Tech Lead Journal

“Coupling is an inherent part of system design, not something that is necessarily good or evil. How we design coupling can take our system either towards complexity or towards modularity." Vladik Khononov returns to the podcast to discuss his latest book “Balancing Coupling in Software Design”. In this episode, Vlad revisits the essence of coupling, a term often not fully understood, and explores its implications on software complexity and modularity. Vlad introduces the concept of shared lifecycle and shared knowledge, revealing the hidden dependencies that can undermine even the most well-intentioned designs. He also explains complexity through the lens of the Cynefin framework and delves into the differences between essential and accidental complexity. One of the episode’s highlights is Vlad’s unique framework for evaluating coupling. He introduces the three dimensions of integration strength, distance, and volatility, providing a practical model for assessing and balancing coupling in software design. He also challenges traditional definitions of modularity, emphasizing the importance of knowledge boundaries. Whether you’re a seasoned tech lead or an aspiring software engineer, this episode offers invaluable insights into building maintainable and modular software systems. It will leave you with a deeper appreciation for the delicate balance between coupling and complexity.   Listen out for: Writing about Coupling - [00:03:28] Coupling - [00:06:09] Shared Lifecycle & Knowledge - [00:08:17] Cynefin - [00:12:28] Essential vs Accidental Complexity - [00:19:00] Modularity - [00:22:45] Abstraction & Knowledge Boundary - [00:29:04] 3 Dimensions of Coupling - [00:36:25] Balancing Coupling - [00:58:11] 3 Tech Lead Wisdom - [01:02:30] _____ Vladik Khononov’s BioVlad Khononov is a software engineer with extensive industry experience, working for companies large and small in roles ranging from webmaster to chief architect. His core areas of expertise are distributed systems and software design. Vlad consults with companies to make sense of their business domains, untangle monoliths, and tackle complex architectural challenges. Vlad maintains an active media career as a public speaker and author. Prior to Balancing Coupling in Software Design, he authored the best-selling O’Reilly book Learning Domain-Driven Design. He is a sought-after keynote speaker, presenting on topics such as domain-driven design, microservices, and software architecture in general. Follow Vladik: LinkedIn – linkedin.com/in/vladikk Twitter / X – @vladikk 📚 Balancing Coupling in Software Design – https://www.amazon.com/Balancing-Coupling-Software-Design-Addison-Wesley-ebook/dp/B09RV3Z3TP _____ 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/188.Follow @techleadjournal on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram.Buy me a coffee or become a patron.

“Just because the network is unreliable doesn’t mean a monolith is reliable either. It’s a fallacy to assume that you can build an error free system. You deal with it by accepting that the system overall has a baseline error rate, and that’s a business requirements issue." Richard Rodger is the author of “The Tao of Microservices”. In this episode, Richard shares a unique philosophical and practical approach to microservices, focusing on core concepts such as messages first, component-based, pattern matching, and transport independence. Our discussion also covers the choice between monoliths and microservices, discussing the challenges of network unreliability and data consistency.   Listen out for: Career Journey - [00:01:55] The Tao of Microservices - [00:10:12] 3 Core Technical Principles - [00:18:22] Messages First - [00:27:55] Pattern Matching - [00:35:55] Monolith vs Microservices - [00:41:18] Network Fallacy - [00:45:17] Handling Data Consistency - [00:49:30] 2 Tech Lead Wisdom - [00:55:47] _____ Richard Rodger’s BioRichard Rodger is the author of The Tao of Microservices, a book from Manning focused on the design and management of microservice architectures. His first book Mobile Application Development in the Cloud (Wiley, 2010) is one of the first major works on the intersection of Node.js, Cloud, and Mobile. Richard Rodger is the founder and CEO of voxgig.com, a professional network and tool suite for speakers and event organizers. Richard was previously a co-founder and COO of nearForm.com, the world’s largest specialist Node.js consultancy delivering next-generation enterprise software, with a focus on Node.js and microservices. Before that, Richard was the CTO of FeedHenry, a mobile application platform provider that was acquired by RedHat in 2014. Richard holds degrees in Mathematics, Philosophy, and Computer Science. Follow Richard: LinkedIn – linkedin.com/in/richardrodger Twitter – @rjrodger Mastodon – @rjrodger@fosstodon.org Blog – richardrodger.com 📚 The Tao of Microservices – https://www.manning.com/books/the-tao-of-microservices _____ 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/187.Follow @techleadjournal on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram.Buy me a coffee or become a patron.

“Where the CTOs usually struggle is holding people accountable. The other things are leadership, strategy, vision, and being an executive. Most of the CTOs are swamped with work from their day-to-day job." Stephan Schmidt is a CTO coach and the author of “Amazing CTO”. In this episode, we delve into the multifaceted world of the CTO role and discuss what it takes to become a great CTO. Stephan highlights the common struggles CTOs face and offers practical advice from his book on the different important aspects of the role, such as setting a clear vision and strategy, delegating effectively, having effective one-on-ones, and fostering a culture of ownership and growth. We also touch on the personal side of the role, discussing the importance of self-management, maintaining a healthy work-life balance, handling failures, and overcoming imposter syndrome. Whether you’re already a CTO or have aspirations for tech leadership, this episode shares practical insights for effectively managing technology teams and driving innovation.   Listen out for: Career Journey - [00:01:46] The Role of a CTO - [00:03:57] The Missing Manual - [00:06:54] 140 Bite-Sized Rules - [00:09:22] CTO Struggles - [00:10:52] Stephan’s Failure Stories - [00:14:43] Strategy is for People - [00:18:05] Set People Up for Success, Not Failure - [00:19:59] One-on-One & Automatic Management - [00:22:59] Delegate Everything - [00:27:29] How to Delegate Better - [00:30:02] Think in 10X - [00:33:17] Radical Simplicity - [00:36:15] Managing Yourself - [00:40:56] Impostor Syndrome and Handling Failures - [00:44:07] The Future of a CTO - [00:47:07] 2 Tech Lead Wisdom - [00:49:46] _____ Stephan Schmidt’s BioStephan Schmidt launched his tech career as a self-taught coder, mastering the art of programming as a kid in a department store back in 1981 with ambitions of creating video games. His passion for technology led him to university, where he delved into computer science, specializing in distributed systems and artificial intelligence, while also exploring the realms of philosophy. With the dawn of the internet era in Germany during the 1990s, Stephan became a pioneering coder and engineering manager for several startups. His journey in the tech world expanded as he founded a venture capital-funded startup and tackled architecture, processes, and growth challenges in various fast-growing VC-backed companies. His roles have included engineering manager at ImmoScout24 and CTO of an eBay Inc. subsidiary. Following the successful sale of his wife’s startup, the couple relocated to the seaside, where Stephan embraced his role as a CTO coach, guiding technology leaders through the intricacies of their evolving roles. Follow Stephan: LinkedIn – linkedin.com/in/stephanjschmidt Amazing CTO – amazingcto.com 📚 Amazing CTO – ctobook.dev _____ 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/186.Follow @techleadjournal on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram.Buy me a coffee or become a patron.

