S e p t e m b e r / O c t o b e r 1 9 9 9 I E E E S o f t w a r e 6 3 Software engineering researchers have long argued that the architecture of a system plays a pivotal role in coordinating development work. Over 30 years ago, Melvin Conway proposed what has since become known as Conway’s Law—that the structure of the system mirrors the structure of the organization that designed it.1 This rel...