The conceptual integrity of software is a measure of how well it conforms to a single, simple set of design principles, according to The Mythical Man Month.
Conceptual integrity is achieved when the software’s design proceeds from a small number of agreeing individuals[citation needed].
For software to maintain conceptual integrity, the design must be controlled by a single, small group of people who understand the code (including the nature of how all the subroutines and variables interact) in depth[citation needed].
The complexity of the product grows as a result of developers adding new designs and altering earlier ones to reflect changes in fashion and individual taste[citation needed].
[2] Studies showed that programmers spends more than 50% of their time communicating with people, while the actual programming may only take up as little as 15% to 10%, depending on the level of seniority.