Taylor’s Guide to Big Rewrites

This talk by Andy Croll explores the challenges and strategies of undertaking a large application rewrite, drawing parallels between software development and the management principles of Frederick Winslow Taylor, and humorously, Taylor Swift. It delves into the technical aspects of re-architecting applications, managing data migration, and the importance of choosing the right tools, while also emphasizing the critical role of people skills, team dynamics, and company values in achieving a successful rewrite. The presentation highlights lessons learned from a real-world 18-month project involving the migration of 2,500 customer data, offering insights into how to approach "wild and woolly" projects and make successes of software's shibboleths.