Software2014

Nobody doubts that complexity is the enemy. As software architects we are up against an unrelenting entropic force. Successful engagement with such a formidable opponent demands taking the time to understand and characterise your adversary before planning the assault. By transforming data into knowledge, we gain power. And with sufficient power, we can prevail.

Legacy software systems acquire an organic quality and as such they are amenable to analysis with the tools of the observational sciences measurement and statistics. We accumulate a wealth of data during development which we can usefully mine from source control systems. Analysis of this data can direct preventative or remedial refactoring efforts to maximise their impact.

I’ll share experiences of extracting and analysing useful data from a large, high value, legacy system undergoing active development, charting its history and renewal.