---
title: "Autonomy Requires a System-Wide Perspective"
source: "https://virtualddd.com/heuristics/autonomy-requires-a-system-wide-perspective/"
authors: ["Peter Hunter", "Elena Stojmilova", "Kenny Schwegler", "Andrea Magnorsky"]
tags: ["team agency", "sociotechnical systems", "software architecture", "decentralised decision-making", "facilitating software architecture and design"]
type: "guiding heuristics"
question: "How should a newly autonomous team approach its first major decisions?"
submitter: "Elena Stojmilova"
---

# Autonomy Requires a System-Wide Perspective

Transitioning from implementation to decision-making requires shifting focus from isolated code to the broader system. Consider costs, cross-team impacts, and long-term consequences, not just the immediate technical appeal of a solution. This change in perspective is fundamental to effective autonomy.

## Examples

A team, initially excited to use a new NoSQL database, must first evaluate its operational cost and the impact on other teams' data contracts. This moves their thinking from a single component to the entire system.