“The three change dimensions of the product operating model are changing how you build, changing how you solve problems, and changing how you decide which problems to solve." Chris Jones, Partner at Silicon Valley Product Group (SVPG) and co-author of “TRANSFORMED: Moving to the Product Operating Model,” joins me to discuss how organizations can transform and innovate like top tech companies. Chris introduces the Product Operating Model (POM), a set of principles for building products that prioritize outcomes over outputs. He contrasts POM with traditional IT and project models, emphasizing the importance of empowering cross-functional teams, fostering trust, and aligning stakeholders around a unified product strategy. Chris also delves into the three dimensions of POM, highlighting the need for changing how we build, how we solve problems, and how we prioritize problems to solve. Additionally, he explores the crucial role of the CEO, the product leaders, and the product team’s key competencies in driving successful transformations to POM.   Listen out for: Career Journey - [00:01:56] Moving Into Product Management - [00:05:40] Key Theme of “Transformed” - [00:07:13] Product Operating Model (POM) - [00:10:39] Model, Not a Framework - [00:15:52] The Driver’s Seat in POM - [00:19:28] Changing How You Build - [00:23:00] Importance of Instrumentation & Monitoring - [00:26:37] Changing How You Solve Problems - [00:28:27] Product Discovery & Experimentation - [00:32:03] Empowerment & Trust - [00:36:10] Changing How You Decide What Problems to Solve - [00:39:21] Unified Product Vision & Strategy - [00:42:56] The Role of the CEO & Product Leaders - [00:44:45] Product Model Competencies - [00:48:36] 3 Tech Lead Wisdom - [00:53:05] _____ Chris Jones’s BioChris has spent over 30 years building and leading product teams that defined new product categories at startups to F500 software companies including Lookout, Symantec, and Vontu. A holder of multiple patents, he has discovered and developed new products in consumer and enterprise mobile, web, data, and platform services. Chris has worked directly with over 200 companies ranging from startups to very large enterprise across a wide variety of technologies, business models and industries. Chris has worked directly with leadership and operational teams at these companies to better align their organization, process, tools, and culture with modern product best practices. Follow Chris: LinkedIn – linkedin.com/in/chrisjonessvpg Silicon Valley Product Group – svpg.com SVPG Product Masterclass – eventbrite.com/e/svpg-product-masterclass-asiapac-timing-tickets-874015693467 _____ 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/185.Follow @techleadjournal on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram.Buy me a coffee or become a patron.

“Contract testing is a form of testing where you are verifying two systems have the same shared understanding about the expectations." Lewis Prescott is the coauthor of “Contract Testing in Action”. In this episode, join us to demystify contract testing and its critical role in modern software development. Discover how contract testing ensures reliable software integration, particularly in complex microservice architectures. Lewis explains the core concepts, the difference between consumer-driven and provider-driven approaches, and how contract testing fits into your testing strategy and CI/CD pipeline. We also touch on the practicalities of implementing contract testing, including tool options like Pact, and how it can also be applied in event-driven architectures. Whether you’re a seasoned developer or just starting, this episode offers valuable insights to help you level up your software development approach.   Listen out for: Career Journey - [00:01:56] Problems Contract Testing is Solving - [00:04:57] Contract Testing Use Cases - [00:07:20] Contract Testing Components - [00:09:52] Shared Understanding of the Expectations - [00:11:42] Benefits of Contract Testing - [00:15:02] Contract Testing in Testing Pyramid - [00:18:29] Contract vs Unit vs Integration Tests - [00:19:37] Contract Testing for Public APIs - [00:21:28] Types of Contract Testing - [00:22:46] CI/CD Workflow with Contract Testing - [00:25:33] Provider Workflow - [00:31:55] Getting the Buy-In - [00:33:31] Owning the Broker - [00:36:00] Pact & Other Tooling - [00:37:19] Versioning Contracts - [00:39:34] Consumer-Driven Contract Testing - [00:42:15] Contract Testing for Event-Driven Architecture - [00:46:53] 3 Tech Lead Wisdom - [00:49:40] _____ Lewis Prescott’s BioLewis Prescott is a Test Specialist at IBM. He has 9 years experience in software testing, is a recognized champion of Contract Testing and course author at Test Automation University, as well as an active mentor in the testing community. Follow Lewis: LinkedIn – linkedin.com/in/lewis-prescott-12409a44/ Website – pactman.co.uk 📚 Contract Testing in Action – manning.com/books/contract-testing-in-action Book’s forum – livebook.manning.com/forum?product=cruz2 _____ 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/184.Follow @techleadjournal on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram.Buy me a coffee or become a patron.

