A core concept of Domain-Driven Design (DDD) is the distillation of the problem domain into distinct, bounded contexts, with dedicated teams assigned to and responsible for those contexts. Microservices are often used to implement these bounded contexts in software applications. The communication patterns between teams will shape how these microservices are designed and interact, as per Conway's Law.
Team autonomy is crucial for achieving a truly independent microservice architecture, driving innovation and agility. However, full autonomy can lead to the formation of microsilos: isolated teams working independently, often resulting in inconsistent implementations, communication gaps, hidden dependencies, and redundancies.
Mitigation Strategies
- Strategic Domain-Driven Design: Ensure that bounded contexts and their interrelationships are well-defined, both organizationally (team structure) and technically (interfaces).
- Cross-Team Communication: Facilitate regular meetings, use collaborative tools, and hold periodic cross-team workshops to improve information sharing and alignment.
- Domain Experts and Coordination Roles: Appoint system architects, domain experts, and integration leads to oversee cross-team coordination and maintain alignment with overall project goals.
It is important to strike a balance between autonomy and alignment to benefit from independence while ensuring cohesive and efficient collaboration across the organization.