Dev Interrupted

This week, I sat down with Neha Batra, VP of Engineering for Core Productivity at GitHub. Our conversation is about the value of taking calculated risks in engineering leadership, using a “risk budget," and how you can leverage your social capital to take risks that help your career. Neha also shares her insights on senior engineering leaders' challenges when aligning business needs with talent and product execution. She discusses her framework for strengthening company alignment and engineering efficiency using established communication paths. Episode Highlights: 00:26 Frameworks that strengthen company alignment 03:11 How should you channel frustration into creation? 05:58 Conceptualizing your risk budget 12:53 Strategies for building communication pathways 16:04 Conducting AMA's with your team 21:47 How do you get team members to take accountability? 25:27 How do you gather signals from your team? 29:13 Mistakes leaders make you can learn from 36:32 Building curiosity into mundane experiences like dating Show Notes: Starting Your Engineering Metrics Program nerdneha (Neha Batra) · GitHubNeha BatraNeha (@nerdneha) / XGitHub: Let’s build from here · GitHub Support the show: SubstackLeave us a reviewYouTubeTwitter LinkedIn Offers: Learn about Continuous Merge with gitStreamGet your DORA Metrics free forever

In the last few years, disengagement at work has become a massive issue. We learned from Dr. Andre Martin’s episode that 53% of managers are burnt out and 1 in 3 employees leave their jobs in the first 90 days. This week, we sat down with Chuck Lafferty, VP of CRM at ADP, to discuss ADP’s approach to employee engagement and innovation. Chuck dives into building trust within teams, innovative techniques like ‘Survey Roulette’ to incorporate user feedback into development, and the critical role of understanding and caring for individuals. When employees feel valued, heard, and engaged in meaningful work, you see improved productivity and increased job satisfaction. The episode concludes with actionable steps to improve employee engagement through personalized interactions and empathetic leadership. Episode Highlights: Show Notes: Starting Your Engineering Metrics Program Workshop Chuck LaffertyPayroll, HR and Tax Services | ADP Official SiteConfident CoderChuckLafferty (@ChuckLafferty) / XSupport the show: SubstackLeave us a reviewYouTubeTwitter LinkedIn Offers: Learn about Continuous Merge with gitStreamGet your DORA Metrics free forever

This week, our host Dan Lines sits down with Tara Hernandez, VP of Developer Productivity at MongoDB. Together, they explore the nuances of developer productivity and the impact of AI in engineering environments. Tara emphasizes that achieving developer productivity requires a focus on outcomes, reduced noise for developers, and a healthy balance between technology, processes, and communication. She also touches on the strategic framework of the 'three horizons' for conceptualizing your investment breakdown across different projects and how to maintain focused on meaningful development work. Episode Highlights: 01:43 How should you think about developer productivity? 09:09 Three pillars to improve developer productivity 16:07 Automated does not equal autonomous 24:46 Making the golden path the easy path for developers 27:51 What’s exciting in developer productivity and AI? 29:57 The three horizons 38:34 Developer performance vs productivity data 40:23 What is the right way to think about goal setting for noise reduction? Show Notes: Starting Your Engineering Metrics Program Workshop Tara HernandezMongoDBGitHubCloudBeesCircleCIAtlassianEvergreen CI in GitHub Support the show: SubstackLeave us a reviewYouTubeTwitter LinkedIn Offers: Learn about Continuous Merge with gitStreamGet your DORA Metrics free forever