“Strong teams embrace conflict. They use it as a tool, and they have their great way of handling disagreements." Hari Haralambiev is co-founder of SoftSkillsPills.com and author of the leadership newsletter “A Leader’s Tale”. In this episode, we discuss essential elements of team leadership and dynamics. Hari begins by sharing his insights on what makes a great software development team, emphasizing the importance of creating the right environment for collaboration and sustainable results. He introduces the TReE team model, a framework for assessing team dynamics, which stands for Trust, Results, and Evolution. Our conversation also explores the significance of handling conflicts and disagreements within teams, highlighting the role of leaders in fostering healthy conflict resolution. Hari provides strategies for maintaining team engagement during challenging times, such as layoffs and the pandemic, emphasizing the importance of open communication, focusing on controllable objectives, and the importance of authenticity and vulnerability in leadership.   Listen out for: Career Journey - [00:02:09] What Makes Software Development Team Great - [00:06:14] TReE Team Model - [00:08:40] Team Conflicts and Disagreements - [00:15:28] The Role of Leaders in Conflicts - [00:25:39] Making It Safe to Speak Up - [00:35:16] Maintaining Engagement During Tough Times - [00:43:49] Maintaining Mental Health for Leaders - [00:51:57] 3 Tech Lead Wisdom - [00:55:07] Fun Fact About Soft Skills Pills - [00:59:41] _____ Hari Haralambiev’s BioHari started his 20-year career in the IT industry as a software engineer, led dozens of projects as a manager of software teams, and reached the position of Innovation Director before starting his own company. For the past 10 years, he has focused on helping tech people work better together through team coaching and leadership & soft skills training. Hari is co-founder of SoftSkillsPills.com, the platform for dev teams who care about people, co-host of the popular Bulgarian podcast for IT people Radio Tochka 2, and author of the leadership newsletter/comic A Leader’s Tale. Follow Hari: LinkedIn – linkedin.com/in/haralambi-haralambiev Soft Skills Pills – softskillspills.com Newsletter – softskillspills.com/aleaderstale _____ 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/183.Follow @techleadjournal on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram.Buy me a coffee or become a patron.

“We have 10 different aspects of quality, and testing is just a subset of activities in the overall quality culture. You need to have a good testing practice, but it’s just a tiny part of quality culture." Janet Gregory and Selena Delesie are the co-authors of “Assessing Agile Quality Practices Using QPAM”. In this episode, we discuss how to elevate and improve our organization’s quality culture and practices. Janet and Selena begin by explaining what quality culture truly entails, distinguishing it from a narrow focus on testing. They describe the QPAM model, breaking down its 10 quality aspects and 4 dimensions to provide you with a comprehensive model for assessing your quality practices. Gain insights on why social and sociotechnical aspects of quality are more critical than technical ones, and explore some quality aspects such as feedback loops, development approach, and defect management. Janet and Selena also elaborate on why they consider defect management to be of the lowest priority and provide reasoning for their decision. Whether you’re a seasoned quality professional or a team leader striving for continuous improvement, this episode contains valuable takeaways to help you build a quality-driven culture that delivers high-quality results. Tune in to learn actionable tips for conducting your own quality assessment and driving quality transformation in your organization.   Listen out for: Career Journey - [00:02:10] Quality Culture - [00:04:58] Quality & Testing - [00:06:42] Quality Assessment - [00:08:37] 10 Quality Aspects - [00:11:00] The Importance of Sociotechnical - [00:13:30] QPAM is Not a Maturity Model - [00:16:11] 4 Dimensions - [00:19:52] Feedback Loops - [00:23:09] Explaining Feedback Loops - [00:25:45] Development Approach - [00:30:18] Defect Management - [00:33:03] Understanding the Problem - [00:37:19] Conducting a Quality Assessment - [00:40:26] Insights from Past Assessments - [00:44:49] 3 Tech Lead Wisdom - [00:49:04] _____ Janet Gregory’s BioJanet Gregory is a testing and process consultant with DragonFire Inc. She specializes in showing agile teams how testing activities are necessary to develop good quality products. She works with teams to transition to agile development and has taught agile testing courses worldwide. She contributes articles to publications and enjoys sharing her experiences. Selena Delesie’s BioAs a coach, consultant, and trainer, Selena helps leaders and executives shift into healthy leadership, business agility and to engage the strengths and passions of their team to produce a highly creative, productive and vibrant workforce. She is a published author and invited speaker on agility, quality and leadership practices. Selena is co-author, with Janet Gregory, of the books Assessing Agile Quality Practices with QPAM, and A Guide for Facilitating Quality Assessments, as well as a contributing author to other published works. Follow Janet and Selena: Janet’s Twitter / X - @janetgregoryca Janet’s LinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/janetgregory Janet’s Website - janetgregory.ca Agile Tester - agiletester.ca Selena’s LinkedIn – linkedin.com/in/selenadelesie  Quality Assessments using QPAM bundle – https://leanpub.com/b/qualityassessmentsusingqpam _____ 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/182.Follow @techleadjournal on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram.Buy me a coffee or become a patron.

