Episodes
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Is AI taking over the craft of coding? Many engineers now face an identity crisis.
In the episode, Distinguished Engineer Annie Vella discusses her research on AI’s impact on software development. She explores the “software engineering identity crisis” as the craft of coding becomes automated. Annie warns that the seductive speed of AI tools can lead to lower quality and delivery stability, a trend supported by reports from DORA and GitClear. She also cautions that over-reliance on AI prevents engineers from gaining the hands-on experience needed for deep skill acquisition.
Key topics discussed:
How AI is reshaping the software development lifecycleThe software engineer’s professional identity crisisThe real dangers of over-relying on AI toolsHow to balance the seduction of speed with long-term qualityCrucial advice for junior engineers entering the industryWhy leaders must shift focus from speed to qualityThe idea of treating AI as team member instead of just a toolTimestamps:
(00:00:00) Trailer & Intro(00:02:32) AI Impact on Career and Software Engineering(00:07:00) The Future of AI-Driven Software Engineering(00:14:29) The Shift in the Role of Software Engineer(00:22:13) When Writing Code is Not the Bottleneck Anymore(00:32:04) The Danger of Over-Reliance on AI(00:38:51) The Software Engineering Identity Crisis(00:48:09) Advice for Junior Engineers in This Challenging Time(00:53:34) The Shift in the Role of Engineering Management(00:59:46) You Are Not Alone(01:00:50) 3 Tech Lead Wisdom_____
Annie Vella’s Bio
Annie Vella is a Distinguished Engineer at Westpac NZ with two decades of experience in software engineering and technical leadership across various industries and countries.Vella has returned to an engineering role after a period in management and is also a part-time Master’s student at the University of Auckland, researching the impact of AI on software engineering. She believes that technologies like Generative AI, LLMs, and Agentic AI will revolutionize the field and problem-solving in general.
Follow Annie:
LinkedIn – linkedin.com/in/annievellaX – x.com/codefrenzyWebsite – annievella.com/Like this episode?
Show notes & transcript: techleadjournal.dev/episodes/223.
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What if your most critical systems run on code that no one fully understands?
In this episode, Omer Rosenbaum, CTO and co-founder of Swimm, explains how to use AI to close the knowledge gap in your legacy codebase. Discover the limitations of AI in understanding legacy code and learn novel approaches to automatically document complex systems, ensuring their critical business logic is preserved and understood within the organization. Beyond legacy systems, Omer also shares practical advice for how junior developers can thrive in the AI era and how teams and organizations can conduct more effective research.
Key topics discussed:
How junior developers can thrive in the age of AIThe danger of shipping code you don’t fully understandWhy AI can’t deduce everything from your code aloneHow writing documentation becomes more critical now with AIHow to analyze code that even LLMs struggle to read, like COBOLHow to keep your organization’s knowledge base trustworthy and up to dateThe real danger of letting AI agents run uncheckedA practical approach to conducting more effective researchTimestamps:
(00:00) Trailer & Intro(02:10) Career Turning Points(05:24) What Juniors Should Do in the Age of AI(11:05) Junior Developer’s Responsbility When Using AI(14:50) AI and Critical Thinking(16:20) Understanding & Preserving Domain Knowledge(18:11) The Importance of Written Knowledge for AI Usage(21:51) Limitations of AI in Understanding Knowledge Base(26:34) The Limitations of LLM in Navigating Legacy Codebases (e.g. COBOL)(32:38) Effective Knowledge Sharing Culture in the Age of AI(34:54) Keeping Knowledge Base Up-to-Date(36:55) Keeping the Organization Knowledge Base Accurate(39:08) Fact Checking and Preventing AI Hallucination(41:24) The Potential of MCP(43:24) The Danger of AI Agents Hallucinating with Each Other(45:00) How to Get Better at Research(53:41) The Importance of Investing in Research(57:18) 3 Tech Lead Wisdom_____
Omer Rosenbaum’s Bio
Omer Rosenbaum is the CTO and co-founder of Swimm, a platform reinventing the way engineering organizations manage internal knowledge about their code base. Omer founded the Check Point Security Academy and was the Cyber Security Lead at ITC, an educational organization that trains talented professionals to develop careers in technology. Omer has a MA in Linguistics from Tel Aviv University and is the creator behind the Brief YouTube Channel.Follow Omer:
LinkedIn – linkedin.com/in/omer-rosenbaum-034a08b9Twitter – x.com/Omer_RosSwimm – swimm.ioEmail – [email protected]📚 Gitting Things Done – buymeacoffee.com/omerr/extras▶️ Brief – youtube.com/@BriefVidLike this episode?
Show notes & transcript: techleadjournal.dev/episodes/222.
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Feeling like you have valuable technical insights to share but struggle to put them into words? You’re not alone.
In this episode, Piotr Sarna, author of “Writing for Developers” and an experienced open-source maintainer, shares the common hurdles developers face in writing and provides practical tips to get started. Discover how cultivating a writing habit can not only boost your personal brand but also improve your technical skills and create new career opportunities.
Key topics discussed:
The Writing Challenge: Why many developers who have interesting things to say don’t write and the importance of writing culture in a company.Finding Your First Topic: How to identify valuable topics from your daily work, even if you think they’re not interesting enough or have already been written about.Overcoming Writer’s Block: Practical tips to overcome the fear of writing, including dealing with imposter syndrome and language concerns.Leveraging AI for Writing: How to effectively use AI as a reviewer to find logical fallacies, get feedback, and improve your writing without sacrificing authenticity.Proven Blog Post Patterns: Learn about effective patterns like the “Bug Hunt” to create engaging and educational content.Promoting Your Writing: Strategies to get your work in front of a larger audience, from company blogs to social media and content aggregators.Beyond the Blog Post: Discover how writing can open doors to speaking at conferences and even writing a book.Timestamps:
(00:00) Trailer & Intro(02:06) Career Turning Points(04:30) The Challenge of Writing for Developers(06:08) The Importance of Writing Culture(08:36) Piotr’s Journey to Writing Books(11:19) The Impact of Writing on Engineering Culture(13:39) How to Overcome Common Excuses for Not Writing(16:32) Finding The First Blog Post Topic(20:32) Tips on How to Start Writing(22:19) The Importance of Goal and Perspective in Writing a Draft(24:55) The Use of AI in Writing(29:01) AI Prompts to Improve Your Writing(30:14) The Best LLM Model for Writing(31:53) The Best Workflow Working with AI(33:41) Blog Post Pattern: Bug Hunt(37:16) Blog Post Pattern: Thoughts on Trends(40:13) The Importance of Promoting Our Writing(42:47) How to Promote Your Writing Independently(45:00) Future Opportunities of Writing(47:55) Writing as a Developer(49:02) 3 Tech Lead Wisdom_____
Piotr Sarna’s Bio
Piotr Sarna is a software engineer who is keen on open source projects and the Rust and C++ languages. He previously developed an open source distributed file system and had a brief adventure with the Linux kernel. He’s also a long-time contributor and maintainer of ScyllaDB, as well as libSQL and Turso. Piotr graduated from University of Warsaw with a Master’s degree in computer science.Follow Piotr:
LinkedIn – linkedin.com/in/sarna-devTwitter – x.com/sarna_devGitHub – github.com/psarnaWebsite – bio.sarna.devWrite That Blog! – writethat.blogInterview with Tech Bloggers – writethatblog.substack.com📚 Writing for Developers – https://www.manning.com/books/writing-for-developersLike this episode?