In the past year, ransomware attacks have been up almost 300%, with over 50% targeting small businesses. To help mitigate this increase, Microsoft is launching their new Security Copilot, and we sat down with their SMB Security Strategy Head, Binil Pillai, to learn more. We dive into the importance of SMBs assessing their security posture, how to leverage AI for efficient threat detection and response, and the role of Microsoft's partner ecosystem in providing comprehensive security solutions. The episode concludes with advice for SMB leaders on starting their security assessments and the benefits of integrating AI into their cybersecurity strategies. Episode Highlights: 01:39 Why is SMB security a priority for Microsoft? 07:34 Key security challenges for SMBs 09:26 How can SMBs leverage AI within security? 16:28 How VPs of Engineering can use new tech to deal with threats 20:25 Microsoft Security Copilot 24:30 Where is the best place to learn about Microsoft's security strategy? Show Notes: Microsoft Copilot for Security is generally available on April 1, 2024 | Microsoft Security BlogMicrosoft Copilot for Security: General Availability details - Microsoft Community HubMicrosoft 365 Business Premium | Microsoft 365Microsoft Defender for Business | Microsoft SecurityAutomatic attack disruption in Microsoft 365 Defender | Microsoft LearnMicrosoft Defender for Cloud | Microsoft SecurityWhat is Microsoft Defender for Cloud? - Microsoft Defender for Cloud | Microsoft LearnSolution Assessment Program (microsoft.com) Support the show: SubstackLeave us a reviewYouTubeTwitter LinkedIn Offers: Learn about Continuous Merge with gitStreamGet your DORA Metrics free forever

In this episode, host Conor Bronsdon talks with Melissa DePuydt, Sr. Director of Engineering at Upstatement. Melissa discusses how her background in journalism has uniquely positioned her to excel in engineering leadership roles. She highlights how thinking like a journalist has enhanced her ability to lead engineering teams effectively, particularly in planning, risk management, and decision-making. The conversation covers the importance of preparing for disruptions, conducting pre-mortems to anticipate challenges, and incorporating broad perspectives for effective problem solving. Melissa also shares insights on continuously learning and adapting by embracing one's unique background and experiences. Episode Highlights: 00:20 Why do engineering leaders need to think like journalists? 04:46 Preparing for disruptions as an engineering leader 08:44 How pre-mortems work in practice: an example from the Atlantic 12:47 How to get buy in from other leaders when changing processes 17:59 Eliciting buy-in from team members on pre-mortems 22:15 How do we train engineers to think in a team sport mentality? 26:51 Why is career switching a superpower? Show Notes: Melissa DePuydtUpstatement | A digital brand and product design studioSupport the show: SubstackLeave us a reviewYouTubeTwitter LinkedIn Offers: Learn about Continuous Merge with gitStreamGet your DORA Metrics free forever

On this week’s episode, host Conor Bronsdon sits down with Emily Nakashima, VP of Engineering at Honeycomb.io, to discuss how you can prepare to be a VP of Engineering, and how the role differs among companies. Being a VPE varies based on company size, culture, and the existing team's makeup, and Emily provides valuable advice for engineers aspiring to leadership positions. Emily also discusses using personality tests for better team dynamics and the need for regular self-evaluation as an integral part of career advancement. The conversation closes by talking about the impact of AI on the workforce, the importance of aligning engineering and business goals, and the potential of AI to enhance rather than replace human skills. Episode Highlights: 01:27 Why does Emily think there isn't a standard VP of Engineering role? 06:29 The archetypes of the VPE role 10:15 How does the VPE role change as an organization grows? 14:46 Preparing to become a VP of Engineering before you get the role 20:11 How you can use personality tests in organizational design 26:00 How is the VP of Engineering role changing in 2024? 30:53 Teams are having to accept realities about production software with regards to AI Show Notes: Modern Practices for Goal Setting in Software Engineering Emily NakashimaEmily Nakashima (@eanakashima.bsky.social) — BlueskyObservability for Distributed Services | HoneycombStrengthsFinder 2.0 | EN - GallSupport the show: SubstackLeave us a reviewYouTubeTwitter LinkedIn Offers: Learn about Continuous Merge with gitStreamGet your DORA Metrics free forever