“Engineers make this mistake of thinking that if they just do the work, they’re going to be rewarded. But it’s just not how it happens. Be heads down, add the value, do great work, but don’t forget to make the noise." Louie Bacaj is a software engineer and engineering leader who turned entrepreneur. In this episode, Louie shares his unique career journey and valuable insights for aspiring tech professionals and aspiring entrepreneurs. Louie reveals the secrets behind his rapid career progression, sharing the key differences between working in a big corporate versus a nimble startup, and the challenges and rewards of wearing multiple hats. He offers practical advice on self-upskilling, embracing more senior management roles, and excelling at people management. He also shares timeless career advice for engineers at all stages of their journey. Louie then opens up about his entrepreneurial journey, emphasizing the importance of taking small bets and learning from the small wins, and embracing freedom and independence by building your own business. Plus, discover why strong writing skills are a secret weapon for success at any stage of your career. This episode is packed with actionable tips and inspiration for anyone navigating the tech industry – whether you’re a seasoned engineer or an aspiring entrepreneur.   Listen out for: Career Journey - [00:02:14] Big Corporate vs. Startup - [00:03:36] Wearing Multiple Hats - [00:06:02] Self-Upskilling Rapidly - [00:08:18] Louie’s Rapid Career Progression - [00:10:56] Getting Comfortable with More Senior Roles - [00:16:00] Tips on People Management - [00:21:55] Timeless Career Advice for Engineers - [00:25:41] Going Into Entrepreneurship - [00:31:24] Sense of Freedom & Independence - [00:38:59] Small Bets - [00:45:10] Learning from Small Wins - [00:49:12] The Importance of Writing Skills - [00:54:24] 3 Tech Lead Wisdom - [00:59:18] _____ Louie Bacaj’s BioLouie Bacaj is a Software Engineer and Engineering Leader who turned Entrepreneur. Over the last decade, he has helped build multiple engineering teams and systems that scaled to millions of users. But he decided to leave that career behind for entrepreneurship. Since quitting, he has realized that building an audience is an asset to entrepreneurship. It’s a great way to help people and to have them help him. But as an awkward engineer, he had no idea where to start. So he started writing and Tweeting his story. And everything he has learned so far. Since starting this entrepreneurial journey in September 2021, he has built multiple SaaS apps with his brother. He created two courses that have sold over 1500 times. And he has grown a sizeable audience. Follow Louie: Twitter / X – @LBacaj LinkedIn – linkedin.com/in/louiebacaj Website – louiebacaj.com Small Bets – smallbets.com _____ 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/181.Follow @techleadjournal on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram.Buy me a coffee or become a patron.

“Learn the difference between activities and impact. Sometimes we spend our career trying to get really great at activities. Always ask yourself, what is the impact of the work I’m doing?” From Google Distinguished Engineer to early retirement, Kelsey Hightower has a career journey filled with lessons for tech professionals at every stage. In this episode, Kelsey reflects on his journey, revealing why he decided to retire early, and offering valuable insights and lessons learned. Discover the importance of an entrepreneurial mindset, differentiating between activity and impact, and building a strong personal brand. Kelsey reveals his top strategies for becoming a confident public speaker and shares his thoughts on staying engaged and planning your career path. Plus, we touch on the impact of AI on software developers’ careers. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn from one of the industry’s most respected figures and gain a unique perspective on achieving career success and fulfillment.   Listen out for: Career Journey - [00:01:35] Entrepreneurial Mindset - [00:04:15] Taking Risks in Our Role - [00:07:50] Activity vs Impact - [00:11:45] Thinking in Bigger Impact - [00:16:04] Impact of AI - [00:24:52] Getting Good at Public Speaking - [00:31:23] Building a Personal Brand - [00:38:05] Retiring Early - [00:44:04] Getting Engaged in Our Career - [00:50:49] Tech Lead Wisdom - [00:57:48] _____ Kelsey Hightower’s BioKelsey has worn every hat possible throughout his career in tech and enjoys leadership roles focused on making things happen and shipping software. Prior to his retirement, he was a Distinguished Engineer at Google, where he worked on Google Cloud Platform. He is a strong open source advocate with a focus on building great software as well as great communities around them. He is also an accomplished author and keynote speaker with a knack for demystifying complex topics, doing live demos and enabling others to succeed. When he is not writing code, you can catch him giving technical workshops covering everything from programming to system administration. Follow Kelsey: Twitter / X – @kelseyhightower LinkedIn – linkedin.com/in/kelsey-hightower-849b342b1 Email – kelsey.hightower@gmail.com _____ 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/180. Follow @techleadjournal on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram. Buy me a coffee or become a patron.

“As a startup, as a scaleup, you often get one chance. If the first impression is something that’s slow, doesn’t work, is down entirely, people will move on and go find some other way to solve that problem." Tim Cochran and Kennedy Collins are the co-authors of the “Bottlenecks of Scaleups” series published on Martin Fowler’s website. In this episode, we explore several key challenges faced by scaleups, such as product-engineering friction, service disruptions, accumulation of tech debt, and onboarding. Tim and Kennedy share their experiences and provide actionable advice on fostering collaboration, creating unified roadmaps, ensuring system reliability, and managing technical debt. They also emphasize the importance of efficient onboarding and developer experience in navigating the complexities of scaling up a startup.   Listen out for: Career Journey - [00:02:02] Definition of a Scaleup - [00:05:29] Bottleneck #1: Friction Between Product and Engineering - [00:08:24] Healthy Product-Engineering Tension - [00:13:36] Unified Product-Engineering Roadmap - [00:18:54] Bottleneck #2: Service Disruptions - [00:22:16] Cross Functional Attributes - [00:27:09] Bottleneck #3: Accumulation of Tech Debt - [00:32:39] Systems Ownership - [00:38:37] Bottleneck #4: Onboarding - [00:41:01] 3 Tech Lead Wisdom - [00:46:35] _____ Tim Cochran’s BioTim Cochran is a Principal in Amazon’s Software Builder Experience (ASBX) group. He was previously a Technical Director at Thoughtworks. Tim has over 20 years of experience working with both scaleups and enterprises. He advises on technology strategy and making the right technology investments to enable digital transformation goals. He is a vocal advocate for the developer experience and passionate about using data-driven approaches to improve it. Kennedy Collins' BioAt Thoughtworks, he leads product and design for the Central Market of North America. A product manager by trade and a designer by training, he’s most interested in creating (and helping others create) useful and valuable things — be it software or organizational structures. He’s also a bit of a nerd about strategy, human behavior, health and fitness, productivity, writing, coffee, cocktails, board games, and the history of product management. Follow Tim: LinkedIn – linkedin.com/in/timcochran Follow Kennedy: LinkedIn – linkedin.com/in/kennedycollins Twitter / X – @kennedycollins _____ 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/179. Follow @techleadjournal on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram. Buy me a coffee or become a patron.