Show notes & transcript: techleadjournal.dev/episodes/221.
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In this special in-person episode, Sanne Grinovero shares the story of Java’s evolution from his unique perspective as a long-time open-source contributor. He shares his 16-year career journey at Red Hat, highlighting his amazing work on key projects like Hibernate, Infinispan, and especially the creation of Quarkus. His career trajectory, from a student who initially disliked Java’s complexity to a leading figure in its modernization, shows the transformative power of open source.
A key part of the conversation focuses on how technical challenges spark innovation. Sanne explains how the task of making the popular Hibernate framework compatible with GraalVM’s limitations led directly to the birth of Quarkus. This journey tells the bigger story of how Java adapted for cloud-native development, ensuring it continues to be a top choice for developers seeking high performance and a great developer experience.
Timestamps:
(00:00:00) Trailer & Intro(00:02:16) Career Turning Points(00:04:52) Winning an Innovation Award(00:06:35) Java Heroes(00:08:04) Working as a Consultant(00:09:56) Taking a Massive Pay Cut to Work on Open Source(00:10:59) Contributing to Big Open Source as a Youngster(00:12:53) State of Hibernate Project(00:15:15) Spring Boot(00:16:54) Making Hibernate Work on GraalVM(00:21:05) GraalVM Limitations for Running Hibernate(00:26:09) Java for Cloud Native Application(00:28:04) Quarkus vs Spring Boot(00:33:21) JRebel & Quarkus(00:34:35) Java vs New Programming Languages(00:39:22) The ORM Dilemma(00:42:38) Some Hibernate Design Pattern Tips(00:46:40) Getting Paid Working on Open Source(00:48:41) Hibernate License Change(00:51:05) Intellectual Property & Meaningful Contributions(00:52:52) AI Usage & Copyright in Open Source(00:55:21) Biggest Challenge Working in a Big Open Source(00:56:08) Politics in Open Source(00:58:32) Security Risks in Open Source(01:02:25) Donating Hibernate to Commonhaus Foundation(01:04:49) The Future of Red Hat(01:06:39) 3 Tech Lead Wisdom_____
Sanne Grinovero’s Bio
Sanne Grinovero has been a member of the Hibernate team for 10 years; today he leads this project in his role of Sr. Principal Software Engineer at Red Hat, while also working on Quarkus as a founding R&D engineer.Deeply interested in solving performance and concurrency challenges around data access, scalability, and exploring integration with new storage technologies, distributed systems and search engines.
Working on Hibernate features led him to contribute to related open source technologies; most notably to Apache Lucene and Elasticsearch, Infinispan and JGroups, ANTLR, WildFly, various JDBC drivers, the OpenJDK and more recently getting interested in GraalVM.
After being challenged to reduce memory consumption and improve bootstrap times of Hibernate, Sanne worked as part of a small R&D team at Red Hat on some ideas which have evolved into what is known today as Quarkus.
Follow Sanne:
LinkedIn – linkedin.com/in/sannegrinoveroTwitter – twitter.com/SanneGrinoveroGitHub – github.com/sanneLike this episode?
Show notes & transcript: techleadjournal.dev/episodes/220.
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Tired of feeling like your team is stuck in a cycle of frustration and miscommunication? What if the biggest blocker in your tech career isn’t your code, but your thinking?
That’s the core premise of Systems Thinking, and in this episode, Diana Montalion (author of “Learning Systems Thinking”) shares the practical insights and mental models to help you make that essential shift.
Key topics discussed:
What systems thinking is and its core principlesThe difference between linear thinking (which we need) and systems thinking (which we’re missing)Why building a metaphorical “car boat” is a failure of “conceptual integrity” and how to avoid itHow to break free from a “change-my-mind” culture and improve our collaborationThe critical skill of metacognition: why you must understand your own thinking before you can influence othersPractical ways to foster collective systems thinking and bridge the gap between Product and TechUsing modeling and visual tools to create alignment and solve the right problemsHow AI’s inability to handle true inference makes human systems thinking more valuable than everWhether you’re a software engineer, architect, team leader, or anyone tackling complex problems, learn why your technical skills alone are not enough and how a shift in your thinking can revolutionize your work and career.
Timestamps:
(00:00:00) Trailer & Intro(00:02:23) Career Turning Points(00:04:35) Writing Learning Systems Thinking(00:08:53) Definition of Systems Thinking(00:13:39) Systems Thinking vs Linear Thinking(00:19:31) Definition of System(O0:24:13) Conceptual Integrity(00:30:02) Practices to Improve Our Systems Thinking(00:36:21) Metacognition and Self-Awareness(00:44:42) Practices to Improve Our Collective Systems Thinking(00:53:04) Collaboration with Consent(00:55:29) The Importance of Modeling(01:02:20) AI Usage and System Thinking(01:11:04) 3 Tech Lead Wisdom_____
Diana Montalion’s Bio
Diana Montalion is a systems architect, learning facilitator, and founder of Mentrix Group, with over 20 years of experience delivering transformative software initiatives for organizations like Stanford, The Gates Foundation, The Economist, and The Wikimedia Foundation. As the author of Learning Systems Thinking: Essential Nonlinear Skills & Practices for Software Professionals (O’Reilly), she empowers tech professionals to navigate complex systems through practices like systemic reasoning, metacognition, and collaborative modeling.Follow Diana:
LinkedIn – linkedin.com/in/dianamontalionWebsite – montalion.comTwitter – @dianamontalionMastodon - @[email protected] - @mentrix.bsky.socialMentrix Group – https://mentrixgroup.com/SystemCrafters Collective – https://mentrix.systems/📚 Learning Systems Thinking – oreilly.com/library/view/learning-systems-thinking/9781098151324/Our Sponsors
Manning Publications is a premier publisher of technical books on computer and software development topics for both experienced developers and new learners alike. Manning prides itself on being independently owned and operated, and for paving the way for innovative initiatives, such as early access book content and protection-free PDF formats that are now industry standard.
Get a 40% discount for Tech Lead Journal listeners by using the code techlead24 for all products in all formats.
Like this episode?
Show notes & transcript: techleadjournal.dev/episodes/219.
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Understand the secret behind one of Amazon’s most powerful innovation tools and learn how you can use it to drive clarity, alignment, and better decision-making.
In this episode, Marcelo Calbucci, author of “The PRFAQ Framework,” dives deep into the PRFAQ (Press Release & Frequently Asked Questions) framework, a unique approach that combines narrative storytelling and strategic FAQs to crystallize initiative vision and strategy.
Key topics discussed:
What the PRFAQ framework is — and why it’s more than just a product management toolHow PRFAQ brings Amazon’s “working backwards” philosophy to lifeThe structure of a PRFAQ: press release, customer FAQs, and internal FAQsWhy storytelling and precise writing are essential for strategic vision and alignmentOvercoming resistance: making writing and reading strategic documents part of your culturePractical tips for adopting PRFAQ in any organization, large or smallCommon mistakes to avoid when implementing PRFAQThe importance of collaborative feedback in the PRFAQ processWhether you’re launching a startup, building a new product, or transforming internal processes, this episode breaks down how this method can help you avoid common pitfalls and deliver results that matter.