This week, host Conor Bronsdon welcomes back Kelly Vaughn, Director of Engineering at Spot AI, to talk about building influence as an engineering leader. Kelly shares insights on the importance of leadership skills for both individual contributor and managerial roles and outlines her three pillars of trust, communication, and empowerment. Conor and Kelly discuss strategies for staying technically fresh despite moving up in management, exploring the balance between staying close to product development and avoiding micromanagement. Lastly, they touch on the potential of AR/VR technology, with a focus on the business implications of Apple's Vision Pro and the future of immersive experiences. Episode Highlights: 01:09 How should engineering leaders think about building influence? 03:53 The impact of changing roles or companies on your performance 08:07 Why you lose important context when making assumptions 09:32 How ICs can help manage their team 10:49 Key ways to build influence and trust 16:00 How important is trust when giving or recieving feedback? 22:27 How do leaders stay close to their product as their org grows? 28:58 Our thoughts on Apple Vision Pro and AR VR in general Show Notes: Kelly VaughnLessons in Engineering Leadership | Kelly Vaughn | SubstackSpot AI: Video Intelligence for Better Decision-MakingRadical Candor | Feedback Training, Coaching & ConsultingSupport the show: SubstackLeave us a reviewYouTubeTwitter LinkedIn Offers: Learn about Continuous Merge with gitStreamGet your DORA Metrics free forever

On this week’s episode, host Conor Bronsdon is joined by Jason Krohn, Global Head of Delivery at Syngenta. Jason delves into how his teams at Syngenta leverage software engineering intelligence to achieve predictable delivery at scale. Jason also explores how aligning work with employees' passions contributes to success and retention at Syngenta. He discusses the challenges and solutions in implementing efficient DevOps processes and ensuring organizational buy-in for the vision. Additionally, Jason highlights the importance of empowering teams with autonomy and providing the necessary tools for proactive decision-making. Whether you're leading a small team or managing an enterprise, Jason's insights offer valuable lessons on driving efficiency, scaling effectively, and fostering a culture of continuous improvement. Episode Highlights: 1:46 Scaling teams that are empowered and autonomous 4:01: The four pillars for retaining talent in tech teams. 12:51 Tackling organizational change 18:41 Using metrics to achieve predictable delivery 21:45 Why your engineering teams' need to care about metrics, not just be compliant 26:20 Addressing production delays and DevOps integration 28:55 Leadership's role in communicating the 'why’ 33:05 The Importance of Coaching When Mentoring Show Notes: SyngentaJason KrohnSupport the show: SubstackLeave us a reviewYouTubeTwitter LinkedIn Offers: Learn about Continuous Merge with gitStreamGet your DORA Metrics free forever

This week, host Dan Lines welcomes back Zach Goldberg, CTO and author of the book 'The Startup CTO's Handbook: Essential Skills and Best Practices for High Performing Engineering Teams.’ Zach shares insights from his extensive career as a CTO and his journey in writing a book that condenses the wisdom of numerous other influential works into a single, comprehensive guide. We explore the three core sections of his book: Zach provides advice for not only CTOs but anyone in a technical leadership position, offering strategies to develop empathy and understanding within technical organizations. Episode Highlights: Show Notes: The Startup CTO's Handbook: Essential skills and best practices for high performing engineering teamsSupport the show: SubstackLeave us a reviewYouTubeTwitter LinkedIn Offers: Learn about Continuous Merge with gitStreamGet your DORA Metrics free forever

It doesn’t matter if you have an innovative technical strategy if you’re not solving problems the business cares about… This week, host Conor Bronsdon sits down with Rob Zuber, CTO at CircleCI. They delve into the evolving role of engineering leaders, and the importance of building a technical strategy that aligns with overarching business goals. Throughout the conversation, Rob emphasizes the importance of focusing on customer needs, gathering direct feedback and maintaining strategic flexibility. If you’re interested in understanding the balance between technical strategy and business leadership, this episode provides a wealth of knowledge, strategies, and real-world examples. Episode Highlights: 01:38 Crafting technical strategy for teams at CircleCI 07:26 How engineering leaders can make the most informed choices about their business 17:47 Using postmortems to fuel a growth mindset 22:39 Applying hypotheses to be prepared for worst-case scenarios 27:43 Why CTOs need to focus on solving business problems first, then technical strategy 30:30 Why engineering leaders need to form a close relationship with finance 33:17 Advice for ICs or Directors on becoming a business leader 39:17 Rob's approach to building trust and organizational design 44:36 How can I prepare for being a technical founder? 55:12 What is CircleCI doing in ML? Show Notes: Modern Software EngineeringSupport the show: SubstackLeave us a reviewYouTubeTwitter LinkedIn Offers: Learn about Continuous Merge with gitStreamGet your DORA Metrics free forever

