The Path To Amazing Software Through Open Source - Andrew Duckett - Discover

Discover how to create amazing software through open source by learning the key principles of golden paths, including requirements definition, consistency, and community participation, from Andrew Duckett's experience at Discover Financial Services.

Key takeaways
  • The goal is to create a set of open, reusable, and extensible tools that can be leveraged to automate repetitive tasks.
  • Golden paths aim to minimize manual effort, reduce cognitive load, and promote self-service and automation.
  • The first principle of golden paths is to define a clear and consistent set of requirements.
  • Consistency in naming, definition, and implementation is crucial for successful tooling.
  • Inner source and open source solutions can help create a scalable, repeatable, and sustainable practice.
  • The author’s journey with developer experience at Discover Financial Services led to the implementation of golden paths.
  • Key takeaways from this experience include:
    • Fostering a community of programmers to collaborate and share expertise
    • Creating a scalable and repeatable architecture
    • Using best practices to document and share knowledge
    • Encouraging self-service and automation
    • Minimizing cognitive load and manual effort
  • The author’s tips for creating successful golden paths include:
    • Defining clear requirements
    • Creating a consistent set of naming and definitions
    • Encouraging community participation
    • Documenting expertise and knowledge
    • IMPLEMENTING REPEATABLY and SUSUALLY