10 Timeless Principles Every Tech Professional Should Know

Nowadays, people often talk about these principles on LinkedIn. Inspired by these discussions, I created my first design using Figma. I also gathered simple diagrams from the internet to help illustrate these principles in a simple way.

When giving examples related to software, data, and other tech topics, people often use these principles:

1. Pareto Principle (80/20 Rule): Imagine you’re optimizing a database. You realize that 80% of the performance issues come from just 20% of the SQL queries. By focusing on these critical queries, you can significantly boost performance. This is the magic of the 80/20 rule.
2. The Lindy Effect: Think about SQL. It has been around since the 1980s and is still a cornerstone of data management. The longer something has been around, the longer it’s likely to stay. Trust in the longevity of proven technologies.
3. Conway’s Law: Your team is divided into frontend and backend groups. Naturally, your software architecture mirrors this division. The way your team communicates shapes the design of your systems.
4. Brooks’ Law: Your project is running late, and you think adding more developers will speed things up. But instead, it slows down due to increased coordination needs. Sometimes, more hands don’t make lighter work.
5. Gall’s Law: Start simple. You begin with a basic data pipeline and gradually add complexity. Complex systems that work are built from simple systems that worked first.
6. Murphy’s Law: Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong. You’ve seen it happen. That’s why you implement robust error handling and logging in your scripts. Always be prepared for the unexpected.
7. Moore’s Law: Every two years, your computer’s power doubles. This means your data processing tasks can be optimized and scaled with each hardware upgrade. Embrace the rapid advancements in technology.
8. Occam’s Razor: Faced with multiple solutions, you choose the simplest one. It’s often the best. Simple algorithms and data structures can solve problems without unnecessary complexity.
9. Peter Principle: People rise to their level of incompetence. To avoid this, you ensure continuous learning and development. Keeping skills sharp is key to staying effective.
10. Hofstadter’s Law: Everything takes longer than you expect. You’ve learned to add buffer time to your project estimates, accounting for the inevitable delays.

These principles are more than just theories; they are the foundation of successful tech projects. What principles guide you in your tech journey?