Where Should You Focus Your Engineering Efforts (Wardley Mapping)

The "Not Invented Here" syndrome is a common challenge in software development, where teams often prefer building everything from scratch rather than leveraging existing solutions. While building custom solutions can provide unique value, it can also lead to wasted time and resources.

Wardley Mapping offers a structured approach to navigate these build-versus-buy decisions. Software tends to evolve over time from Genesis, the first time solving a problem, through Custom-Build, Product and eventually to Commodity. A Wardley Map positions each component of a solution along this evolution axis as well as a visibility to the customer axis.

This structured approach helps teams avoid the circular debates about technology choices and make strategic decisions about where to invest their development efforts. As usual, I go into more detail in my article below.

This Week’s Updates

Enabling the Team

The Workplace Psychological Contract Is Broken. Here’s How To Fix It. by Anne-Laure Fayard and John Weeks
Many employees feel that unspoken workplace expectations are no longer being met, leading to frustration and disengagement. Rebuilding this psychological contract starts with honest conversations and resetting mutual expectations.

When Too Much CYA Backfires by Wes Kao
Over-indexing on covering yourself can erode trust and slow momentum. When teams focus more on blame-proofing than progress, it signals fear over shared responsibility.

Product Direction

Embrace The Mess by Joshua Seiden
Uncertainty and ambiguity are natural parts of product work, not signs of failure. Progress often comes from navigating this messiness with curiosity and a willingness to adjust, rather than seeking premature clarity.

A Deep Dive Into MCP And The Future Of AI Tooling by Yoko Li
AI development is shifting toward modular, composable programs (MCPs) that allow teams to build more flexible, scalable, and maintainable tools. This approach mirrors past platform evolutions and signals a future of faster iteration and broader accessibility.

Continuous Research

6 Dimensions For Data In Analysis by Maria Rosala and Feifei Liu
Analyze usability findings for authenticity, consistency, repetition, spontaneity, appropriateness, and confounding factors to separate surface impressions from real insights.

How UXRs Can Apply Thoughtful Friction to Guide GenAI Use by Laurel Brown
Game design principles like thoughtful friction and layered learning can make GenAI tools more intuitive and rewarding to use. By treating users as players, teams can guide behaviour while keeping the experience engaging and empowering. [Sponsored Content]

Continuous Design

From Pixels To Personalization: The Future Of Design by Jesse Sumrak
There is a shift in design philosophy from meticulous pixel-level control to fostering personalized user experiences. Designers are tastemakers who identify unique, bold, and resonant elements, aligning with cultural and customer expectations.

Using Data-driven Storytelling To Shape Product Strategy by Jane Hext​
By tailoring narratives to specific stakeholders and focusing on actionable insights, teams can effectively influence product strategy.

Continuous Development

How To Decide Where To Focus Your Engineering Efforts (Using Wardley Mapping) by Rory Madden
The true power of Wardley Mapping lies in how it transforms technology discussions. Instead of circular debates about individual technologies, teams can have structured conversations about strategic value and evolution. 

Common Usability Issues with Web APIs: And How Discovery Can Help by Teresa Torres
Even technically sound APIs can fail users when their design lacks clarity, consistency, or empathy for developer experience. Treating APIs as products helps teams build tools that are not only functional, but intuitive and easy to adopt.

First Dates Of UXDX 2026 Confirmed!
Save the Date for UXDX USA 2026 in New York!

We’re excited to announce that UXDX USA 2026 will take place from May 11-13, 2026 in New York City! This is your chance to join us again in one of the most anticipated UX, product, and development events of the year.

Book your early bird tickets now to secure the cheapest price possible and guarantee your spot at the event! Don't miss out on the opportunity to connect with industry leaders, gain actionable insights, and take your skills to the next level.

Click here to book your tickets today!

FREE COMMUNITY EVENTS 

Check out more upcoming community events 

Video of the Week
Beyond Interviews: UX Research Methods for Everyone

In this insightful forum, Nadine Piecha dives into UX research methods beyond traditional interviews, showing how teams across product, design, and development can get involved in user research. She’ll share practical approaches to various research techniques, such as usability testing, surveys, co-creation, and field trips, helping you broaden your UX research toolkit.

Discover strategies for overcoming common obstacles like language barriers, limited budgets, and a lack of dedicated user research experts (particularly in small teams).
This video is a must-watch!

The Results of Last Week’s Poll

The question: What is the most common objection that you have faced trying to reduce the scope of a feature?

This week’s poll results highlight the most common objections faced when trying to reduce the scope of a feature. Interestingly, 25% of respondents report no pushback at all, as their teams are comfortable breaking down features. However, 23% of respondents encounter the objection “That’s not how we work here,” suggesting some teams struggle with ingrained processes or resistance to change.

Other significant objections include concerns that reducing the scope could hurt the brand (15%) or that the feature simply cannot be broken down (19%). For 8%, the objection is that reducing the scope is inefficient. These results indicate that overcoming resistance often requires addressing both mindset and organizational processes.

If you’re facing pushback in your product development, consider exploring strategies to navigate these challenges and streamline feature development in our Continuous Development course!

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