Seven quick links for Saturday morning

4 lessons for high-quality software from a surprising place. Compliance can seem like a necessary evil for many developers, especially those coming from startups. Having worked in a number of regulated industries, my experience (and that of the author) is that tackling the reality of compliance head on actually “establishes a foundation for success for high-quality code and minimized risk that save time and money in the long run.”

Embracing clarity: Shifting away from a culture of certainty. A culture of demanding certainty leads to presenting assumptions and partial knowledge as facts, stifling innovation and deeper problem-solving. Focusing on understanding root causes and context, rather than rushing to solutions, leads to more impactful and sustainable outcomes.

The Iceberg Model: towards unraveling our patriarchal legacy. The software development industry has a gender diversity problem rooted in historical patterns and societal norms. Software development should be viewed more as a collaborative, interdependent sociotechnical system, rather than a purely technical engineering discipline. A culture of high standards, kindness, and openness to diverse perspectives can foster a creative and productive work environment.

How Slavery Inspired Modern Business Management. Growth and profit-seeking have been built upon violence, injustice, and the exploitation of human lives. The failure to fully reckon with the connections between slavery and modern business practices amounts to denial (via Warren).

LGBT and Marginalized Voices Are Not Welcome on Threads. As if I needed more validation that deleting all my Meta accounts (Facebook, Instagram, Threads) was the right thing to do.

The Data Is In: Return-to-Office Mandates Aren’t Worth the Talent Risks. Speaking of diversity (or lack thereof) return-to-office mandates particularly impact women and minorities. When Gartner says it, maybe companies will listen?

Opinion | Donald Trump Is Unfit to Lead. Did the NYT finally grow a spine?