“99% of us aren’t working in big tech. There’s this impression that everybody works in big tech. There’s a huge world of software development out there that almost gets forgotten about in social media." John Crickett is the creator of “Coding Challenges” and a seasoned software engineer with over 30 years of experience. In this episode, John shares his diverse career path, including transitioning between individual contributor roles and management, founding his own business, and his passion for coding challenges. John explains the benefits of building real-world applications over algorithm-based ones, emphasizing the importance of learning by doing. John also shares practical tips on time management for continuous learning and debunks the myth that most software engineers work in big tech. We also explore the role of personal branding in today’s competitive job market. John provides tips on building a personal brand and leveraging social media to stay ahead in your tech career. Finally, John shares his perspective on the impact of AI on software engineering and how we can leverage AI in our day-to-day tasks. Whether you’re an aspiring developer or a seasoned professional, this episode provides practical advice and inspiration to help you level up in your tech career.   Listen out for: Career Journey - [00:01:51] John’s Multiple Roles Transition - [00:03:51] IC-Management Transition - [00:06:44] Importance of a Vision - [00:09:39] Lifestyle Business - [00:11:55] Coding Challenges - [00:13:30] Building Real-World Projects - [00:16:37] CodingChallenges.fyi - [00:18:39] Learning the Non-Functional Aspects - [00:21:17] Allocating Time to Learn - [00:24:04] Working for Non-Big Tech Companies - [00:27:15] Relevant Skills for Non-Big Tech - [00:30:39] AI Impact on Software Engineering Role - [00:34:44] AI for Coding Challenges - [00:38:21] Building Personal Brand - [00:39:54] How to Build Personal Brand - [00:44:28] 3 Tech Lead Wisdom - [00:49:25] _____ John Crickett’s BioJohn Crickett is a software engineer and sometimes a manager of software engineers. He has worked as both a senior individual contributor (Staff+) and a senior manager (VP Engineering, Head of Software Development). John writes about software engineering daily on LinkedIn and Twitter. He’s the founder of the popular “Coding Challenges” newsletter. Each week, John offers practical coding challenges to help software engineers enhance their skills through building real-world applications. Follow John: LinkedIn – linkedin.com/in/johncrickett/ Twitter/X – x.com/johncrickett Coding Challenges – codingchallenges.fyi Developing Skills – developingskills.substack.com _____ 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/178. Follow @techleadjournal on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram. Buy me a coffee or become a patron.

“Every software gets more complex over time. What we need to do as engineers is to find ways so that we can work with increasing complexity, but not increasing the cost of maintaining the software." Mauricio Aniche returns to the podcast for the second time and discuss with me his latest book, “Simple Object-Oriented Design”. Our discussion explores the intricacies of software design and shares practical strategies to manage software complexity through effective object-oriented design. Mauricio delves into the six key principles of a simple object-oriented design: making code small, keeping objects consistent, managing dependencies, designing good abstractions, handling external dependencies, and achieving modularisation. This episode is a must-listen for anyone seeking to deepen their understanding of object-oriented design and maintaining simplicity in their codebase!   Listen out for: Simple Object-Oriented Design Book - [00:03:19] No Perfect Code Design - [00:04:51] Managing Complexity - [00:06:37] Object-Oriented Design - [00:08:24] Design as an Everyday Activity - [00:09:43] Effective Iterative Design - [00:12:31] Refactoring - [00:14:31] 6 Principles of a Simple Object-Oriented Design - [00:16:40] Principle #1: Making Code Small - [00:21:06] Arguments Against Smaller Units - [00:23:18] Principle #2: Keeping Objects Consistent - [00:26:25] Don’t Fight Your Framework - [00:30:03] Principle #3: Managing Dependencies - [00:32:05] Separate High-Level (What) and Low-Level Code (How) - [00:33:34] Principle #4: Designing Good Abstractions - [00:36:31] Finding the Balance in Abstraction - [00:38:39] Principle #5: Handling External Dependencies and Infrastructure - [00:41:05] Principle #6: Achieving Modularisation - [00:45:12] Owing to Junior Developers - [00:49:18] 3 Tech Lead Wisdom - [00:50:32] _____ Mauricio Aniche’s BioDr. Maurício Aniche’s life mission is to help software engineers to become better and more productive. Maurício is a Tech Lead at Adyen, where he heads the Tech Academy team and leads different engineering enablement initiatives. He is the author of the “Effective Software Testing: A Developer’s Guide” and “Simple Object-Oriented Design” published by Manning. Maurício previously held a position as an assistant professor of software engineering at Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands, where his teaching efforts in software testing gave him the Computer Science Teacher of the Year 2021 award and the TU Delft Education Fellowship, a prestigious fellowship given to innovative lecturers. Follow Mauricio: Website – mauricioaniche.com LinkedIn – linkedin.com/in/mauricioaniche Twitter / X – @mauricioaniche Simple Object-Oriented Design – https://www.manning.com/books/simple-object-oriented-design _____ 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 45% discount for Tech Lead Journal listeners by using the code techlead45 for all products in all formats. Like this episode? Show notes & transcript: techleadjournal.dev/episodes/177. Follow @techleadjournal on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram. Buy me a coffee or become a patron.

