Scaling for Global Growth with Modern Cloud • David Anderson • GOTO 2024

Modernization requires executive sponsorship and clear vision - cannot be done “undercover” or in isolation

Move from traditional shared AWS accounts to dedicated accounts per workload/bounded context, using Well-Architected framework and organizational units for governance

Event-Driven Architecture (EDA) should be foundational across the entire organization, not just individual teams:

• Use EventBridge as central event backbone
• Standardize event schemas and metadata management
• Enable observability and measurement of all events

Focus on six key enabling constraints:

• Well-architected standards
• Standard skillsets and tooling
• Threat modeling upfront
• Team ownership of security/operations
• Continuous improvement culture
• Reduced cognitive load

Platform considerations:

• Keep cloud platform team “thin” and focused on enablement
• Use managed services where possible
• Implement infrastructure as code
• Standardize on serverless-first approach

Empower product development teams:

• Give teams autonomy within defined guardrails
• Enable self-service capabilities
• Focus on capabilities over features
• Allow teams to own their security and operations

Break down monoliths thoughtfully:

• Map domain contexts first
• Consider team interactions
• Use event storming
• Evolve gradually vs big bang

Measure success through:

• Reduced run costs
• Higher business value delivery
• Improved deployment frequency
• Better operational efficiency
• Enhanced customer experience

Create environment for learning and psychological safety:

• Teams must be able to experiment
• Small failures are expected
• Continuous improvement mindset
• Regular architecture reviews

Documentation and standards:

• Use Architecture Decision Records (ADRs)
• Maintain central developer platform
• Standardize on common patterns
• Keep guidance practical and accessible