Software Development Laws

Brooks’ Law: “Adding manpower to a late software project makes it later.”

Gall’s Law: “A complex system that works is invariably found to have evolved from a simple system that worked. A complex system designed from scratch never works and cannot be patched up to make it work. You have to start over with a working simple system.”

Parkinson’s Law: “Work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion.”

Conway’s Law: “Organizations which design systems … are constrained to produce designs which are copies of the communication structures of these organizations.”