Extreme TLDR: Organizations prioritize legibility to facilitate tracking and planning, often at the cost of efficiency. This leads to a reliance on both legible (structured, measurable) and illegible (informal, untrackable) work. While small software companies thrive on illegibility for rapid delivery, large companies persist with legibility for benefits like enterprise deal-making, despite inefficiencies. This creates friction between those exploiting illegibility and those adhering to formal processes, highlighting the dual nature of work in tech companies.
https://www.seangoedecke.com/seeing-like-a-software-company/