Legibility Is Ruining You (jimmyhmiller.com)

The author argues that software companies use “legible” processes and metrics to make engineering work easier to monitor, but this often distorts what engineers actually value. By converting rich goals into thin, enforceable rules (e.g., code review, OKRs, coverage, velocity), companies can shape behavior in ways that don’t improve the underlying outcomes. The piece concludes that while such processes may be unavoidable, individuals can resist being “value captured” by insisting on less-metric, context-driven judgment and illegible work that better reflects real quality.