“Always remember that system design interview is not about perfection. It is about trade-offs and being able to communicate them clearly and concisely." Zhiyong Tan is the author of “Acing the System Design Interview”. In this episode, he joins me in demystifying the system design interview process. He shares insights into what to expect, how to tackle common challenges like time management, anxiety, and knowledge gaps, and reveals the core principles that guide successful system design interview. Zhiyong dives deep into common pitfalls, offering advice on handling tricky topics like requirements gathering, data consistency, scaling problems, and service design. He also provides practical tips on how to learn and grow from system design interview failures, turning setbacks into stepping stones towards success. Whether you’re a seasoned engineer or just starting your tech career, this episode offers valuable insights and actionable advice to help you ace your next system design interview.   Listen out for: Career Journey - [00:01:43] System Design Interview - [00:05:03] Trade-offs - [00:07:36] Managing the Time - [00:09:51] Handling What You Don’t Know - [00:13:27] Managing Anxiety - [00:15:40] System Design Interview Principles - [00:18:32] Non-Functional Requirements - [00:21:22] Data Consistency - [00:25:11] Database Scaling Problem - [00:28:41] Distributed Transactions - [00:33:09] Functional Requirements & API Design - [00:36:31] Failing System Design Interview - [00:38:38] 3 Tech Lead Wisdom - [00:42:02] _____ Zhiyong Tan’s BioZhiyong Tan is the author of Acing the System Design Interview. He is the founder of Tingxie, an app for learning Chinese as a second language. Previously, he was an Engineering Manager and Staff Engineer at PayPal, a senior software engineer at Uber, and a software and data engineer at various startups. Follow Zhiyong: LinkedIn – linkedin.com/in/zytan Acing System Design Interview – https://www.manning.com/books/acing-the-system-design-interview Tingxie (iOS) – https://apps.apple.com/us/app/%E5%90%AC%E5%86%99-chinese-spelling-dictation/id6462944919 Tingxie (Android) – https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.zhiyong.tingxie Jointgoals.com – https://www.jointgoals.com/ Manning forum – https://livebook.manning.com/forum _____ 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 45% discount for Tech Lead Journal listeners by using the code techlead45 for all products in all formats. Like this episode? Show notes & transcript: techleadjournal.dev/episodes/176. Follow @techleadjournal on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram. Buy me a coffee or become a patron.

“All data scientists and analysts should spend more time in the business, outside the data sets, just to see how the actual business works. Because then you have the context, and then you understand the columns you’re seeing in the data." David Asboth, author of “Solve Any Data Analysis Problem” and co-host of the “Half Stack Data Science” podcast, shares practical tips for solving real-world data analysis challenges. He highlights the gap between academic training and industry demands, emphasizing the importance of understanding the business problem and maintaining a results-driven approach. David offers practical insights on data dictionary, data modeling, data cleaning, data lake, and prediction analysis. We also explore AI’s impact on data analysis and the importance of critical thinking when leveraging AI solutions. Tune in to level up your skills and become an indispensable, results-driven data analyst.   Listen out for: Career Journey - [00:01:38] Half Stack Data Science Podcast - [00:06:33] Real-World Data Analysis Gaps - [00:10:46] Understanding the Business/Problem - [00:15:36] Result-Driven Data Analysis - [00:18:28] Feedback Iteration - [00:21:44] Data Dictionary - [00:23:48] Data Modeling - [00:27:18] Data Cleaning - [00:30:43] Data Lake - [00:35:05] Common Data Analysis Tasks - [00:36:50] Prediction Analysis - [00:40:23] The Impact of AI on Data Analysis - [00:43:15] Importance of Critical Thinking - [00:47:05] Common Tasks Solved by AI - [00:50:07] 3 Tech Lead Wisdom - [00:53:10] _____ David Asboth’s BioDavid is a “data generalist”; currently a freelance data consultant and educator with an MSc. in Data Science and a background in software and web development. With over 6 years experience teaching, he has taught everyone from junior analysts up to C-level executives in industries like banking and management consulting about how to successfully apply data science, machine learning, and AI to their day-to-day roles. He co-hosts the Half Stack Data Science podcast about data science in the real world and is the author of Solve Any Data Analysis Problem, a book about the data skills that aspiring analysts actually need in their jobs, which will be published by Manning in 2024. Follow David: LinkedIn – linkedin.com/in/david-asboth-9256772 Website – davidasboth.com Podcast – halfstackdatascience.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 45% discount for Tech Lead Journal listeners by using the code techlead45 for all products in all formats. Like this episode? Show notes & transcript: techleadjournal.dev/episodes/175. Follow @techleadjournal on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram. Buy me a coffee or become a patron.

“Raise the bar of the team so that they bring sustainable practices. If your code stinks, no matter how you desire to be agile, you cannot respond to the change." Dr. Venkat Subramaniam is a renowned figure in the software development community, an award-winning author and founder of Agile Developer, Inc. In this episode, Venkat sheds light on the frequently overlooked challenges of software development and provides valuable insights for succeeding in the field. We delve into the misalignment between understanding and practising agile development, the quality gaps that exist between software developers in the industry, the essential technical practices that often get neglected, and the critical role of software architects and technical leaders in steering successful software projects and teams. If you’re ready for some hard-hitting truths and actionable advice to elevate your software development game, this episode is a must-listen.   Listen out for: Career Journey - [00:01:51] State of Agile Development - [00:03:36] Agile Development Misalignment - [00:07:04] The Developers' Gap - [00:15:55] Important Technical Practices - [00:26:37] The Role of an Architect - [00:36:04] The Role of Technical Leaders - [00:44:04] 3 Tech Lead Wisdom - [00:51:19] _____ Venkat Subramaniam’s BioDr. Venkat Subramaniam is an award-winning author, founder of Agile Developer, Inc., an instructional professor at the University of Houston, and the creator of the dev2next conference. He has trained and mentored thousands of software developers in the US, Canada, Europe, and Asia, and is a regularly-invited speaker at several international conferences. Venkat helps his clients effectively apply and succeed with sustainable agile practices on their software projects. Venkat is a (co)author of multiple technical books, including the 2007 Jolt Productivity award winning book Practices of an Agile Developer. You can find a list of his books at https://www.agiledeveloper.com. You can reach him by email at venkats@agiledeveloper.com or on Twitter/X at @venkat_s. Follow Dr. Venkat: Website – www.agiledeveloper.com Twitter / X – @venkat_s LinkedIn – linkedin.com/in/vsubramaniam Email – venkats@agiledeveloper.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 45% discount for Tech Lead Journal listeners by using the code techlead45 for all products in all formats. Like this episode? Show notes & transcript: techleadjournal.dev/episodes/174. Follow @techleadjournal on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram. Buy me a coffee or become a patron.