On this week’s episode, host Conor Bronsdon sit down with Guilherme Sesterheim, SAP DevOps SRE Engineer at AWS. Guilherme delves into applying Chaos Engineering and DevOps principles to SAP, a domain traditionally seen as risk-averse and resistant to rapid innovation. With expertise in both open-source technologies and SAP, Guilherme shares how he’s bringing modern practices to SAP environments at AWS. He explores how Chaos Engineering can be used to test and improve the resilience of SAP systems, focusing on HANA, SAP’s in-memory database. The discussion also touches on the challenges of integrating these practices within the SAP framework and the broader implications for SAP users and the tech industry. Episode Highlights: Show Notes: Wiring the Winning Organization - IT RevolutionSupport the show: SubstackLeave us a reviewYouTubeTwitter LinkedIn Offers: Learn about Continuous Merge with gitStreamGet your DORA Metrics free forever

On this week’s episode, our hosts Dan Lines and Conor Bronsdon are joined by long-time friend of the show, industry expert, and Director of Engineering at Spot AI, Kelly Vaughn. Together they tackle a range of topics, including how tax laws are impacting engineering teams, the evolving role of AI in software development, and the great build vs. buy debate. The conversation starts with Kelly and Dan’s takes on Section 174, which poses a looming threat to US tech companies. From there, they pivot to GenAI to discuss how you can measure its impact, leadership’s role in the process, and the importance of navigating this implementation wisely. They conclude by talking about Kelly’s recent article on the debate of building software in-house vs. buying third-party solutions, and why the answer isn’t black or white. Episode Highlights Show Notes: Lesson in Engineering Leadership | Kelly Vaughn | SubstackMeasuring Impact: GenAI Code | LinearBFoundation (Chronological Order) Series by Isaac AsimovWatch Foundation - Apple TV+Support the show: SubstackLeave us a reviewYouTubeTwitter LinkedIn Offers: Learn about Continuous Merge with gitStreamGet your DORA Metrics free forever

On this week's episode, we're joined by Carol Barrett, the Engineering Leader in Consumer Identity and Access at Netflix. Host Conor Bronsdon interviews Carol to learn about Netflix’s blueprint for success when building engineering teams, and how they foster a culture where inspiration and purpose are at the forefront. Carol shares her valuable insights on empowering engineers to make their own decisions, ensuring product management and engineering are perfectly synced, and the importance of flexible structures that cater to team dynamics. She also discusses the unique challenges and opportunities Netflix faces, including their approach to innovative projects and navigating uncharted technological territories. From quarterly commitments to building impactful partnerships, learn how Netflix maintains its edge by allowing teams the freedom to define their own paths. Episode Highlights Show Notes: Learn how to measure the impact of your GenAI initiative in LinearB's upcoming workshop Support the show: SubstackLeave us a reviewYouTubeTwitter LinkedIn Offers: Learn about Continuous Merge with gitStreamGet your DORA Metrics free forever

In this week's episode of Dev Interrupted, co-host Conor Bronsdon is joined by David Yee, VP of Engineering at the New York Times. They dive into the often unseen aspects of organizational structures, discussing how every organization regardless of their defined values and principles, operates with a 'shadow'. David discusses the role of senior leaders in addressing systemic problems and navigating the tensions between innovation and consistency. He highlights the importance of recognizing and integrating these organizational shadows to foster better decision-making and operational efficiency. Drawing from his rich experience leading engineering teams in media, this conversation offers a unique perspective on the complexities of engineering leadership and explores the challenges of aligning technology with the century-old tradition of news reporting at the New York Times. Show Notes: Learn how to measure the impact of your GenAI initiative in LinearB's upcoming workshopSupport the show: SubstackLeave us a reviewYouTubeTwitter LinkedIn Offers: Learn about Continuous Merge with gitStreamGet your DORA Metrics free forever

