# Uncategorized **URL:** https://forum.essenceofsoftware.com/c/uncategorized/1.md [Latest](https://forum.essenceofsoftware.com/latest.md) · [Categories](https://forum.essenceofsoftware.com/categories.md) · [Tags](https://forum.essenceofsoftware.com/tags.md) --- ## [Welcome to the Concept Design Community!](https://forum.essenceofsoftware.com/t/welcome-to-the-concept-design-community/7)
**Author:** [@system](https://forum.essenceofsoftware.com/u/system)\ **Replies:** 2\ **Last updated:** [November 22, 2021, 8:25pm UTC](https://forum.essenceofsoftware.com/t/welcome-to-the-concept-design-community/7 "2021-11-22T20:25:39Z")
This is a forum for discussion of the emerging field of software concept design. Relevant topics include: Examples of good and bad concepts in particular apps and systems New concepts and refinements of old concepts D… --- ## [Case Studies in “Making Software Meaningful”](https://forum.essenceofsoftware.com/t/case-studies-in-making-software-meaningful/320)
**Author:** [@xlawin](https://forum.essenceofsoftware.com/u/xlawin)\ **Replies:** 1\ **Last updated:** [September 8, 2026, 3:25am UTC](https://forum.essenceofsoftware.com/t/case-studies-in-making-software-meaningful/320 "2026-09-08T03:25:26Z")
I noticed that Making Software Meaningful (https://arxiv.org/pdf/2606.11051v1) mentions three interesting real-world experiences—for example: “The PhD student in a micro-technologies lab who applied our TCAD workflow r… --- ## [Coding with LLMs](https://forum.essenceofsoftware.com/t/coding-with-llms/266)
**Author:** [@dnj](https://forum.essenceofsoftware.com/u/dnj)\ **Replies:** 3\ **Last updated:** [August 28, 2026, 3:21pm UTC](https://forum.essenceofsoftware.com/t/coding-with-llms/266 "2026-08-28T15:21:54Z")
Having a fun discussion with colleagues on LinkedIn about our approach to coding with concepts. See my recent blog post here. Happy to answer any questions folks may have here, and excited to hear your ideas and reaction… --- ## [Bounded context](https://forum.essenceofsoftware.com/t/bounded-context/312)
**Author:** [@dnj](https://forum.essenceofsoftware.com/u/dnj)\ **Replies:** 6\ **Last updated:** [August 11, 2026, 9:00am UTC](https://forum.essenceofsoftware.com/t/bounded-context/312 "2026-08-11T09:00:12Z")
I think that DDD’s bounded context addresses a problem that concept design solves in a simpler way. Let me know, especially if you’re a DDD guru, what you make of this… There are two reasons for bounded context: It’s … --- ## [Is concept design relevant or appropriate for programming language design?](https://forum.essenceofsoftware.com/t/is-concept-design-relevant-or-appropriate-for-programming-language-design/34)
**Author:** [@spdegabrielle](https://forum.essenceofsoftware.com/u/spdegabrielle)\ **Replies:** 3\ **Last updated:** [July 16, 2026, 5:44pm UTC](https://forum.essenceofsoftware.com/t/is-concept-design-relevant-or-appropriate-for-programming-language-design/34 "2026-07-16T17:44:54Z")
Language design has become more accessible, with more and better tools than were previously available.\* What place does concept design have in language design? What language concepts should be in the Concept catalog? … --- ## [Has anyone tried incorporating concept design into program synthesis?](https://forum.essenceofsoftware.com/t/has-anyone-tried-incorporating-concept-design-into-program-synthesis/228)
**Author:** [@simkimsia](https://forum.essenceofsoftware.com/u/simkimsia)\ **Replies:** 3\ **Last updated:** [July 2, 2026, 2:12pm UTC](https://forum.essenceofsoftware.com/t/has-anyone-tried-incorporating-concept-design-into-program-synthesis/228 "2026-07-02T14:12:06Z")
Hi all, I’m Kimsia, a part-time masters student in Singapore Management University. I recently came across the book Essence of Software Design and also Kodless during my research into program synthesis. My day job is b… --- ## [Difference between "Feature" and "Concept" in software development?](https://forum.essenceofsoftware.com/t/difference-between-feature-and-concept-in-software-development/99)
**Author:** [@TalkAboutQuality](https://forum.essenceofsoftware.com/u/TalkAboutQuality)\ **Replies:** 15\ **Last updated:** [October 1, 2025, 3:04pm UTC](https://forum.essenceofsoftware.com/t/difference-between-feature-and-concept-in-software-development/99 "2025-10-01T15:04:08Z")
I’ve listened to the webinar twice, and read the book once. Thoroughly enjoyed both. But I’m still having trouble coming up with a succinct, convincing explanation to my software development colleagues for why “concept” … --- ## ["Link Object" concepts - yay or nay?](https://forum.essenceofsoftware.com/t/link-object-concepts-yay-or-nay/252)
