In episode 49 of the Cybersecurity Minute, Rob Wood discusses Conway’s Law and what it means in terms of large organizations and cybersecurity.
Highlights
0:22 — Rob introduces the concept of Conway’s Law, an organizational theorem that posits that an organization’s products or services mirror the structure of the organization itself.
0:45 — According to Conway’s Law, the ramifications for a large organization full of data silos and communication gaps go beyond its structure to affect its products. Your product could be “filled with friction” and have parts that do not “work as well together.”
01:23 — Friction, Rob says, is dangerous. It means time and delays, and too much complexity, which is always an issue from a cybersecurity perspective.
01:42 — There are some steps that can be taken in light of the implications of Conway’s Law, such as an inventory of the organization, which would include figuring out how the organization is assembled; who in it is responsible for building what; and how to bring its people closer together.