Timestamps:
(00:00) Trailer & Intro(02:10) Career Turning Points(03:56) The PRFAQ Framework(05:19) PRFAQ is Forward-Looking(07:09) Working Backwards & PRFAQ(07:58) Why Writing a Book About PRFAQ(11:37) PRFAQ: Why Less Adoption Than Other Frameworks?(14:40) Writing PRFAQ vs Speed of Execution(16:28) The PRFAQ Template(19:05) The Six Page of PRFAQ(21:24) Precise Writing(25:09) The Strict Guidelines of PRFAQ(26:40) PRFAQ: Press Release(29:56) The Power of Narratives / Storytelling(32:03) PRFAQ: Customer FAQ(34:15) Jobs-to-Be-Done vs. Personas(36:46) PRFAQ: Internal FAQ(39:34) How to Come Up with the Internal FAQs(40:49) The Level of Details in the FAQs(43:20) PRFAQ: Appendix(45:27) Advice on Starting PRFAQ(46:11) Adapting from the Amazon’s PRFAQ(48:55) Common Mistakes when Adopting PRFAQ(50:05) Providing Good Feedback for PRFAQ(51:18) 3 Tech Lead Wisdom_____
Marcelo Calbucci’s Bio
Marcelo Calbucci is an entrepreneur, innovator, and technologist. He’s been building software products for over thirty years, having sold his first software at age fourteen. He has worked at Microsoft (Exchange Server & Bing) and Amazon (People eXperience & Technology), leading software engineering, product, data science, and UX. He is an author of The PRFAQ Framework.Follow Marcelo Calbucci:
LinkedIn – linkedin.com/in/marcelocalbucciTwitter / X – @calbucciEmail – [email protected]📚 The PRFAQ Framework – theprfaq.comOur Sponsors
Manning Publications is a premier publisher of technical books on computer and software development topics for both experienced developers and new learners alike. Manning prides itself on being independently owned and operated, and for paving the way for innovative initiatives, such as early access book content and protection-free PDF formats that are now industry standard.
Get a 40% discount for Tech Lead Journal listeners by using the code techlead24 for all products in all formats.
Like this episode?
Show notes & transcript: techleadjournal.dev/episodes/218.
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(08:54) Brought to you by Swimm.io.
Start modernizing your mainframe faster with Swimm. Understand the what, why, and how of your mainframe code. Use AI to uncover critical code insights for seamless migration, refactoring, or system replacement.
Why do so many well-intentioned initiatives fail to move the needle?
In this episode, Sriram Narayan, author of ‘Impact Intelligence,’ reveals how to ensure your efforts translate into real, measurable business impact. Stop shooting in the dark and start delivering tangible results that matter.
Key topics discussed:
What “Impact Intelligence” means and why it is crucial for any businessThe common pitfalls: Why many tech and digital initiatives fail to achieve their intended business impactThe common misconceptions about “outcomes” in tech and product teams, and why delivery or adoption metrics are not enoughSurprising insights from the non-profit sector on rigorous impact measurement practicesUnderstanding the difference between immediate (proximate) results and long-term (downstream) impactHow to visualize and map your initiatives to core business goals using an “Impact Network”The critical challenge of “Impact Attribution” – how to know if your project actually moved the needleAddressing “Measurement Debt” — if you can’t measure it, should you build it?The iRex framework: A modular approach to building your organization’s Impact IntelligenceBalancing speed vs impact: Not just shipping features, but delivering measurable business resultsWhether you’re a tech leader, product manager, or executive, this episode will equip you with actionable frameworks and real-world examples to focus on what really matters: delivering measurable, meaningful business impact.
Tune in and start building your organization’s Impact Intelligence muscle today!
Timestamps:
(00:00) Trailer & Intro(02:22) Career Turning Points(10:52) Impact Intelligence(11:40) The Importance of Impact Intelligence(15:09) Understanding Business Impact(19:11) Learning & Adopting from the NGO Space(22:35) Impact Feedback Loops(26:25) Proximate vs Downstream Impact(28:20) Building an Impact Network(36:47) Differences with OKR(38:12) Impact Attribution(44:51) The Importance of Measurement & Measurement Debt(48:31) iRex Framework(54:26) Balancing Between Speed of Delivery and Business Impact(57:32) 1 Tech lead Wisdom_____
Sriram Narayan’s Bio
Sriram Narayan is an independent consultant in the area of impact intelligence. He also helps clients improve digital, product and tech performance.Pearson published his first book, Agile IT Org Design , in 2015. It won endorsements from the then CIO of The Vanguard Group and the then MD of Consumer Digital at Lloyds Bank.
Sriram has served in product, technology, innovation, and transformation leadership roles since 2006. He has also helped some of his clients move to a product operating model. His write-up of the topic in 2018 has since become a de facto industry reference. His other writings and talks are available at agileorgdesign.com
Follow Sriram:
LinkedIn – linkedin.com/in/mrsriramnarayanBluesky - @srny.bsky.socialTwitter / X – @sriramnarayan📚 Impact Intelligence Website – impactintel.net📚 Agile Org Design Website – agileorgdesign.comEmail – [email protected]Our Sponsors
Manning Publications is a premier publisher of technical books on computer and software development topics for both experienced developers and new learners alike. Manning prides itself on being independently owned and operated, and for paving the way for innovative initiatives, such as early access book content and protection-free PDF formats that are now industry standard.
Get a 40% discount for Tech Lead Journal listeners by using the code techlead24 for all products in all formats.
Like this episode?
Show notes & transcript: techleadjournal.dev/episodes/217.
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(05:46) Brought to you by Swimm.io.
Start modernizing your mainframe faster with Swimm.Understand the what, why, and how of your mainframe code.Use AI to uncover critical code insights for seamless migration, refactoring, or system replacement.
Feeling uneasy about how your personal data is used, and wondering if companies are doing enough to protect it?
In this episode, Katharine Jarmul, author of “Practical Data Privacy,” dives deep into one of the most critical and rapidly evolving topics today. Discover how data privacy impacts you as a user and what organizations should be doing to protect your information responsibly. Learn why simply blaming users isn’t the answer and how we can build a more trustworthy technological future.
Key topics discussed:
Understanding Data Privacy: The meaning of data privacy and how it links to autonomy, trust, and choiceMore Than Just PII: The full scope of sensitive data needing protectionThe “Spying” Phone Feeling: How too much data collection can be used to infer sensitive detailsOrganizational Responsibility: Shifting data protection burden from users to companies building and deploying technologyPrivacy by Design: Embedding privacy into tech right from the startEssential Data Governance: Why knowing your data is key to privacyPractical Privacy Techniques: Pseudonymization, anonymization, data masking, and morePrivacy Enhancing Technologies: Exploring tools like differential privacy, federated learning, and encrypted computationAI & Privacy Challenges: Using AI responsibly with sensitive informationNavigating Privacy Laws: Understanding GDPR, data sovereignty, and global regulationsBuilding a Privacy Culture: Fostering a culture of learning, psychological safety, and risk awareness around privacyTune in to learn how we can build a safer, more responsible, and trustworthy digital future for everyone.
