Your Software Architecture Is a Game—Are You Playing It Right?
Your system’s structure dictates how teams behave. If they’re competing instead of collaborating, it’s not just culture—it’s an architectural flaw.
Hey System Thinker,
Ever noticed how some system architectures turn teams into competitors while others foster seamless collaboration?
Your system design isn’t just a technical blueprint—it’s a complex game, where teams are the players and the rules are written in code.
Let’s explore:
How system boundaries create team incentives
Why architectures can lead to cooperation or competition
How to redesign the game for better outcomes
Let’s dive in.
The Architecture Game
Every API contract and service boundary creates game-theoretic dynamics within your organization.
Teams maintaining different services often face a prisoner’s dilemma—do they optimize for their own efficiency or prioritize system-wide health?
Your system’s structure determines whether teams naturally cooperate or compete for resources, attention, and priority. If teams are constantly stepping on each other’s toes, it’s not just a cultural issue—it’s an architectural flaw.
Nash Equilibrium in Engineering
System architectures create stable behavior patterns that teams unconsciously gravitate toward.
When microservices share critical resources, teams often settle into a Nash equilibrium—where everyone optimizes locally, but the overall system suffers.
This is why simply asking teams to "collaborate more" doesn’t work—the architecture itself creates incentives that resist change.
Redesigning the Game Rules
To foster collaboration, you need to reshape your system’s incentives.
Create shared metrics that span across service boundaries, aligning teams toward system-wide success.
Implement technical controls that make cooperation easier than competition.
Design feedback loops that reward system-level optimization over local efficiency.
Your architecture should make collaboration the path of least resistance.
Conclusion
Your system architecture is a game design document—it dictates how teams interact and make decisions.
By understanding these game dynamics, you can intentionally design architectures that encourage the behaviors you want.
So ask yourself: What game is your system architecture creating?
And more importantly—how can you change the rules to get better outcomes?
Cheers,
Thiago V Ricieri
System Thinker @ Systematic Success
Engineering Manager, Apps @ Pluto TV / Paramount Global
Founder @ Ghost Ship & Co.
Digital Nomad @ Threads, X.com, Instagram, LinkedIn, GitHub, Website
PS… If you’re struggling with technical debt cleanup, don’t miss my breakdown of why most teams focus on the wrong 20%—and how to apply the 80/20 rule effectively. Read it here. Read it here.