed up at a steady cadence for longer than was reasonable.
The point of abstraction is judgment
Abstractions exist so the next decision can be made more clearly, not so the previous one can be reused.
Simplicity is achieved, not chosen
The simple version is almost always the third or fourth version, not the first.
Constraints are not the enemy of elegance
Elegance is what constraint produces when it is met with judgment instead of resentment.
A calm interface is an ethical choice
The interface decides how much of the user's attention it will take. That decision is not neutral.