Timestamps:
(00:00) Trailer & Intro(01:20) Career Turning Points(02:14) Data Privacy Landscape(07:45) PII (Personally Identifiable Information)(11:33) Data Privacy Risk in Current Technologies(14:13) Data Utility vs Privacy(19:01) Privacy by Design(24:19) Data Governance(29:06) Retention Schedule(31:10) Data Privacy Practices & Techniques(34:09) Privacy Enhancing Technologies(38:52) Fostering Data Privacy Practice & Culture(47:05) The Legal Aspects of Data Privacy(51:10) AI and Data Privacy(56:08) 3 Tech Lead Wisdom_____
Katharine Jarmul’s Bio
Katharine Jarmul is a Principal Data Scientist at Thoughtworks Germany and author of the recent O’Reilly book Practical Data Privacy . Previously, she has held numerous roles at large companies and startups in the US and Germany, implementing data processing and machine learning systems with a focus on reliability, testability, privacy and security.She is a passionate and internationally recognized data scientist, programmer, and lecturer. Katharine is also a frequent keynote speaker at international software and AI conferences.
Follow Katharine:
LinkedIn – linkedin.com/in/katharinejarmulNewsletter – https://probablyprivate.comYouTube – @ProbablyPrivate📚 Practical Data Privacy: Enhancing Privacy and Security in Data – https://www.oreilly.com/library/view/practical-data-privacy/9781098129453/Our Sponsors
Manning Publications is a premier publisher of technical books on computer and software development topics for both experienced developers and new learners alike. Manning prides itself on being independently owned and operated, and for paving the way for innovative initiatives, such as early access book content and protection-free PDF formats that are now industry standard.
Get a 40% discount for Tech Lead Journal listeners by using the code techlead24 for all products in all formats.
Like this episode?
Show notes & transcript: techleadjournal.dev/episodes/216.
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(04:07) Brought to you by Swimm.io.
Start modernizing your mainframe faster with Swimm.Understand the what, why, and how of your mainframe code.Use AI to uncover critical code insights for seamless migration, refactoring, or system replacement.
Are too many meetings killing your productivity and making your team less effective?
Discover a new approach to work where meetings are no longer the default and deep work takes the center stage.In this episode, Sumeet Moghe, the author of the “Async-First Playbook”, shares actionable insights on building high-performing teams through async-first approach.
Key topics discussed:
The real reasons behind the return-to-office trend, and why remote and async work are far from deadHow async-first companies like GitLab, Shopify, and Automattic operate, and why it’s not an all-or-nothing approachSurprising survey findings: Why most people want to work remotely, and how meetings and interruptions are damaging productivityThe async-first mindset: Making meetings the last resort, prioritizing written communication, and defining reasonable response lagsThe ConveRel Quadrants: A framework for deciding when to meet based on relationship strength and meeting purposeInclusion as a first-class responsibility: How async work empowers introverts, non-native speakers, parents, and diverse team membersThe “default to action” principle: How teams can move faster by embracing reversible decisions and reducing bottlenecksAsync-first leadership: Building trust, modeling the right behaviors, and creating systems that replace performative busynessPractical tips for better business writing and reading, plus how AI tools can supercharge your communicationThe future of work: Why top talent will continue to demand autonomy, and how AI and fractional work are shaping new collaboration modelsTune in to discover how to build high-performing, effective and inclusive teams with fewer meetings by adopting async-first.
Timestamps:
(00:00) Trailer & Intro(02:19) Career Turning Points(06:21) The Return to Office Trend(11:36) Companies Embracing Async-First(13:20) People’s Working Style Preference(17:37) What is Async-First?(21:39) Team Handbook and Ways of Working(23:24) The ConveRel Quadrants(27:41) Inclusion as a First-Class Responsibility(32:14) Defaulting to Action(35:50) Async-First Leadership(40:38) Being Good in Written Communication(44:35) AI Usage in Written Communication(46:17) Time to Read and Reading Comprehension(51:14) The Future of Work(58:33) 3 Tech Lead Wisdom_____
Sumeet Moghe’s Bio
Sumeet Gayathri Moghe is an Agile enthusiast, product manager, and design nerd at Thoughtworks. Sumeet has recently authored The Async-First Playbook. His practical recommendations for effective collaboration within remote and distributed teams stand for what he’s learned from his colleagues, their successes, and their occasional misadventures.Sumeet kicked off “The async-first manifesto” , a set of principles he is co-creating with volunteer enthusiasts from around the world. He is also bringing async-work to life with stories of “Humans of remote work” .
Follow Sumeet:
LinkedIn – linkedin.com/in/sumeetmogheWebsite – asyncagile.org📚 Async-First Playbook – https://informit.com/asyncUse the code "MOGHE" to get 35% offOur Sponsors
Manning Publications is a premier publisher of technical books on computer and software development topics for both experienced developers and new learners alike. Manning prides itself on being independently owned and operated, and for paving the way for innovative initiatives, such as early access book content and protection-free PDF formats that are now industry standard.
Get a 40% discount for Tech Lead Journal listeners by using the code techlead24 for all products in all formats.
Like this episode?
Show notes & transcript: techleadjournal.dev/episodes/215.
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(03:59) Brought to you by Swimm.io.
Start modernizing your mainframe faster with Swimm.
Understand the what, why, and how of your mainframe code.
Use AI to uncover critical code insights for seamless migration, refactoring, or system replacement.Stop fearing Friday and late-night deployments!
Discover how the most painful part of software development—deploying to production—can become routine, safe, and even boring.In this episode, I sit down with Valentina Servile (ThoughtWorks lead developer and author of “Continuous Deployment”) to discuss the principles, practices, and mindset shift required to achieve true Continuous Deployment.
Key topics discussed:
The key differences between Continuous Integration, Continuous Delivery, and Continuous DeploymentWhy “if it hurts, do it more often” is the secret to safer, faster releasesApplying Lean principles like one-piece flow and reducing batch size for higher quality and speedThe importance of removing the final manual deployment gate and automating everythingEssential minimum practices: robust automated testing, feature flags, static analysis, and zero-downtime deploymentsSeparating deployment from release with feature flags and expand/contract patternsOvercoming challenges in regulated industries, technical hurdles, and third-party integrationsThe critical mindset shift: treating production as a first-class citizen and embracing “shift left” for quality and securityCautions and advice on using AI tools in a continuous deployment workflowTune in to level up your software delivery and learn how to make deployments so routine that you’ll never dread another release.
Timestamps:
(02:00) Career Turning Points(06:05) Tips for Juniors Starting Their Careers(08:00) Continuous Deployment Book(10:16) Definitions of CI, CD, Continuous Deployment(15:42) If It Hurts, Do It More Often(19:18) Why Remove The Final Manual Gate to Production(24:56) Common Challenges in Adopting Continuous Deployment(30:02) Minimum Practices for Continuous Deployment(35:17) Hiding Work-in-Progress(38:46) The Difference Between Deployment vs Release(41:40) Slicing the Work(45:10) Coordinating Changes Between Systems & Third Parties(47:58) The Importance of Backward Compatibility(50:05) The Required Mindset Shift(53:16) AI Caution in Continuous Deployment(55:35) 3 Tech Lead Wisdom_____
Valentina Servile’s Bio
Valentina Servile is a full-stack software craftswoman and Lead Software Developer at Thoughtworks.She has worked with over a dozen companies in 5 different countries, ranging from start-up to enterprise scale. Her work has been focused on clean code, distributed systems and microservices, CI/CD practices, and evolutionary architectures in a variety of tech stacks. As a technical lead, she also coordinates delivery, and ensures a shared vision around ways of working and technical health in her cross-functional teams.
Valentina is passionate about creating an engineering baseline of clean code, testing and automation as the the most fundamental enabler of Agile, Lean and DevOps principles.
