Conceptually it seems simpler to add a column to table rather than adding a property to some serialized structure. I wonder if it isn't a question of process an

Conceptually it seems simpler to add a column to table rather than adding a property to some serialized structure. I wonder if it isn't a question of process and tooling encouraging the wrong thing? At least in other contexts I have seen JSON or XML fields used as a trick to circumvent a heavyweight process for adding new columns. But IMHO the process should be improved rather than circumvented. Some times you need to quickly add a column, but adding a column is also a pretty safe operation. Doing the same thing "one level" up does not improve safety or convenience. In more traditional organizations I have seen the DBA act as a gatekeeper, which lead to developers inventing all kinds of hack to get around the barrier. I can understand the thinking which lead to this, but it is dysfunctional.