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A Tale of Two Systems: Design and Reality
Every architect knows the feeling: the system you designed and the one that was actually built rarely look the same. In fast-moving environments, where speed often trumps structure, clean architecture can quickly give way to quick fixes and temporary solutions. The rise of AI has only accelerated this tension: new models and features appear weekly, and startups rush to deploy them first. How much design is enough when today’s requirements might change tomorrow?
This session explores the widening gap between design and implementation, examining how to make pragmatic architectural choices without sacrificing long-term stability. Drawing from real-world experiences, it highlights strategies for balancing deliberate design with rapid iteration, understanding when to plan deeply and when to adapt. Attendees will gain practical insight into designing systems that evolve gracefully under constant change, building for today without blocking tomorrow.
What You Will Learn
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Why the gap between software design and implementation occurs, and how to bridge it
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How to balance speed, scale, and evolving requirements in fast-moving teams
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Practical strategies for making resilient architectural choices that support long-term growth
Who Should Attend
Software architects, developers, and engineering leaders working in fast-paced or AI-driven environments who want to maintain design integrity while delivering quickly.
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About the speaker
Mandeep Singh
Lead Software Engineer, Kyndryl
Mandeep Singh is an author, educator and software engineer with a strong passion for building simple, scalable systems. A graduate from the Army Institute of Technology, he has held various engineering roles at Amazon, Jupiter, and Kyndryl. His experience spans multiple domains, including cloud infrastructure modernisation, e-commerce logistics and compliance, and payment systems.
He supports the learning and development of others by sharing lessons on Cloud and System Design YouTube. He also recently published a book with O'Reilly - "System Design on AWS" with focus on designing scalable, resilient, and cost-efficient architectures on AWS. Outside of work, he enjoys morning runs, weight lifting, cooking, and spending time with his family in the serene ambience of his hometown.