Follow Valentina:
LinkedIn – linkedin.com/in/valentina-servileBluesky – @valentinaservile.bsky.social📚 Continuous Deployment – https://www.oreilly.com/library/view/continuous-deployment/9781098146719/Our Sponsors
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(05:57) Brought to you by Swimm.io.
Start modernizing your mainframe faster with Swimm.
Understand the what, why, and how of your mainframe code.
Use AI to uncover critical code insights for seamless migration, refactoring, or system replacement.Are we looking at software engineering the wrong way?
What if it’s less about writing code and more about making better decisions in an ever-changing system?Learn a revolutionary approach to understanding complex software systems in my conversation with Tudor Girba, the CEO of feenk. We explore “Moldable Development,” a groundbreaking concept that challenges traditional views of software engineering. Learn why treating development as a decision-making process, supported by custom tools, is crucial for tackling today’s software challenges, especially when dealing with legacy systems.
Key topics discussed:
Software Engineering as Decision-Making: Why software development is fundamentally about making informed decisions rather than just constructing systems.The Inefficiency of Reading Code: Developers spend over 50% of their time reading code, yet this activity remains unoptimized.Moldable Development: Learn how creating custom tools tailored to specific problems can revolutionize your workflow and decision-making process.Legacy Systems as Opportunities: Reframe legacy systems as value-creation opportunities instead of burdens.Glamorous Toolkit: Discover the innovative development environment enabling thousands of micro-tools for better system understanding.The Future of Development Environments: Explore how AI, moldable development, and tools like Glamorous Toolkit can coexist to solve diverse class of problems.This conversation will completely transform how you think about software development!
Timestamps:
(00:01:57) Career Turning Points(00:08:29) Understanding How We Read Code(00:10:43) Software Engineering is a Decision-Making Activity(00:13:19) Reading Code is a Suboptimal Activity(00:16:44) Moldable Development(00:22:47) The Challenges with Legacy Systems(00:30:17) Moldable Development Workflow(00:46:02) Glamorous Toolkit(00:54:15) IDE, AI, and Glamorous Toolkit(01:00:36) Writing with Simon Wardley(01:03:01) 1 Tech Lead Wisdom_____
Tudor Girba’s Bio
Tudor Girba is the CEO of feenk, a company focused on modernizing legacy systems. They do that through Moldable Development, a way of programming through contextual tools. They build Glamorous Toolkit, a free and open-source moldable development environment, to show how working through thousands of contextual tools per system can be practical. In 2014, Tudor received the prestigious Dahl-Nygaard Junior Prize for his work on modeling and visualisation of evolution and interplay of large numbers of objects.Follow Tudor:
LinkedIn – linkedin.com/in/girbaBluesky – bsky.app/profile/tudorgirba.comX – x.com/girbafeenk – feenk.comGlamorous Toolkit – gtoolkit.com📝 Rewilding Software Engineering – medium.com/feenk/rewilding-software-engineering-900ca95ebc8c
_____Our Sponsors
Manning Publications is a premier publisher of technical books on computer and software development topics for both experienced developers and new learners alike. Manning prides itself on being independently owned and operated, and for paving the way for innovative initiatives, such as early access book content and protection-free PDF formats that are now industry standard.
Get a 40% discount for Tech Lead Journal listeners by using the code techlead24 for all products in all formats.
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(07:40) Brought to you by Swimm.io.
Start modernizing your mainframe faster with Swimm.
Understand the what, why, and how of your mainframe code.
Use AI to uncover critical code insights for seamless migration, refactoring, or system replacement.What if everything you’ve been taught about software architecture is fundamentally at odds with how the real world works?
Dive into my conversation with Barry O’Reilly, a veteran architect and former Chief Architect at Microsoft, as we explore a radical rethinking of software architecture that embraces uncertainty and complexity. Discover how to design systems that survive in an ever-changing world.
Key topics discussed:
The Architect’s Paradox: Why rigid logic fails when applied to human systems and business complexity.The Failures of Traditional Architecture: Why requirements engineering and rigid models often fall short.Residuality Theory: A revolutionary approach focused on how systems collapse and adapt over time.Correctness vs. Criticality: Designing architectures that survive off-spec scenarios rather than aiming for perfection.Philosophy in Architecture: Unpacking hidden “default” philosophies that shape how we build software–and why they need to change.Essential Mindset for Architects: Humility, pessimism, and embracing uncertainty as tools for success.Whether you’re a developer, architect, or business stakeholder, this episode will challenge your assumptions and inspire new ways of thinking about software architecture.
Timestamps:
(02:00) Career Turning Points(10:02) The Architect’s Paradox(15:54) Barry’s Definition of Architecture(20:24) The Challenges of Time and Change(24:09) The Danger of Software Abstractions(29:41) Understanding Our Architecture Philosophy(37:05) Residue as the Unit of Software Architecture(46:31) Practical Way of Applying Residuality(49:03) The Goal of Architecture is Criticality(52:17) Bridging the Gap Between Architecture and Stakeholders(55:09) 3 Tech Lead Wisdom_____
Barry O’Reilly’s Bio
Barry is a veteran Architect who has held Chief Architect positions at Microsoft among others. He has also been a startup CTO, the Worldwide Lead for the Solutions Architecture Community at Microsoft, and founder of the Swedish Azure User Group. He is also a PhD candidate in software design and complexity science.Barry is a regular speaker at international conferences and events, where he shares his insights and expertise. He is the Founder of Black Tulip Technology and the creator of Residuality Theory, which seeks to redefine architecture as the management of complexity.
Follow Barry:
LinkedIn – linkedin.com/in/barry-o-reilly-b924657/📚 The Architect’s Paradox – leanpub.com/architectsparadox📚 Residues: Time, Change, and Uncertainty in Software Architecture – leanpub.com/residuality📚 Book bundle – leanpub.com/b/residues
_____Our Sponsors
Manning Publications is a premier publisher of technical books on computer and software development topics for both experienced developers and new learners alike. Manning prides itself on being independently owned and operated, and for paving the way for innovative initiatives, such as early access book content and protection-free PDF formats that are now industry standard.
Get a 40% discount for Tech Lead Journal listeners by using the code techlead24 for all products in all formats.
Like this episode?
Show notes & transcript: techleadjournal.dev/episodes/212.
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(03:43) Brought to you by Swimm.io.
Start modernizing your mainframe faster with Swimm.
Understand the what, why, and how of your mainframe code.
Use AI to uncover critical code insights for seamless migration, refactoring, or system replacement.Are you feeling overwhelmed by the rapid pace of technological change?
How do you not just survive, but thrive through decades of major changes in the tech industry?With 42 years experiencing the tech industry’s biggest transformations, Paula Paul (Distinguished Engineer, Technical Advisor, OpenJS Foundation Board Member) has seen it all. Hear her hard-won lessons on navigating massive technology shifts, from mainframes to modern AI and cloud. This episode explores why embracing change and building a healthy relationship with technology are crucial for a fulfilling career.
Key topics discussed:
Insights from a 42+ year career spanning mainframes, CAD, the web, cloud, and AIA refreshing perspective on AI: Is it taking jobs away or creating choices?Why technology is often the “easy part” compared to managing changesHow to cultivate a healthier relationship with technology and avoid overwhelmTimeless advice for building a successful and fulfilling tech career you loveNavigating career pivots and embracing a non-linear path (“canvas vs. ladder”)The latest challenges of open source software, e.g. licensing and security risksThoughts on diversity, inclusion, and meritocracy in the tech industryTune in for practical advice and deep reflections on building resilience, embracing curiosity, and finding your place in the ever-changing world of technology.