**Author:** [@mjw](https://forum.essenceofsoftware.com/u/mjw)\ **Replies:** 1\ **Last updated:** [September 5, 2025, 1:06pm UTC](https://forum.essenceofsoftware.com/t/link-object-concepts-yay-or-nay/252 "2025-09-05T13:06:09Z")
How do you think about when the linkage between two concepts deserves its own concept, vs just being part of those concepts? For example, consider an online food ordering app. Dish is a concept. Order is a concept, co… --- ## [Implementation of synchronization](https://forum.essenceofsoftware.com/t/implementation-of-synchronization/245)
**Author:** [@Bcur](https://forum.essenceofsoftware.com/u/Bcur)\ **Replies:** 1\ **Last updated:** [September 5, 2025, 12:58pm UTC](https://forum.essenceofsoftware.com/t/implementation-of-synchronization/245 "2025-09-05T12:58:14Z")
I have read the Essence of Software and all the information that I could find on the website regarding synchronizations, but was still unclear on some of the semmantic details of synchronizations. For example, is the fir… --- ## [A likely-correct list component / concept](https://forum.essenceofsoftware.com/t/a-likely-correct-list-component-concept/237)
**Author:** [@metamn](https://forum.essenceofsoftware.com/u/metamn)\ **Replies:** 1\ **Last updated:** [February 13, 2025, 2:34pm UTC](https://forum.essenceofsoftware.com/t/a-likely-correct-list-component-concept/237 "2025-02-13T14:34:27Z")
Fellow Concept Designers, I’ve created a list concept with formal and semi-formal methods to make it likely-correct and to enable rapid iteration. https://www.osequi.com/studies/list/list.html It’s a fresh take, your … --- ## [The possibility of a large concept model](https://forum.essenceofsoftware.com/t/the-possibility-of-a-large-concept-model/231)
**Author:** [@simkimsia](https://forum.essenceofsoftware.com/u/simkimsia)\ **Replies:** 0\ **Last updated:** [December 15, 2024, 1:09am UTC](https://forum.essenceofsoftware.com/t/the-possibility-of-a-large-concept-model/231 "2024-12-15T01:09:32Z")
Hi all Is covering the idea of a large concept model that’s agnostic of language I wonder has anyone in this forum looked at this and think if it’s possible to apply to software concepts? --- ## [What problems can you catch with an MVP? Use RATs instead?](https://forum.essenceofsoftware.com/t/what-problems-can-you-catch-with-an-mvp-use-rats-instead/226)
**Author:** [@dnj](https://forum.essenceofsoftware.com/u/dnj)\ **Replies:** 0\ **Last updated:** [September 9, 2024, 8:34pm UTC](https://forum.essenceofsoftware.com/t/what-problems-can-you-catch-with-an-mvp-use-rats-instead/226 "2024-09-09T20:34:35Z")
Interesting piece about minimum viable products that argues we should build “RATs” (Riskiest Assumption Tests) instead. This has relevance to concept design; you could imagine a RAT for just one or a few concepts. But I… --- ## [Designing concept configurations: help needed](https://forum.essenceofsoftware.com/t/designing-concept-configurations-help-needed/212)
**Author:** [@dnj](https://forum.essenceofsoftware.com/u/dnj)\ **Replies:** 12\ **Last updated:** [September 8, 2024, 2:43pm UTC](https://forum.essenceofsoftware.com/t/designing-concept-configurations-help-needed/212 "2024-09-08T14:43:15Z")
I’ve been thinking about how concept instances are configured and have written a draft note about this. I’d love any help any of you can give me, from hard questions to new examples to better ideas… --- ## [Re: Why software design matters](https://forum.essenceofsoftware.com/t/re-why-software-design-matters/211)
**Author:** [@benfle](https://forum.essenceofsoftware.com/u/benfle)\ **Replies:** 3\ **Last updated:** [July 31, 2024, 4:11pm UTC](https://forum.essenceofsoftware.com/t/re-why-software-design-matters/211 "2024-07-31T16:11:51Z")
Responding to this post Why software design matters • Buttondown Professor Jackson asks why software designers focus more on cool new features rather than fixing serious design issues with their existing software that w… --- ## [Example design: editable dashboard with chart widgets](https://forum.essenceofsoftware.com/t/example-design-editable-dashboard-with-chart-widgets/198)
