Given the criticality of the interaction between the agents in shaping the outcomes and evolution of the system, it is important to ensure that no agent remains disconnected or connected weakly with the agents they are supposed to interact with. The connectedness should help in improving the flow of information and knowledge between agents. It is critical to remember that agents include external entities like vendors and, of course, the customers.

While connectivity is important, the right level of modularity should also not be overlooked. Modularity helps in achieving coherence, as well as in increasing the ability of the system to absorb shocks better. Modularity may involve reorganization of the agents, which might cause short-term pain but could result in significant long-term benefits, for example, if teams are structured as component teams, then increasing connectivity within the component teams, which are specialized to work on a layer of a feature (for example, the user interface), will surely yield some benefits. However, far greater and more sustainable benefits can be achieved if the teams are restructured as feature teams, that is, teams which work on the entire feature. This topic is discussed in detail in Chapter 6, Organization Structure.