- Author
- Dan North, Dan North & Associates Limited
- Published
- 3 February 2025
- Kind
- Personal blog essay, with two worked examples
- Original
- dannorth.net/blog/best-simple-system-for-now/
- Subject
- Software design
What it is
Dan North runs a consultancy and writes about software and agile practice. The essay introduces the term BSSN for building only what present needs require. It also covers the habits needed and where to start.
What it says
- North defines BSSN as the simplest system meeting present needs, written to an appropriate standard.
- The essay says the system should not anticipate the future in any way.
- North says simple does not mean cutting corners.
- North says many prototypes end up in production and are built upon.
- North says iterative delivery tends to give worse ROI but better risk-adjusted return.
- North says habits, courage and humility are needed to keep code simple.
- North's JSON example swapped a library for nine pairs of one-line methods.
What evidence it gives
The essay offers decades of experience and two anecdotes from client and colleague work. It cites WhatsApp and SQLite as products kept small. It also cites Gall, Reinertsen and Gabriel. It reports no measurements.
Interests and limits
North's firm offers training and a business agility practice, and the page promotes them. The examples are single cases from the author's own work. The author cites Dave Snowden saying Gall's law only applies in certain contexts. The author also admits to not being great at the habit yet.