**Author:** [@tom](https://forum.essenceofsoftware.com/u/tom)\ **Replies:** 9\ **Last updated:** [March 27, 2024, 11:51am UTC](https://forum.essenceofsoftware.com/t/example-design-editable-dashboard-with-chart-widgets/198 "2024-03-27T11:51:26Z")
Adding this example here, in case anyone wants to provide feedback on how I can better specify these design concepts (or offer any other advice). The actual application gets more complicated (e.g. I did not specify how w… --- ## [How software succeeds](https://forum.essenceofsoftware.com/t/how-software-succeeds/188)
**Author:** [@dnj](https://forum.essenceofsoftware.com/u/dnj)\ **Replies:** 9\ **Last updated:** [February 20, 2024, 1:10am UTC](https://forum.essenceofsoftware.com/t/how-software-succeeds/188 "2024-02-20T01:10:42Z")
It’s been just over two years (wow!) since the publication of The Essence of Software. In that time, engaging with readers, consulting and teaching to students and practitioners has given me a new perspective. In additi… --- ## [Amazon default address puzzle](https://forum.essenceofsoftware.com/t/amazon-default-address-puzzle/186)
**Author:** [@dnj](https://forum.essenceofsoftware.com/u/dnj)\ **Replies:** 3\ **Last updated:** [February 20, 2024, 1:04am UTC](https://forum.essenceofsoftware.com/t/amazon-default-address-puzzle/186 "2024-02-20T01:04:19Z")
A conceptual puzzle. What is the default address in Amazon for? I’d expect something like this: There’s an Address concept, say, that allows users to build a list of frequently used addresses and assign a shipping addre… --- ## [ChatGPT for concept creation](https://forum.essenceofsoftware.com/t/chatgpt-for-concept-creation/172)
**Author:** [@metamn](https://forum.essenceofsoftware.com/u/metamn)\ **Replies:** 3\ **Last updated:** [October 6, 2023, 7:30pm UTC](https://forum.essenceofsoftware.com/t/chatgpt-for-concept-creation/172 "2023-10-06T19:30:39Z")
Hey all :slight\_smile: Just completed the book (a quick read) and set up ChatGPT to help me define concepts. I’m copying here the system message / prompt, just in case it helps others. It’s the first draft version, yo… --- ## [Conceptual design as part of development process](https://forum.essenceofsoftware.com/t/conceptual-design-as-part-of-development-process/193)
**Author:** [@siegel](https://forum.essenceofsoftware.com/u/siegel)\ **Replies:** 10\ **Last updated:** [February 11, 2024, 4:50pm UTC](https://forum.essenceofsoftware.com/t/conceptual-design-as-part-of-development-process/193 "2024-02-11T16:50:41Z")
How could conceptual design fit into a complete software development process? Could one start by eliciting requirements, then analyze them, and as part of that analysis process (and iterating with your client), develop… --- ## [Lea Verou post: Eigensolutions: composability as the antidote to overfit](https://forum.essenceofsoftware.com/t/lea-verou-post-eigensolutions-composability-as-the-antidote-to-overfit/184)
**Author:** [@dnj](https://forum.essenceofsoftware.com/u/dnj)\ **Replies:** 2\ **Last updated:** [January 14, 2024, 2:42am UTC](https://forum.essenceofsoftware.com/t/lea-verou-post-eigensolutions-composability-as-the-antidote-to-overfit/184 "2024-01-14T02:42:41Z")
Happy new year, everyone! I just came across an excellent post by Lea Verou which argues for building software on more general and composable abstractions. In short, I see several different ideas at play in her piece: … --- ## [New URL for forum](https://forum.essenceofsoftware.com/t/new-url-for-forum/185)
**Author:** [@dnj](https://forum.essenceofsoftware.com/u/dnj)\ **Replies:** 0\ **Last updated:** [January 2, 2024, 10:03pm UTC](https://forum.essenceofsoftware.com/t/new-url-for-forum/185 "2024-01-02T22:03:40Z")
BTW, the URL for the forum changed: it is now https://forum.essenceofsoftware.com. --- ## [How related are NakedObjects by Pawlson and Concept Oriented Design](https://forum.essenceofsoftware.com/t/how-related-are-nakedobjects-by-pawlson-and-concept-oriented-design/177)
**Author:** [@alejandro.garcia](https://forum.essenceofsoftware.com/u/alejandro.garcia)\ **Replies:** 8\ **Last updated:** [October 8, 2023, 5:33pm UTC](https://forum.essenceofsoftware.com/t/how-related-are-nakedobjects-by-pawlson-and-concept-oriented-design/177 "2023-10-08T17:33:46Z")
This is the continuation of conversation we have had by email: Hey professor I just was rewatching this conference and it reminded me a lot of Concept Oriented Design: The researcher Rirchard Pawson is s… --- ## [Andrew Hinton's Understanding Context](https://forum.essenceofsoftware.com/t/andrew-hintons-understanding-context/84)