“Three characteristics of an organization that is operating with maximal effectiveness are value, clarity, and flow." Are you feeling the strain of growth? Struggling to maintain alignment and efficiency as your organization scales? In this episode, I sit down with Steve Pereira and Andrew Davis, authors of the groundbreaking new book, “Flow Engineering”. Learn why traditional scaling methods focusing on rigid coordination can actually hinder progress and how flow engineering offers a solution. We delve into the challenges and paradox of scaling, the core principles of flow engineering, its five primary mapping techniques, and the leadership mindset shift required to create a culture of flow engineering. If you’re looking to overcome misalignment and optimize performance as you scale, this episode is a must-listen!   Listen out for: Career Journey - [00:01:33] The Problem with Scale - [00:07:12] The Dangers of Increasing Coordination - [00:14:49] The Paradox of Scale - [00:19:58] Flow Engineering - [00:23:34] 5 Primary Maps - [00:27:50] The Biggest Impact Maps - [00:32:31] All Maps are Wrong - [00:38:23] 5 Principles of Flow Engineering - [00:40:11] Leading Flow Engineering - [00:46:00] 3 Tech Lead Wisdom - [00:52:53] _____ Steve Pereira’s BioSteve Pereira has spent over two decades improving the flow of work across organizations. He’s worked through tech support, IT management, build and release engineering, and as a founding CTO for enterprise SaaS. After shifting to consulting large enterprises on value stream performance improvement, he created Flow Engineering to make value stream mapping simple, quick, and actionable. He serves as lead consultant for Visible Value Stream Consulting, as a board advisor to the Value Stream Management Consortium, Chair of the OASIS Value Stream Management Interoperability technical committee, and co-founder of the Flow Collective to bring flow-focused professionals together. Andrew Davis’s BioAndrew Davis is a Salesforce DevOps specialist who’s passionate about helping teams deliver innovation, build trust, and improve their performance. After studying engineering at Virginia Tech and Johns Hopkins he became a Buddhist monk, teaching and building meditation communities for almost 15 years. Since 2014, he’s focused on the Salesforce platform as a developer, consultant, and architect. He launched Wipro’s Salesforce DevOps practice, and focuses on promoting modern development practices for Salesforce. He is the Chief Product Officer for AutoRABIT, helping people understand the importance of DevOps for scaling Salesforce implementations. He lives in San Diego with his amazing wife and very cuddly dog. Follow Steve and Andrew: Website – flowengineering.org Steve’s LinkedIn – linkedin.com/in/devopsto Andrew’s LinkedIn – linkedin.com/in/andrewdavis-io Andrew’s Twitter/ X – @AndrewDavis_io _____ 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 45% discount for Tech Lead Journal listeners by using the code techlead45 for all products in all formats. Like this episode? Show notes & transcript: techleadjournal.dev/episodes/173. Follow @techleadjournal on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram. Buy me a coffee or become a patron.

“The quality is connected to the risk, and the risk is connected to the testing. If we don’t keep an eye on quality, our testing and development will drift, because we are no longer building the thing that people care about anymore." Mark Winteringham is a quality engineer and the author of “Testing Web APIs”. In this episode, discover how holistic, risk-based testing strategies can transform your software quality. Mark explains how to prioritize our testing by understanding what users truly value and translating that into different risk-based testing strategies, such as testing API design, exploratory testing, automated testing, and acceptance test-driven design (ATDD). Mark also reveals the testing Venn diagram as our testing strategic roadmap. Finally, get a glimpse of Mark’s upcoming book “AI-Assisted Testing” and learn how AI will evolve the roles of testers and developers.   Listen out for: Career Journey - [00:01:24] Writing “Testing Web APIs” - [00:05:17] Holistic Testing Strategy - [00:07:48] Start With Understanding the Problem - [00:11:02] Testing Venn Diagram Model - [00:14:11] Risk-Based Testing - [00:18:22] Defining Quality & Quality Attributes - [00:22:29] Testing API Design - [00:26:41] Exploratory Testing - [00:32:08] Automated Testing - [00:36:18] Acceptance Test-Driven Design (ATDD) - [00:41:54] “AI-Assisted Testing” Book - [00:45:51] Evolution of Developer and Tester Roles - [00:48:46] 3 Tech Lead Wisdom - [00:53:51] _____ Mark Winteringham’s BioMark Winteringham is a quality engineer, course director, and author of “AI Assisted Testing” and “Testing Web APIs”, with over 10 years of experience providing testing expertise on award-winning projects across a wide range of technology sectors. He is an advocate for modern risk-based testing practices, holistic based Automation strategies, Behaviour Driven Development and Exploratory testing techniques. Follow Mark: LinkedIn – linkedin.com/in/markwinteringham/ Twitter / X – @2bittester Website – mwtestconsultancy.co.uk _____ 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 45% discount for Tech Lead Journal listeners by using the code techlead45 for all products in all formats. Like this episode? Show notes & transcript: techleadjournal.dev/episodes/172. Follow @techleadjournal on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram. Buy me a coffee or become a patron.

