# The first rule of systems engineering *”If you optimize the components, then, most likely, the system performance will be corrupted.”* From [[Richard Hamming]] <!-- #mental-model --> [Web URL for this note](http://notes.benjaminreinhardt.com/The+first+rule+of+systems+engineering) [Comment on this note](http://via.hypothes.is/http://notes.benjaminreinhardt.com/The+first+rule+of+systems+engineering) <!-- {BearID:969A4219-A90A-41E6-8B9A-5FC2FA9A05D7-519-0001EF3A60D3EEC2} -->