Conway's Law: "Organizations which design systems are constrained to produce designs which are copies of the communication structures of those organizations". Mel Conway, 1968
The consequences of the law arise given that most often the structure of a system reflects the status and power relationships of the people within the organization. Thus, an organizational structure mirrors the internal concerns of the organization; without regard to whether for any one element or function it meets the needs of it's internal and external "clients".
It could very well be that the limits of your organization have been built into your product to the detriment of your customers. Breaking Conway's Law may mean redesigning or building flexibility into your internal communication structures.
Recognizing how your structure affects your output, especially communication, prior to the design or rollout of a new system can often be the difference between success and failure.
Conway's law is at once simple and profound, with far-reaching consequences if it's not taken into consideration. You can access the original, groundbreaking thesis here.
NEXT: You've broken Conway's Law, now it's time to build for support
