Great write up, thanks for sharing this! The idea of honouring the past really resonates with me, it’s a lesson I learned at my last role. A hacky django app that was the product of a series A startup was creaking at the seams, and it was time to rewrite it in a new microservices world. Everyone talked about what a dumpster fire the code base was, and I initially made the mistake of joining in disparaging it (it was a mess to be fair).
But I realised even those who knew it needed to be rewritten and indeed were pushing for it still bristled at this attitude. And of course, it made sense - they had poured a lot of blood and sweat into getting that app working, and it was the current core of the company and effectively paying everyone’s wages.
I started reframing my discussions, saying that while it was time to move to the next level, the old app shouldn’t be chucked in the dumpster fire but instead given a Viking funeral, with all the respect it was due. The effect on morale and conversations was subtle but transformative
Great write up, thanks for sharing this! The idea of honouring the past really resonates with me, it’s a lesson I learned at my last role. A hacky django app that was the product of a series A startup was creaking at the seams, and it was time to rewrite it in a new microservices world. Everyone talked about what a dumpster fire the code base was, and I initially made the mistake of joining in disparaging it (it was a mess to be fair).
But I realised even those who knew it needed to be rewritten and indeed were pushing for it still bristled at this attitude. And of course, it made sense - they had poured a lot of blood and sweat into getting that app working, and it was the current core of the company and effectively paying everyone’s wages.
I started reframing my discussions, saying that while it was time to move to the next level, the old app shouldn’t be chucked in the dumpster fire but instead given a Viking funeral, with all the respect it was due. The effect on morale and conversations was subtle but transformative
Thanks, @Alex Jukes. I love the Viking funeral! I’m imagining a pyre draped with animal skins.
Thanks for sharing your story.
I was thinking ceremonial serpent skins - lots of Python decorators ;)