Timestamps:
(02:10) Career Turning Point(05:59) How to Approach AI and Rapid Technology Change(07:27) Long Feedback Loop in Software Development(10:35) Importance of Building the Right Things(13:35) The Fear of AI and Technology Changes(16:46) Timeless Tech Career Advice(19:34) Navigating Career Decisions(23:03) Every Company is a SaaS Company(26:22) The Huge Impact of Open Source(28:59) Open Source’s Security Challenge(31:04) Managing a Healthy JavaScript Ecosystem(33:11) Recent Trend of Open Source Licensing Change(35:46) Choosing Open Source vs. Commercial Software(37:18) Challenges of AI Model Training Based on Open Source(41:46) Recent Challenges with DEI Programs(45:05) The Value of Diversity(47:34) AI as Learning Tool(48:46) Creating Healthy Relationship with Technology(51:45) Dealing with Tech Anxiety(55:03) 3 Tech Lead Wisdom_____
Paula Paul’s Bio
Paula is a trusted technical advisor and distinguished engineer who has served as a fractional CTO in multiple organizations. Paula championed API, Identity, and platform strategies as a Distinguished Engineer with ThoughtWorks and led cloud adoptions on AWS, GCP, and Azure through her company, Greyshore. Paula is passionate about Open Source; she has been a multi-year speaker and co-chair of Open Source Day for the Grace Hopper Celebration and currently serves as a board member with the OpenJS Foundation and the Brookline Music School.Follow Paula:
LinkedIn – linkedin.com/in/paulapaulMedium – @paulapaulWebsite – http://greyshore.com
_____Our Sponsors
Manning Publications is a premier publisher of technical books on computer and software development topics for both experienced developers and new learners alike. Manning prides itself on being independently owned and operated, and for paving the way for innovative initiatives, such as early access book content and protection-free PDF formats that are now industry standard.
Get a 40% discount for Tech Lead Journal listeners by using the code techlead24 for all products in all formats.
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Show notes & transcript: techleadjournal.dev/episodes/211.
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(05:29) Brought to you by Swimm.io
Start modernizing your mainframe faster with Swimm.
Understand the what, why, and how of your mainframe code.
Use AI to uncover critical code insights for seamless migration, refactoring, or system replacement.Tired of API dependencies slowing down your development and testing?
Dive into my conversation with Tom Akehurst, creator of WireMock, and discover the art of using API mocking to build successful software in complex distributed environments.
Key topics discussed:
The origin story of WireMock, born from integration challenges at DisneyHow WireMock became a leading API mocking tool with millions of monthly downloadsInsights on building and maintaining successful open-source projectsThe key benefits of API mocking for developer productivity and experienceThe shift from the traditional testing pyramid to a “testing trophy” approachLeveraging API mocking for API-first design and rapid prototypingThe distinction between API mocking and contract testingThe future of API testing and development in the age of microservices and AIWhether you’re a seasoned developer or just starting out your journey in API development, this episode provides valuable insights into the power of API mocking and the journey of building a successful open-source project.
Timestamps:
(02:11) Career Turning Points(08:08) WireMock OSS Success Story(15:15) Welcoming & Aligning with Contributors(18:05) Benefits of WireMock & API Mocking Tools(19:59) API Mocking & Testing Pyramid(22:05) API Mocking vs Contract Testing(25:25) The Economics of API Mocking(27:27) API First Design(32:32) Impact to the Developer Experience & Productivity(35:32) Working More Effectively with Distributed Systems(38:15) API Virtualization/Simulation(41:13) AI Advancement in API Development(44:25) Building API for AI Agents(47:25) 3 Tech Lead Wisdom_____
Tom Akehurst’s Bio
Tom Akehurst is the creator of WireMock, the open source API mocking tool, which he’s now been working on for well over a decade. Lately he’s also the CTO and co-founder of WireMock, Inc., where he’s helping complex engineering organisations effectively adopt API simulation techniques in order to build better software faster.Tom has been developing software for over 20 years. He’s built large-scale web systems for media, travel, hospitality, retail and government, applying lean, eXtreme Programming, Continuous Delivery and DevOps principles along the way.
Follow Tom:
LinkedIn – linkedin.com/in/tomakehurstEmail – [email protected] – wiremock.org
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Enjoy an exceptional developer experience with JetBrains. Whatever programming language and technology you use, JetBrains IDEs provide the tools you need to go beyond simple code editing and excel as a developer.
Check out FREE coding software options and special offers on jetbrains.com/store/#discounts.
Make it happen. With code.Manning Publications is a premier publisher of technical books on computer and software development topics for both experienced developers and new learners alike. Manning prides itself on being independently owned and operated, and for paving the way for innovative initiatives, such as early access book content and protection-free PDF formats that are now industry standard.
Get a 40% discount for Tech Lead Journal listeners by using the code techlead24 for all products in all formats.
Like this episode?
Show notes & transcript:techleadjournal.dev/episodes/210.
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Discover the secrets to early retirement and financial independence from a tech industry veteran!
In this episode, we dive deep into the inspiring journey of Kristine Howard, who transitioned from a dynamic career in tech to a life of early retirement, reaching financial independence and personal fulfillment along the way.
Key topics discussed:
Learn why tracking your expenses is the key to financial freedomMaster the balanced money formula for budgeting successUncover smart investing strategies, including the power of index funds and diversificationUnderstand how aligning your career with personal values can lead to greater satisfactionLearn the “4% rule” and how it can help determine your retirement readinessGain insights into the emotional journey of transitioning to early retirementHear the unexpected benefits of early retirement, including more time for personal growthDiscover the three keys to staying healthy in retirement: staying active, engaged, and contributingWhether you’re just starting your career or dreaming of early retirement, don’t miss out on these valuable lessons for achieving financial independence and living life on your own terms!
Timestamps:
(02:07) Career Turning Points
(07:01) Getting into Early Retirement
(09:16) Financial Independence vs Early Retirement
(10:13) Can We Reach Financial Independence?
(11:56) The Shares/Equity Lever
(15:43) Working in Startups vs Corporates vs Big Tech
(18:34) The Importance of Financial Tracking
(23:36) Building Automation & Doing Periodic Reviews
(29:17) Focus on the Spending Rather than Income
(30:43) Budgeting
(33:12) Trade CapEx for OpEx
(35:36) Saving & Investing
(38:53) On Diversification
(41:17) The Importance of Emergency Fund
(43:12) How Did it Feel Getting Closer to Retirement?
(48:19) The Feeling of Significant Income Drop
(51:01) Things Anyone Can Do Even Before Retirement
(56:00) 3 Tech Lead Wisdom
_____
Kristine Howard’s Bio
Kristine Howard is an American-Australian residing in Sydney, Australia. Her extensive career features significant roles within technical teams at prominent companies such as Channel 9, Canva, and AWS. She is married to the Snook, and together they share a passion for global travel and culinary exploration. Kristine also expresses her creativity through knitting and sewing, finding joy in crafting handmade items. Notably, she has shared her expertise and insights at over 100 tech meetups, conferences, and events worldwide.Follow Kristine:
LinkedIn – linkedin.com/in/kristinehowardBlog – web-goddess.org
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Enjoy an exceptional developer experience with JetBrains. Whatever programming language and technology you use, JetBrains IDEs provide the tools you need to go beyond simple code editing and excel as a developer.
