Model Mitosis: a dynamic pattern to deal with model tensions

Just as models should be iterative, strategic design should change when the context and our understanding of the problem evolve. As a model grows to solve more problems, it becomes less supple in its ability to evolve. Tensions arise within the model that struggles to stay coherent.

Eventually it reaches a critical mass and becomes a big ball of mud.

How do we know when it’s time to let new models emerge? How do we carry on the decision to split a model? How can we handle the progressive differentiation of our models while avoiding unnecessary coupling? It’s not as easy as a clean axe cut in the middle, finding the right boundaries is hard.

We would like to introduce the Model Mitosis, a dynamic pattern used to split a model into multiple ones that will get shaped and decoupled iteratively.