Introduction
As a developer, you’re probably familiar with the challenges that arise from diving straight into coding without proper design and architecture. While the eagerness to implement new features or fix bugs can be tempting, taking a step back and investing time in designing your feature beforehand can save you from a myriad of headaches down the road.
In this blog post, we will explore the importance of architecting and designing before coding, and discuss the benefits it brings to software development projects.
Avoiding Costly Rework
One of the most significant advantages of designing your feature before starting to build it is the avoidance of costly rework. Without a clear plan in place, it’s easy to get caught up in a cycle of trial and error, continuously making changes to the codebase. This approach not only wastes valuable development time but can also introduce bugs and inconsistencies, leading to a less reliable and maintainable system.
By spending time upfront on designing your feature, you can identify potential challenges, dependencies, and edge cases. This allows you to make informed decisions about the architecture, data flow, and user interface, mitigating the risk of rework and reducing the overall development effort.
Improved Collaboration and Communication
Designing a feature before coding also facilitates better collaboration and communication within the development team. When everyone has a clear understanding of the intended functionality, interfaces, and system interactions, it becomes easier to align efforts and work towards a common goal.
Design artifacts, such as wireframes, user flow diagrams, or interface mockups, serve as powerful communication tools. They enable stakeholders, product managers, designers, and developers to visualise the intended outcome and provide valuable feedback early in the process. This iterative feedback loop ensures that everyone is on the same page, resulting in a more cohesive and refined end product.
Below illustration shows an example of a high level feature-set, which can later on be used as a foundation to create user stories, building that same feature:
Case Study: The Impact of Thorough Planning
In my role at Pleo, a fintech company, I have had the opportunity to contribute to our ongoing success in developing innovative features. Through my involvement in various projects, I have witnessed firsthand the significant impact of effective planning and design on achieving positive outcomes.
In the recent development of a feature — “Tag Budgets” — planning and design has played a pivotal role. Through collaborative discussions and meticulous documentation, we established a clear roadmap and allocated time and focus effectively.
During our planning sessions, our team emphasised the importance of creating a comprehensive design document. This document outlined the technical requirements and set clear expectations for frontend and backend scope, laying a solid foundation for our development process.
Through this proactive approach, we identified a crucial requirement that initially went unnoticed — the need for a filtering capability based on expense tags. By catching this requirement early, we were able to incorporate it into the development roadmap and allocate resources accordingly.
The inclusion of the filtering feature in the final product enhanced the overall user experience. Users could conveniently filter and navigate budgets based on specific tags, improving usability and efficiency.
The success of “Tag Budgets” highlighted the value of thorough planning, collaboration, and documentation in software development projects. By investing time upfront in creating a detailed design document, we were able to align our efforts, mitigate potential oversights, and deliver a high-quality product.
To underscore the significance of planning and design before coding, let’s talk about a project I worked on in a startup. Tasked with building a component library — Aviato — we had ambitious intentions and a strong desire for rapid progress. Regrettably, we neglected proper planning, deeming it time-consuming and unnecessary given our tight deadlines. Our primary goal was to swiftly create the components needed for a data-driven dashboard.
Excited by the idea of a more agile and freeing development process, influenced by my previous job’s meticulous planning, I dove straight into coding without extensive preparation. Although we made some attempts to discuss project aspects along the way, the fast-paced nature of the endeavour hindered in-depth discussions. Consequently, defining the project scope and understanding the exact requirements posed challenges. Despite the pressure to meet targets, we were determined to deliver results.
In hindsight, our initial lack of planning significantly impeded our progress, leading to major difficulties and inefficiencies. Many of these setbacks could have been avoided through proper planning. The project’s archive now serves as a poignant reminder of the crucial role comprehensive planning plays in achieving successful outcomes and averting potential pitfalls in future projects.
Nevertheless, both experiences have taught me the vital importance of comprehensive planning and the risks associated with hasty development without a solid foundation. As a result, I now prioritise planning as an essential initial step for any project. These case studies highlight the significance of dedicating time to thorough planning, setting clear objectives, and aligning team expectations. By sharing these experiences, I aim to underscore the value of balancing ambition with effective planning in the dynamic startup environment.
Future-Proofing and Scalability
Another crucial aspect of designing before coding is future-proofing your software. Technology landscapes are constantly evolving, and requirements change over time. By investing in thoughtful design and architecture, you can create a flexible and scalable foundation that can adapt to future needs.
Consider the long-term goals and potential expansion of your project. By anticipating future features or integrations, you can design your codebase to be modular and extensible. This allows for easier integration of new functionalities and reduces the likelihood of introducing regressions or breaking existing functionality when making updates.
Clarity and Reduced Technical Debt
Designing your feature upfront provides clarity and reduces technical debt. Technical debt refers to the accumulated shortcuts, compromises, and less-than-optimal solutions that accumulate over time in a codebase. It arises when quick fixes are applied without considering the long-term implications.
Taking the time to design and architect your feature allows you to make thoughtful decisions about code organisation, naming conventions, and overall code structure. This leads to a cleaner and more maintainable codebase, making it easier for other developers to understand and contribute to the project. By reducing technical debt, you improve the overall quality of the software and enable faster iteration cycles in the future.
Conclusion
In the rush to start coding and deliver results, it’s easy to overlook the importance of designing your feature before diving into implementation. However, investing time upfront in thoughtful design and architecture pays off in the long run. It helps you avoid costly rework, improves collaboration and communication, future-proofs your software, and reduces technical debt.
As an engineer, you understand the value of well-designed systems. By advocating for a design-first approach within your team, you can ensure that each project starts on a solid foundation. Embrace the power of design, and let it guide you towards successful software development endeavours.