Mathias Verraes
@mathiasverraes.bsky.social
Student of Systems
Consultant @ https://aardling.eu
Curator @ https://dddeurope.com
Author @ https://verraes.net
Consultant @ https://aardling.eu
Curator @ https://dddeurope.com
Author @ https://verraes.net
Unless your goal is popularity over usefulness of course.
November 4, 2025 at 12:36 PM
Unless your goal is popularity over usefulness of course.
Reposted by Mathias Verraes
It's exactly how it started for me and I still can't believe I did it twice. Wonderful conference for speakers, even with less experience, very supportive team and nice people attend, so now you have no excuses :P
October 28, 2025 at 1:47 PM
It's exactly how it started for me and I still can't believe I did it twice. Wonderful conference for speakers, even with less experience, very supportive team and nice people attend, so now you have no excuses :P
Great article 😀 You should consider applying for @dddeu.bsky.social
October 28, 2025 at 10:15 AM
Great article 😀 You should consider applying for @dddeu.bsky.social
Reposted by Mathias Verraes
It's not that I don't agree, it's more like it's treated somewhat like a mystic text (we all nod solemnly at its profundity) and that it seems like we have little else to say about models. (The essay and talk you did with Rebecca is a rare exception.)
October 28, 2025 at 8:29 AM
It's not that I don't agree, it's more like it's treated somewhat like a mystic text (we all nod solemnly at its profundity) and that it seems like we have little else to say about models. (The essay and talk you did with Rebecca is a rare exception.)
Reposted by Mathias Verraes
It is misused or misunderstood (I think) to create a narrative of absolute relativity of models.
October 28, 2025 at 8:29 AM
It is misused or misunderstood (I think) to create a narrative of absolute relativity of models.
Reposted by Mathias Verraes
There is also perhaps a certain facileness in how we talk about models which rubs me the wrong way, which has its roots in the multitude of models and their uses, and also that we seem to be naive about models in general.
October 28, 2025 at 8:29 AM
There is also perhaps a certain facileness in how we talk about models which rubs me the wrong way, which has its roots in the multitude of models and their uses, and also that we seem to be naive about models in general.
I very intentionally try to talk about models in the plural as often as I can
October 28, 2025 at 8:50 AM
I very intentionally try to talk about models in the plural as often as I can
At least then you're already talking to someone who is not a Platonist. Saves you some work 😅
October 28, 2025 at 8:49 AM
At least then you're already talking to someone who is not a Platonist. Saves you some work 😅
Reposted by Mathias Verraes
It's no deeper than the observation that a linear model is not useful for non-linear systems. But an excessive faith in the relativity of models seem to get in the way of that understanding.
October 28, 2025 at 8:29 AM
It's no deeper than the observation that a linear model is not useful for non-linear systems. But an excessive faith in the relativity of models seem to get in the way of that understanding.
I see some modelling as: Let's find a subset in the complex domain, find a useful (generative, productive,...) model that brings it into the complicated domain, put it to work in the real world, iterate.
That is innovation. (Most modelling happens in the complicated domain though)
That is innovation. (Most modelling happens in the complicated domain though)
October 28, 2025 at 8:48 AM
I see some modelling as: Let's find a subset in the complex domain, find a useful (generative, productive,...) model that brings it into the complicated domain, put it to work in the real world, iterate.
That is innovation. (Most modelling happens in the complicated domain though)
That is innovation. (Most modelling happens in the complicated domain though)
Reposted by Mathias Verraes
The wrong model is much wronger than the right model.
October 28, 2025 at 8:29 AM
The wrong model is much wronger than the right model.
One of my attempts at making that quotable has long been "All models are wrong but some are harmful"
October 28, 2025 at 8:41 AM
One of my attempts at making that quotable has long been "All models are wrong but some are harmful"
(I've been trying to add more)
October 28, 2025 at 8:39 AM
(I've been trying to add more)
In our essay, we distinguish descriptive, prescriptive, and aspirational models. Assessing a models' character is useful because it affects how we should use them. Write the blog post, this deserves more exploration (and please let me know when you do, I'm not on socials much and I'd miss it)
October 28, 2025 at 8:39 AM
In our essay, we distinguish descriptive, prescriptive, and aspirational models. Assessing a models' character is useful because it affects how we should use them. Write the blog post, this deserves more exploration (and please let me know when you do, I'm not on socials much and I'd miss it)
Reposted by Mathias Verraes
It's also that people seem to read weird things into it, like all models are equally wrong, or all models are equally useful, or all models are useful on the same parameters, or that models are uniformly wrong or useful irrespective of context. I could go on.
October 28, 2025 at 8:29 AM
It's also that people seem to read weird things into it, like all models are equally wrong, or all models are equally useful, or all models are useful on the same parameters, or that models are uniformly wrong or useful irrespective of context. I could go on.
- Therapist: "And how does that make you feel?"
- Model: "I feel like I am never good enough."
- Therapist: "Models are models but that's ok. None of us are perfect."
- Map of France the size of France: "Ahum."
- Model: "I feel like I am never good enough."
- Therapist: "Models are models but that's ok. None of us are perfect."
- Map of France the size of France: "Ahum."
October 28, 2025 at 8:28 AM
- Therapist: "And how does that make you feel?"
- Model: "I feel like I am never good enough."
- Therapist: "Models are models but that's ok. None of us are perfect."
- Map of France the size of France: "Ahum."
- Model: "I feel like I am never good enough."
- Therapist: "Models are models but that's ok. None of us are perfect."
- Map of France the size of France: "Ahum."
Reposted by Mathias Verraes
To evaluate usefulness, we can't do analysis, we have to put the model to use and iterate. That's the antidote to perfection and paralysis: exist the model to daylight and see if people use it in productive ways.
October 28, 2025 at 6:02 AM
To evaluate usefulness, we can't do analysis, we have to put the model to use and iterate. That's the antidote to perfection and paralysis: exist the model to daylight and see if people use it in productive ways.
Reposted by Mathias Verraes
Well, yes, the quote implies that we don't need to seek perfection, and we don't need to represent all elements from reality accurately in the model. But the second half of the quote tells us to evaluate not perfection (elegance, symmetry, realism...) but usefulness.
October 28, 2025 at 5:59 AM
Well, yes, the quote implies that we don't need to seek perfection, and we don't need to represent all elements from reality accurately in the model. But the second half of the quote tells us to evaluate not perfection (elegance, symmetry, realism...) but usefulness.
Reposted by Mathias Verraes
Interesting, I always read it differently - to remember that there's something "as good enough for my situation/context" to avoid analysis paralysis and looking for perfection :D
October 28, 2025 at 5:20 AM
Interesting, I always read it differently - to remember that there's something "as good enough for my situation/context" to avoid analysis paralysis and looking for perfection :D
To evaluate usefulness, we can't do analysis, we have to put the model to use and iterate. That's the antidote to perfection and paralysis: exist the model to daylight and see if people use it in productive ways.
October 28, 2025 at 6:02 AM
To evaluate usefulness, we can't do analysis, we have to put the model to use and iterate. That's the antidote to perfection and paralysis: exist the model to daylight and see if people use it in productive ways.
Well, yes, the quote implies that we don't need to seek perfection, and we don't need to represent all elements from reality accurately in the model. But the second half of the quote tells us to evaluate not perfection (elegance, symmetry, realism...) but usefulness.
October 28, 2025 at 5:59 AM
Well, yes, the quote implies that we don't need to seek perfection, and we don't need to represent all elements from reality accurately in the model. But the second half of the quote tells us to evaluate not perfection (elegance, symmetry, realism...) but usefulness.