Collaborative Software Design: How to facilitate domain modeling decisions

This talk delves into the challenges of collaborative software design, where developers and stakeholders work together to make sustainable design decisions that bridge the gap, align business needs with IT solutions, and create adaptable software systems.

While software's role in our lives grows daily, crafting high-quality systems remains challenging. Many teams prioritize finding solutions without fully understanding the stakeholder's needs and cutting across various organizational settings and contexts. It is not so weird because communication with the business side can be fraught with potential pitfalls: misunderstandings can occur, individuals may feel intimidated to speak up, tensions might escalate, and conflicts can emerge. Those social dynamics can lead to communication breakdowns, misunderstandings, and software that fails to meet the user and organizational needs.

To address this, we advocate for collaborative modeling, a visualization technique that brings developers, domain experts, and decision-makers together to foster a shared understanding. We'll explore the social dynamics inherent in this process, drawing on our experiences to highlight potential pitfalls and offer practical heuristics for facilitating productive collaborative sessions. By cultivating essential skills like active listening, empathy, and neutrality, software teams can effectively engage with stakeholders, gather crucial insights, and make sustainable design decisions that lead to better software and more substantial organizational alignment.