**Author:** [@dnj](https://forum.essenceofsoftware.com/u/dnj)\ **Replies:** 11\ **Last updated:** [April 11, 2023, 1:11pm UTC](https://forum.essenceofsoftware.com/t/andrew-hintons-understanding-context/84 "2023-04-11T13:11:11Z")
I’m reading Andrew Hinton’s fascinating 2014 book Understanding Context. The key idea is that much of the complexity and difficulty that we face when using an app (for example) arises from confusions about the context in… --- ## [Concept Discussion: Types and Attributes](https://forum.essenceofsoftware.com/t/concept-discussion-types-and-attributes/164)
**Author:** [@Fabian](https://forum.essenceofsoftware.com/u/Fabian)\ **Replies:** 29\ **Last updated:** [April 10, 2023, 3:57pm UTC](https://forum.essenceofsoftware.com/t/concept-discussion-types-and-attributes/164 "2023-04-10T15:57:00Z")
Imagine, we have a software that lets you manage a zoo. The designers of this software are having a “design” discussion: -They all agree that the system should be capable to assign a type to each animal. The software w… --- ## [Concept Specificity and the Purpose of a Reservation](https://forum.essenceofsoftware.com/t/concept-specificity-and-the-purpose-of-a-reservation/159)
**Author:** [@jokroese](https://forum.essenceofsoftware.com/u/jokroese)\ **Replies:** 1\ **Last updated:** [January 29, 2023, 10:15am UTC](https://forum.essenceofsoftware.com/t/concept-specificity-and-the-purpose-of-a-reservation/159 "2023-01-29T10:15:17Z")
I read Concepts of Software at the end of last year and loved it! One of the first concepts defined formally is reservation. The purpose given is to ‘manage efficient use of resources’. Given that purposes and concepts… --- ## [Visualizing Concepts and Concept Composition](https://forum.essenceofsoftware.com/t/visualizing-concepts-and-concept-composition/24)
**Author:** [@jopo](https://forum.essenceofsoftware.com/u/jopo)\ **Replies:** 4\ **Last updated:** [September 7, 2022, 4:00pm UTC](https://forum.essenceofsoftware.com/t/visualizing-concepts-and-concept-composition/24 "2022-09-07T16:00:52Z")
What are some useful ways to visualize concepts? What about visualizing how they compose? --- ## [Concepts, features, and interactions](https://forum.essenceofsoftware.com/t/concepts-features-and-interactions/151)
**Author:** [@rpglover64](https://forum.essenceofsoftware.com/u/rpglover64)\ **Replies:** 0\ **Last updated:** [September 7, 2022, 3:28pm UTC](https://forum.essenceofsoftware.com/t/concepts-features-and-interactions/151 "2022-09-07T15:28:40Z")
Continuing the discussion from Concept anomalies in text formatting: I recently ran into a different anomaly in text formatting: in Slack, the text properties of “inline code” and “link” are mutually exclusive (though I… --- ## ["Refresh" concept, and question about where to draw the lines](https://forum.essenceofsoftware.com/t/refresh-concept-and-question-about-where-to-draw-the-lines/149)
**Author:** [@rpglover64](https://forum.essenceofsoftware.com/u/rpglover64)\ **Replies:** 2\ **Last updated:** [September 7, 2022, 3:03am UTC](https://forum.essenceofsoftware.com/t/refresh-concept-and-question-about-where-to-draw-the-lines/149 "2022-09-07T03:03:45Z")
Continuing the discussion from Birth of a new concept: (disclaimer, I have read papers and slide decks, but not the book) The way I would think about the “Refresh” concept: There is some kind of persona, like “Viewer… --- ## [Small concept with big impact](https://forum.essenceofsoftware.com/t/small-concept-with-big-impact/144)
**Author:** [@dnj](https://forum.essenceofsoftware.com/u/dnj)\ **Replies:** 2\ **Last updated:** [September 7, 2022, 12:33am UTC](https://forum.essenceofsoftware.com/t/small-concept-with-big-impact/144 "2022-09-07T00:33:47Z")
Could Zoom’s business be at risk because of a single missing concept? --- ## [Metadata design and evolution](https://forum.essenceofsoftware.com/t/metadata-design-and-evolution/140)
**Author:** [@annette](https://forum.essenceofsoftware.com/u/annette)\ **Replies:** 4\ **Last updated:** [August 1, 2022, 6:00pm UTC](https://forum.essenceofsoftware.com/t/metadata-design-and-evolution/140 "2022-08-01T18:00:50Z")
I’d love to see (and would be happy to contribute to) something about concept design and metadata. The need for clear delineation of what a given concept is (and is not!) is parallel to how we delineate the metadata ass… [Next page](https://forum.essenceofsoftware.com/c/uncategorized/1.md?page=1)