tl;dr: YAGNI I am skeptical that this kind of pathology can ever really be avoided unless you have enlightened management. A game designed entirely in UML? I

tl;dr: YAGNI I am skeptical that this kind of pathology can ever really be avoided unless you have enlightened management. A game designed entirely in UML? I'm sure the smart dudes on the team protested. But I've worked for organizations where the common-sense approach simply doesn't have any weight, because the "right way" was decreed from on high (or from the last consultant who dropped by). If you are a three-man team of highly competent developers and you find yourself in a mess like this, chances are it's your fault. So shame on you and remember not to do that next time! But more likely, you are a talented developer with a cozy job at a "traditional" company with ego-driven non-technical management that dictates technical approaches to people who know better. You'll never win that battle. But the question is, why even try? If you find yourself constantly saying "but this is so unnecessary!" and are continuously being proved right, it's time to move on. Scary, but necessary for your sanity. Creative, technical people just don't thrive in a Dilbert environment. Survive, maybe. But not thrive.