Check out FREE coding software options and special offers on jetbrains.com/store/#discounts.
Make it happen. With code.Manning Publications is a premier publisher of technical books on computer and software development topics for both experienced developers and new learners alike. Manning prides itself on being independently owned and operated, and for paving the way for innovative initiatives, such as early access book content and protection-free PDF formats that are now industry standard.
Get a 40% discount for Tech Lead Journal listeners by using the code techlead24 for all products in all formats.
Like this episode?
Show notes & transcript:techleadjournal.dev/episodes/209.
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(07:37) Brought to you by Lemon.io
Lemon.io is your go-to platform for hiring top-tier, pre-vetted software engineers from Europe and Latin America. You'll get matched with your developer in just 48 hours.
Tech Lead Journal listeners get 15% off your first 4 weeks of work at lemon.io.
Ever wondered what it takes to climb the tech leadership ladder from engineer to executive?
In this episode, we follow the journey of Norman Noble, CTO of Mindvalley, as he shares his insights and experiences navigating these challenging transitions.
Here’s what you’ll discover:
How to successfully transition from an individual contributor to a manager, and ultimately to an executiveEffective hiring strategies to attract and retain top talentStrategies for building high-performing teams, including creating the right team architectureInsights into Mindvalley’s unique culture and diversity that foster personal growth and transformationThe importance of mindfulness and well-being for effective leadershipTimestamps:
(02:06) Career Turning Points
(09:59) Transitioning From an IC to a Manager
(12:10) Learning From Psychology & Management Books
(15:36) Becoming a Better Manager
(17:32) Building High-Performing Teams
(20:23) Hiring Strategy & Philosophy
(24:06) Engineering Interview Strategy
(28:19) Transitioning From a Manager to an Executive
(32:09) Upskilling Across Domains
(36:03) Mindvalley Culture
(38:41) The Power of Diversity
(40:46) Practising Mindfulness
(43:48) Making Space for Thinking
(45:50) 3 Tech Lead Wisdom
_____
Norman Noble’s Bio
Norman Noble is the CTO of Mindvalley. He is a people-focused technology leader, lean/agile practitioner and systems thinker. He focuses on strategic outcomes that deliver real value to organisations and their customers, whilst building high-performing technology teams that move quickly and get things done.Follow Norman:
LinkedIn – linkedin.com/in/normannoble
_____Our Sponsors
Enjoy an exceptional developer experience with JetBrains. Whatever programming language and technology you use, JetBrains IDEs provide the tools you need to go beyond simple code editing and excel as a developer.
Check out FREE coding software options and special offers on jetbrains.com/store/#discounts.
Make it happen. With code.Manning Publications is a premier publisher of technical books on computer and software development topics for both experienced developers and new learners alike. Manning prides itself on being independently owned and operated, and for paving the way for innovative initiatives, such as early access book content and protection-free PDF formats that are now industry standard.
Get a 40% discount for Tech Lead Journal listeners by using the code techlead24 for all products in all formats.
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Show notes & transcript:techleadjournal.dev/episodes/208.
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(04:44) Brought to you by Lemon.io
Lemon.io is your go-to platform for hiring top-tier, pre-vetted software engineers from Europe and Latin America. You'll get matched with your developer in just 48 hours.
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Want to communicate more effectively and get your work the attention it deserves?
Learn how to harness the power of storytelling in a business setting with Cole Nussbaumer Knaflic, the bestselling author of "Storytelling with Data" and "Storytelling with You"!In this episode, Cole joins me to dive into the art of storytelling and explore how we can use it to communicate data, insights, and our work more effectively.
You'll learn:
- Storytelling in business: Why it's crucial for making your work stand out.
- The "Plan-Create-Deliver" framework: The 3 steps to creating compelling stories.
- Low-tech planning: Why pen and paper beats jumping straight to slides.
- The power of the "Big Idea": Craft one impactful sentence that captures your message.
- Storytelling with data: Present data that is both informative and engaging.
- Crafting a powerful intro: Grab your audience's attention from the start.
- AI for storytelling: How AI can enhance your data analysis and communication.
- Teaching kids about data: Empower the next generation to be critical thinkers and storytellers.Timestamps:
(00:02:17) Career Turning Points
(00:06:22) What is Storytelling?
(00:09:55) Why Become Better Storytellers
(00:12:25) Storytelling in Business Settings
(00:15:51) Plan-Create-Deliver Framework
(00:24:01) Low Tech Planning
(00:28:57) The 3-Minute Story and The Big Idea
(00:33:06) TLDR and BLUF
(00:37:09) Creating Slides
(00:41:43) Storytelling with Data
(00:44:39) Pie Charts
(00:46:42) Data Visualization Tools
(00:49:00) Teaching Kids about Data
(00:55:04) Giving a Powerful Intro
(00:59:13) How AI Can Help in Data & Storytelling
(01:02:02) 3 Tech Lead Wisdom_____
Cole Nussbaumer Knaflic’s Bio
Cole Nussbaumer Knaflic tells stories with data. She is founder and CEO of storytelling with data (SWD) and author of Storytelling With Data: A Data Visualization Guide for Business Professionals and Storytelling with Data: Let’s Practice! SWD’s well-regarded workshops and presentations are highly sought after by data-minded individuals, companies, and philanthropic organizations all over the world. Learn more at storytellingwithdata.com.Follow Cole:
LinkedIn – linkedin.com/in/colenussbaumerWebsite – storytellingwithdata.com📚 Storytelling with Data – https://www.amazon.com/Storytelling-Data-Visualization-Business-Professionals/dp/1119002257📚 Storytelling with You – https://www.amazon.com/Storytelling-You-Deliver-Stellar-Presentation/dp/1394160305📚 Daphne Draws Data – https://www.daphnedrawsdata.com/🎥 Storytelling with Data YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/c/storytellingwithdata
_____Our Sponsors
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Check out FREE coding software options and special offers on jetbrains.com/store/#discounts.
Make it happen. With code.Manning Publications is a premier publisher of technical books on computer and software development topics for both experienced developers and new learners alike. Manning prides itself on being independently owned and operated, and for paving the way for innovative initiatives, such as early access book content and protection-free PDF formats that are now industry standard.
Get a 40% discount for Tech Lead Journal listeners by using the code techlead24 for all products in all formats.
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Show notes & transcript:techleadjournal.dev/episodes/207.
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(06:49) Brought to you by Lemon.io
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Want to learn the key principles and future of DevOps that can help you ship code faster and more reliably?
In this episode, I sit down with Yevgeniy Brikman, co-founder of Gruntwork and author of “Terraform: Up & Running,” to discuss his upcoming book, “The Fundamentals of DevOps and Software Delivery.”
