People Problems

Jeremy Keith recently highlighted a crucial aspect of performance work: it's not just about code optimization, but also addressing the human element. He points out a spectrum of challenges, ranging from purely technical issues (solvable with technical solutions) to deeply ingrained human issues requiring communication, collaboration, and empathy. Developers often prefer the technical realm, but significant improvements may require tackling the more challenging interpersonal aspects.

My own experience underscored this. In a previous role, I faced a massive performance backlog I couldn't handle alone. Attempts at training and offering support proved ineffective; the website I worked on, even with my dedicated efforts, continued to slow down. The core problem? Lack of incentive. Even a dramatic performance boost wouldn't have been noticed by most of the company, except for myself.

Ethan Marcotte echoes this sentiment regarding design systems. While well-structured code is essential, a design system's success hinges on organizational adoption. Without incentivizing the use of components or fostering communication, the system quickly becomes unwieldy.

The crux of the issue: code is relatively easy to change; company incentives are not. These incentives dictate coding practices, acceptable code quality, and collaboration. Improving performance requires organizational change, not just code fixes.

Solutions include financial incentives, performance metrics, dedicated teams, and improved visibility of performance issues. Celebrating successes can also shift attitudes. However, these changes must originate from leadership, not individual contributors.

There's no single solution to this incentive problem in large organizations. Paradoxically, the biggest obstacles to website improvement are often these very incentives. Simply complaining or being confrontational won't work. I know this from personal experience.

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