Writing software is about making something that provides value, the code is a side effect. The trouble knowing what is valuable (or the correct way to make it) is hard to accomplish up front. This means that we build software in iterative cycles, one features or version at a time allowing us to keep correcting our approach to maximize value.This talk is about saying no. It's about saying no to developers who want to build a useless temple of code, because they aren't focused on value. It's also about saying no to being asked to build code in ways that can't grow with a company.

This talk explores the ways how teams at Uber have dealt with the explosive growth we've faced. When every metrics from the numbers of users and trips, to the number of software engineers, to the number of services and features increase at the same time you become rigorous about choosing what to prioritize. Learning where not to cut corners is just as important as learning what to throw away to go faster. The examples will be provided in Node.js but many or all of the lessons apply to any language.