Research Spikes

Just as scientists choose experiments to validate theories, strong technical leaders use targeted research to uncover what lies beneath the surface.

To make your research spikes count, aim beyond the obvious.

• Explore Intersections: Look where infrastructure, user experience (UX), and data flows converge. Systemic issues often emerge at the edges.
• Validate Assumptions: Use early research to pressure-test architectural decisions that may no longer serve your evolving system.
• Trace Bottlenecks: Minor slowdowns can signal deeper structural flaws. Don’t stop at the symptom — follow the signal to the source.

Consider how this plays out in a real-world scenario like platform migration. While a spike on session limits might confirm server needs, it can also reveal scaling constraints, challenge outdated assumptions, and reshape service boundaries.

That’s systems thinking: understanding how local choices ripple through your entire architecture and using that insight to build smarter.

Tactical spikes solve problems. Strategic spikes reveal broader issues.

The best technical leaders don’t just solve problems. They see the whole system and reshape it. That’s how resilient systems are built.