We explore:
- Common pitfalls and anti-patterns in DevOps implementations
- The concept of “minimum effective dose” and "incrementalism" in adopting technologies
- Why application developers should understand infrastructure and software delivery
- The future of DevOps, including “infrastructureless” and the impact of GenAI
- The importance of “secure-by-default” practices in modern software development
- Recent changes in open source licensing and their impact on the tech industry
- The power of continuous learning and sharing knowledge in tech careers
Listen out for:(00:02:15) Career Turning Points
(00:08:32) Deliberate Time for Learning
(00:16:27) Transitioning from App Dev to Infra
(00:24:19) Understanding How to Deliver Software
(00:32:05) Minimum Effective Dose
(00:40:34) DevOps Antipatterns
(00:44:02) Incrementalism
(00:49:37) The Future of DevOps and Software Delivery
(01:10:39) Recent Trend in Open Source License Changes
(01:20:32) 3 Tech Lead Wisdom_____
Yevgeniy Brikman’s Bio
Yevgeniy (Jim) Brikman loves programming, writing, speaking, traveling, and lifting heavy things. He does not love talking about himself in the 3rd person. He is the co-founder of Gruntwork, a company that offers products & services for setting up world-class DevOps Foundations. He’s also the author of three books published by O’Reilly Media: Fundamentals of DevOps and Software Delivery, Terraform: Up & Running, and Hello, Startup. Previously, he spent more than a decade building infrastructure and products that served hundreds of millions of users while working as a software engineer at LinkedIn, TripAdvisor, Cisco Systems, and Thomson Financial.Follow Yevgeniy:
LinkedIn – linkedin.com/in/jbrikman X / Twitter – @brikis98 Website – ybrikman.com 📚 The Fundamentals of DevOps and Software Delivery – https://www.oreilly.com/library/view/fundamentals-of-devops/9781098174583/_____
Our Sponsors
Enjoy an exceptional developer experience with JetBrains. Whatever programming language and technology you use, JetBrains IDEs provide the tools you need to go beyond simple code editing and excel as a developer.
Check out FREE coding software options and special offers on jetbrains.com/store/#discounts.
Make it happen. With code.Manning Publications is a premier publisher of technical books on computer and software development topics for both experienced developers and new learners alike. Manning prides itself on being independently owned and operated, and for paving the way for innovative initiatives, such as early access book content and protection-free PDF formats that are now industry standard.
Get a 40% discount for Tech Lead Journal listeners by using the code techlead24 for all products in all formats.
Like this episode?
Show notes & transcript:techleadjournal.dev/episodes/206.
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(03:55) Brought to you by Lemon.io
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Ever wonder what a credit score for your codebase would look like?
In this episode, Matt Van Itallie, founder of Sema, discusses how his company is revolutionizing the way we assess and understand code quality, including the portion of GenAI usage. Learn about Sema’s innovative approach to technical due diligence and their comprehensive credit score system.
Key topics discussed:
- The concept of “code as data” and how it’s changing codebase evaluation
- Measuring and improving developer productivity in the age of GenAI
- The importance of the Generative AI Bill of Materials (GBOM) in technical due diligence
- Why having 15-30% of your code originating from GenAI could be optimal
- The seven modules Sema uses to evaluate codebases, including GenAI usage, security, and team retention
- The CTO dashboard concept and its potential to transform software engineering metrics
- Why treating code as a craft is crucial for effective communication with non-technical stakeholdersWhether you’re a developer, engineering leader, or investor, this episode offers invaluable insights into the evolving landscape of software evaluation and the growing importance of quantitative metrics in technical due diligence.
Listen out for:
(02:05) Career Turning Points
(05:15) Treating Code as Data and a Craft
(11:09) Comprehensive Codebase Scans
(14:31) How to Explain Codebase Health
(20:31) Measuring & Improving Developer Productivity
(23:33) GenAI for Increasing Developer Effectiveness
(25:59) CTO Dashboard & The 7 Metrics
(29:55) Measuring GenAI Usage
(31:51) Healthy Dose of GenAI Usage
(36:50) Generative AI Bill of Materials (GBOM)™
(39:24) Technical Due Diligence
(45:18) Sema Adoption
(49:48) Integrating with Sema
(52:17) 3 Tech Lead WisdomMatt Van Itallie's Bio
Matt Van Itallie is the Founder and CEO of Sema.Formerly, Matt was an Operating Executive at Vista Equity Partners portfolio companies, Chief Analytics Officer for a $1BN operating organization, and a McKinsey consultant. Matt has a JD from Harvard Law School.
Sema is the leading provider of comprehensive codebase scans that assess the risks of software and tech-enabled businesses. They have analyzed over $1.6T of software enterprise value.
Sema is a leading expert on managing GenAI risks, with presentations to leading investors and operators across sectors. They are the inventors of the Generative AI Bill of Materials (GBOM).
Follow Matt:
* LinkedIn – linkedin.com/in/mvi
* Sema – semasoftware.com
* Comprehensive Codebase Scans – semasoftware.com/comprehensive-codebase-scans_____
Our Sponsors
Enjoy an exceptional developer experience with JetBrains. Whatever programming language and technology you use, JetBrains IDEs provide the tools you need to go beyond simple code editing and excel as a developer.
Check out FREE coding software options and special offers on jetbrains.com/store/#discounts.
Make it happen. With code.Manning Publications is a premier publisher of technical books on computer and software development topics for both experienced developers and new learners alike. Manning prides itself on being independently owned and operated, and for paving the way for innovative initiatives, such as early access book content and protection-free PDF formats that are now industry standard.
Get a 40% discount for Tech Lead Journal listeners by using the code techlead24 for all products in all formats.
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Show notes & transcript:techleadjournal.dev/episodes/205.
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Are you tired of cargo cult engineering leadership?
In this episode, David Guttman, author of “The Superstruct Manifesto”, shares his intriguing manifesto on building and leading high-performing engineering teams. We explore:
- Why daily standups are overrated and what to do instead
- How to avoid the trap of the "10x engineer" myth
- Why computer science riddles don't belong in your interviews
- The importance of estimates (hint: it's not about the accuracy!)
- How to treat your developers like adultsIf you are an engineering leader or founder looking to build a high-performing engineering team, this episode is for you!
Listen out for:
(03:06) Career Turning Points
(07:10) The Meaning Behind Superstruct
(07:44) The Superstruct Manifesto
(09:30) "We Will Not Inflict Daily Standups on Our Devs"
(16:05) Alternatives to Daily Standups
(18:26) Status Report & Accountability
(25:48) "We Will Not Recruit 10x Developers"
(33:19) "We Will Not Test Devs with Computer Science Riddles"
(38:04) Interview Best Practices
(43:12) "We Will Not Let Devs Start without an Estimate"
(51:11) Improving Our Estimates
(53:55) Estimate vs Fixed Deadline
(56:21) 3 Tech Lead WisdomDavid Guttman's Bio
David Guttman is a developer and consultant obsessed with building repeatable systems for recruiting, onboarding, and managing remote software engineers. Over the course of his 20+ years in software development, David has led engineering teams to ship massive and innovative projects, including the content platform that powers Disney.com and StarWars.com (along with over 170 other sites, across dozens of languages and regions); video ad servers that handle over 10 billion requests per day; and an LMS that TIME magazine listed as one of the Best Inventions of the Year 2020. David is also a leader in the tech community.As the organizer of the monthly event series js.la, the host of the Junior to Senior podcast, and a champion in the Node.js mentorship initiative, he has helped thousands of developers level up. David is the author of two popular JavaScript books, has over 90 open-source packages on npm, and has given talks at tech events and conferences like JSConf and JSFest.
Follow David:
- LinkedIn – linkedin.com/in/david-guttman- Website – david.app
- Superstruct – https://superstruct.tech/
- 📚 Superstruct Manifesto – treatdevslikeadults.com
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