“Bureaucracy in itself is neither good nor bad. However, it often gets in the way and prevents important things you need to do. A good bureaucracy is lean, learning, and enabling." Mark Schwartz is an Enterprise Strategist at AWS and the author of multiple books from IT Revolution. In this episode, we discuss his two latest books on the topics of bureaucracy and ethics. Mark begins by sharing his perspective on the impact of bureaucracy on digital transformation. He explains the definition of bureaucracy and why it tends to have a negative connotation. Mark describes the characteristics of a good bureaucracy and how leaders can play an important role in managing bureaucracy. Next, Mark shares his reasons for writing about ethics in his latest book, why it is becoming more relevant in the digital world, and how leaders can make better ethical decisions in the current fast-paced business world.   Listen out for: Career Journey - [00:01:22] State of Digital Transformation - [00:04:33] Bureaucracy - [00:08:31] Bureaucracy and Process Improvement - [00:13:14] IT as the Biggest Bureaucrats - [00:15:30] Bureaucracy Creates Business Value - [00:18:09] Characteristics of Good Bureaucracy - [00:20:40] Leaders' Roles Towards Bureaucracy - [00:26:05] Writing About Ethics - [00:34:10] How to Make Ethical Decisions - [00:41:12] 3 Tech Lead Wisdom - [00:54:21] _____ Mark Schwartz’s BioMark Schwartz is an iconoclastic CIO and a playful crafter of ideas, an inveterate purveyor of lucubratory prose. He has been an IT leader in organizations small and large, public, private, and nonprofit. As an Enterprise Strategist for Amazon Web Services, he uses his CIO experience to bring strategies to enterprises or enterprises to strategies, and bring both to the cloud. As the CIO of US Citizenship and Immigration Services, he provoked the federal government into adopting Agile and DevOps practices. Mark speaks frequently on innovation, bureaucratic implications of DevOps, and using Agile processes in low-trust environments. With a BS in computer science from Yale, a master’s in philosophy from Yale, and an MBA from Wharton, Mark is either an expert on the business value of IT or else he just thinks about it a lot. Follow Mark: LinkedIn – linkedin.com/in/innovativecio _____ 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 45% discount for Tech Lead Journal listeners by using the code techlead45 for all products in all formats. Like this episode? Show notes & transcript: techleadjournal.dev/episodes/171. Follow @techleadjournal on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram. Buy me a coffee or become a patron.

“Soft skills are always going to be those ladders for you to climb in your career, whereas your tech skills can turn into snakes, meaning you’ve got to start again with another skill." Jacqui Read, author of “Communication Patterns,” joins in this episode to discuss why strong communication skills are crucial for developers and technical leaders, often surpassing the importance of merely technical expertise. We delve into four key communication areas: visual communication, multimodal communication, communicating knowledge, and communicating remotely. During the discussion, Jacqui suggests several practical patterns you can immediately implement to level up your communication skills, such as knowing your audience, the big picture comes first, and perspective-driven documentation.   Listen out for: Career Journey - [00:01:40] Architecture Kata - [00:03:17] Writing Communication Patterns - [00:05:03] Importance of Soft Skills - [00:07:33] Visual Communication - [00:09:24] Visual Communication Essentials - [00:12:12] Visual Narrative - [00:17:46] Multimodal Communication - [00:21:09] Verbal & Non-Verbal Communication - [00:26:29] Encoding & Decoding - [00:29:58] Communicating Knowledge - [00:32:22] Tips for Capturing Knowledge - [00:40:14] Get Feedback Early & Just-in-Time - [00:43:05] Communicating Remotely - [00:48:59] 3 Tech Lead Wisdom - [00:54:23] _____ Jacqui Read’s BioJacqui Read is an internationally-recognised solution and enterprise architect, and author of Communication Patterns: A Guide for Developers and Architects. She teaches public and private workshops and speaks at international conferences on topics such as architecture practices, technical communication, and systems design. Jacqui specialises in untangling and extracting value from data and knowledge, helping businesses to determine direction in complex environments. Her professional interests include collaborative modelling, knowledge management, Domain-Driven Design, sociotechnical architecture, and modernising enterprise architecture practices. Outside of work she enjoys gardening and strumming her ukulele while singing at the same time. Follow Jacqui: Personal Website – jacquiread.com LinkedIn – linkedin.com/in/jacquelineread Book’s Website – communicationpatternsbook.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 45% discount for Tech Lead Journal listeners by using the code techlead45 for all products in all formats. Like this episode? Show notes & transcript: techleadjournal.dev/episodes/170. Follow @techleadjournal on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram. Buy me a coffee or become a patron.

“As technology has become more and more pervasive, experience has become more and more important. And if companies don’t think of the experience, then users don’t think of the company." Satyam Kantamneni is the CEO of UXReactor and the author of “User Experience Design”. In this episode, Satyam delves into the power of user experience design to drive business growth and value. Satyam explains why user experience design is paramount for success and reveals the common gaps that prevent companies from truly becoming user-centric. He dissects the concept of Experience Value Chain, illustrating the levels of UX (user experience), PX (product experience), and XT (experience transformation). Satyam provides insights into how experience-driven organizations establish strong business moats and unlock incredible business values. He defines the concept of experience debt, urging organizations to prioritize a relentless pursuit of magical user experiences. Satyam also shares the PragmaticUX playbook and mindsets, providing a roadmap for organizations seeking to embark on the transformative journey towards XT.   Listen out for: Career Journey - [00:01:13] State of UX and Design - [00:02:35] The Gap for Being User-Centered - [00:04:51] Experience Value Chain - [00:09:09] Moving Beyond Just UI - [00:12:30] Trinity of Collaboration - [00:15:30] 3 Levels of Experience - [00:18:58] Experience Debt - [00:21:40] Experience Transformation (XT) - [00:24:16] XT & Business Moat - [00:28:04] PragmaticUX Playbook - [00:30:58] PragmaticUX Mindsets - [00:34:14] Organization’s Empathy - [00:40:14] Getting User’s Feedback - [00:43:24] Tips to Get Started - [00:45:04] 3 Tech Lead Wisdom - [00:47:10] _____ Satyam Kantamneni’s BioSatyam is the Chief Experience Officer at UXReactor. In less than 7 years, UXReactor has become the fastest growing specialized experience design firm in the US, with a team of 50+ employees spread over three continents. Through UXReactor, Satyam demonstrated that UX can and should drive enterprise-wide innovation and business outcomes. UXReactor has enabled its clients-partners to generate hundreds of millions in additional revenue from user-centered innovation. Satyam is passionate about user-centered innovation, and he authored a book titled User Experience Playbook: A Practical to Fuel Business Growth. Follow Satyam: LinkedIn – linkedin.com/in/kantamneni UXReactor – uxreactor.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 45% discount for Tech Lead Journal listeners by using the code techlead45 for all products in all formats. Like this episode? Show notes & transcript: techleadjournal.dev/episodes/169. Follow @techleadjournal on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram. Buy me a coffee or become a patron.