Foreword

In 2004, Eric Evans published Domain-Driven Design, a timeless book that has become an all-time classic in software engineering literature. Evans projected his vision of software developers as people who collaborated closely with subject matter experts to iteratively solve domain-related problems for users. At the time, this was heresy against mainstream practices oriented around data models, big up-front planning, and programmers as mere order-takers.

Evans’ text was a masterpiece, but still it was missing something. For a decade, DDD was perceived by the mainstream as a few programming patterns and became synonymous with over-engineering. Evans’ book spoke frequently about domain experts and technical experts crunching domain knowledge together, but it didn’t give readers enough practical guidance in the same way it did for the technical DDD patterns.

The mid-2010s saw a DDD renaissance, which continues to this day. Vaughn Vernon’s book Implementing Domain-Driven Design was pivotal in correcting many misconceptions and making DDD more approachable. And a new generation of practitioners led by Alberto Brandolini, and including Stefan and Henning, emphatically added the missing piece of the DDD puzzle by introducing new collaborative modeling techniques into the community. The mainstream perception of DDD is now just as much sticky notes on the wall as it is programming design patterns. Evans’ 2004 prophecy is truly now a reality.

Domain Storytelling stands out for its pictographic, structured, and scenario-based nature. But this book is far more than a guide to Domain Storytelling. Stefan and Henning are passionate, intelligent, and experienced collaborative domain modelers. This book takes you into their brains through their thinking patterns and deep into the principles of collaborative domain modeling and workshop facilitation. This work provides insights that will be useful regardless of the technique you decide to use and regardless of how much you know about DDD. It may even inspire you to invent the next generation of collaborative modeling techniques.

I’ve had the chance to meet Stefan and Henning at numerous conferences. But one sticks out in my memory more than others: Explore DDD 2018 in Denver. Their enthusiasm for Domain Storytelling captivated the audience (including me) in a talk where they presented a case study of using Domain Storytelling to build systems that prevent ships getting stranded in the port of Hamburg. Their role play with props was the icing on the cake. I also got to attend their hands-on Domain Storytelling workshop where their pure love of the game shone through and had attendees (including me) excitedly modeling the cinema experience.

I also have fond recollections of the night before the main conference. Eric Evans gave an evening keynote to officially kick off Explore DDD, and I was with Stefan and Henning at the social event afterwards. They made an effort to help conference attendees feel included by inviting them into discussions and striking up conversations, and they made us all belly laugh with their clever humor.

I hope this book provides you with the inspiration, enthusiasm, and smiles that Stefan and Henning have brought to me and many others.

—Nick Tune