Last updated on Jul 6, 2024

How do you address concerns about the long-term sustainability of a chosen technology stack within your team?

Choosing the right technology stack is crucial for your project's success and future viability. You must ensure that the tools and frameworks you select will not only meet current needs but also stand the test of time. It's a delicate balance between adopting new, cutting-edge technologies and relying on tried-and-true solutions. Your team might have concerns about whether the technology will continue to be supported, if it will scale with your project, or how it will integrate with other systems down the line. Addressing these concerns requires a strategic approach, careful evaluation, and an understanding of technology trends.

1 Assess Needs

When evaluating the long-term sustainability of a technology stack, start by thoroughly assessing your project's requirements. Consider the scope, complexity, and future growth potential. Understanding the specific needs of your application helps in choosing a stack that doesn't just work for now, but will continue to serve well as your project evolves. Ensure that the stack you're considering aligns with your performance criteria, security needs, and is flexible enough to integrate with future technologies or updates.

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Mauricio Alex Vásquez

Ingeniero I+D
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Es un punto complejo pues a pesar de gustos, necesidades u otros criterios impuestos por el cliente, las diferentes tecnologías tienen sus propios ciclos de evolución o peor aun de obsolescencia. Por esto pienso que una labor importante de un arquitecto de aplicaciones es dedicar parte de su tiempo a hacer prospectiva tecnológica tanto para mejorar sus propias habilidades como adaptarse a futuros cambios, esto sin caer en la tentación de "la ultima versión xxx o el ultimo lenguaje de programación yyy". Finalmente también hay que considerar el factor humano, pues pensemos que al final del día son las personas quienes implementarán y harán uso de dichas tecnologías, por lo que es necesario considerar la documentación disponible para ella.

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Rémy Wehrung
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Pour évaluer la durabilité d'une pile technologique, commencez par analyser les exigences de votre projet : portée, complexité et potentiel de croissance. Choisissez une pile adaptée aux besoins actuels et futurs, répondant aux critères de performance, sécurité et flexibilité pour intégrations futures.

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2 Research Trends

It's essential to stay informed about current and emerging trends in technology. This knowledge helps you gauge which tools and languages are gaining popularity and which ones are becoming obsolete. When a technology is widely adopted, it's more likely to receive continuous support and updates, contributing to its long-term viability. Encourage your team to participate in tech communities, follow thought leaders, and attend conferences to keep a pulse on the industry's direction.

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Mauricio Alex Vásquez

Ingeniero I+D
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Respecto a la investigación para mi es importante aclarar que investigar no es una "búsqueda en google", sino un proceso incremental y sistemático que va recopilando información de distintas fuentes como: revistas indexadas y observatorios tecnológicos principalmente y foros especializados en segundo orden. La idea es obtener información de fuentes distintas al fabricante o el "fun club" de la tecnología. Esto para realizar comparaciones, análisis de fortalezas y debilidades, etc.

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Rémy Wehrung
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Restez informé des tendances technologiques pour évaluer la popularité et l'obsolescence des outils. Les technologies largement adoptées bénéficient d'un meilleur soutien, assurant leur viabilité. Encouragez l'équipe à s'impliquer dans les communautés tech pour suivre l'évolution de l'industrie.

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3 Evaluate Support

Investigate the level of support available for a technology before committing to it. Look into the community size, available documentation, and the frequency of updates. A vibrant community and regular updates are strong indicators of a technology's longevity. If a technology is open-source, assess the activity on repositories like GitHub to see how active the development and issue resolution are. These factors can reassure your team about the technology's sustainability.

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Rémy Wehrung
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Évaluez le support disponible pour une technologie : taille de la communauté, documentation, fréquence des mises à jour. Une communauté active et des mises à jour régulières indiquent la longévité. Pour l'open-source, vérifiez l'activité sur GitHub. Ces facteurs rassurent sur la durabilité.

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4 Plan for Change

Change is inevitable in technology, so plan for it from the start. Implementing practices like modular design and microservices architecture can make it easier to swap out parts of your stack if necessary. Encourage your team to write clean, well-documented code that any developer can understand and maintain. This approach reduces the risk associated with a technology stack becoming outdated or unsupported.

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Shuchi Sinha

Solution Architect | App Development | Cloud Migration
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From the start, we design our system with modularity and flexibility in mind. We adopted a microservices architecture, which allowed us to break down the application into smaller, independent components. This gave us the freedom to swap out parts of the stack if needed. We invested in thorough code reviews, pair programming, and comprehensive documentation. When we identified potential risks, such as a library becoming deprecated, we evaluated alternatives, worked to understand the implications and planned for a smooth transition. By leveraging our modular design and strong documentation, we were able to quickly assess any situation and migrate to a different solution seamlessly.

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Rémy Wehrung
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Anticipez le changement technologique. Adoptez une conception modulaire et des microservices pour faciliter les mises à jour. Encouragez un code propre et bien documenté. Ces pratiques réduisent les risques liés à l'obsolescence de la pile technologique et facilitent sa maintenance.

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5 Foster Learning

Encourage continuous learning and upskilling within your team. The more your team members understand various technologies, the better equipped they will be to adapt to changes and make informed decisions about the stack. Offer opportunities for professional development, such as workshops or access to online courses, so your team can stay current with new technologies and best practices.

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Rémy Wehrung
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Favorisez l'apprentissage continu dans votre équipe. Une meilleure compréhension des technologies permet une adaptation plus facile aux changements. Offrez des opportunités de développement professionnel comme des ateliers ou des cours en ligne pour rester à jour avec les nouvelles technologies.

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6 Involve Stakeholders

Finally, involve all relevant stakeholders in discussions about the technology stack. This includes not just developers but also product managers, business analysts, and even customers. By considering diverse perspectives, you can make a more informed decision about the sustainability of the technologies you're considering. Stakeholder feedback can provide insights into usability, business goals, and market trends that might influence your choice of technology stack.

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Shuchi Sinha

Solution Architect | App Development | Cloud Migration
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I faced concerns when the team proposed a new JavaScript framework. Involving stakeholders, managers provided insights into business goals and trends, analysts shared usability feedback, and customers offered industry perspectives.Considering these views, we realized the JavaScript framework might not be sustainable long-term due to learning curve, support, and scalability issues. Instead, we chose an established Java-based framework better aligned with enterprise needs and the team's expertise.We continued engaging stakeholders, seeking feedback and making adjustments. This collaborative approach ensured the application remained aligned with evolving requirements and trends and run smoothly for years with minimal maintenance.

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7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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How do you address concerns about the long-term sustainability of a chosen technology stack within your team?

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1 Assess Needs

2 Research Trends

3 Evaluate Support

4 Plan for Change

5 Foster Learning

6 Involve Stakeholders

7 Here’s what else to consider

Application Development

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