What can you learn from the scaling issues OpenAI experienced when Chat-GPT went viral? On this week’s episode, guest host Ben Lloyd Pearson is joined by Evan Morikawa, Engineering Manager at OpenAI. Join us for a first-hand look at the engineering challenges that came with Chat-GPT’s viral success, and the difficulties associated with scaling in response to the sudden platform popularity. They also discuss misconceptions around generative AI, OpenAI’s reliance on GPUs to carry out their complex computations, the key role of APIs in their success, and some fascinating use cases they’ve seen implementing GPT-4. Show Notes: Learn how to measure the impact of your GenAI initiative in LinearB's upcoming workshopSupport the show: SubstackLeave us a reviewYouTubeTwitter LinkedIn Offers: Learn about Continuous Merge with gitStreamGet your DORA Metrics free forever

Season 4 kicks off with a conversation with Gene Kim, author of several renowned books, including "The Phoenix Project," "The DevOps Handbook," and most recently, "Wiring the Winning Organization." In this episode, Gene candidly shares the trials behind writing what he considers one of his most challenging books, why it was a joy to partner with Steven Spear as a co-author, and the key principles needed for creating high-performing teams. Illustrating these ideas, Gene and Conor draw on examples from diverse realms, including the intricacies of software development, the complexities of healthcare, the socio-technical system behind Amazon’s success, and everyday tasks like moving a couch. Note: This conversation is a follow-up to last year's episode with Steven Spear. You can listen to Steven's episode here. Show Notes: Wiring The Winning Organization DORA Metrics. 100% Free. Forever.Support the show: SubstackLeave us a reviewYouTubeTwitter LinkedIn Offers: Learn about Continuous Merge with gitStreamGet your DORA Metrics free forever

Hosts Dan Lines, Conor Bronson, and Ben Lloyd Pearson team up for a special holiday edition of Dev Interrupted. In this season-ending episode, they revisit their favorite moments from Season 3 of the podcast, share a glimpse of what listeners can expect in Season 4, and spread holiday cheer as they reflect on what they're thankful for. The team is taking a week off to enjoy the holidays. We’ll see you back here on January 2nd for the start of Season 4! Show Notes: Career Journey 1: Interviewing & Getting PromotedTech Hiring in 2023: Trends, Predictions & Strategies for SuccessThe McKinsey Developer Productivity DebateDORA Metrics. 100% Free. Forever.Best DevOps-Related Podcast SeriesSupport the show: SubstackLeave us a reviewYouTubeTwitter LinkedIn Offers: Learn about Continuous Merge with gitStreamGet your DORA Metrics free forever

What does protecting the more than 100 million developers on GitHub’s platform take? And what can your team learn from GitHub’s impressive security posture? On this week’s episode, co-host Conor Bronsdon is joined by Jacob DePriest, VP and Deputy Chief Security Officer at GitHub. Join them as they discuss Jacob's journey from the NSA to GitHub, delving into how AI impacts the security space and the future of Copilot's ever-expanding capabilities. The conversation also explores how enhancing customer trust, investing in diversity within security teams, and bringing security to where developers work are critical in improving security industry-wide. Whether you’re protecting dozens of users or millions, Jacob has practical advice for engineering leaders everywhere. Show Notes: DORA Metrics. 100% Free. Forever.Best DevOps-Related Podcast SeriesSupport the show: SubstackLeave us a reviewYouTubeTwitter LinkedIn Offers: Learn about Continuous Merge with gitStreamGet your DORA Metrics free forever

We are in the middle of a crisis of commitment in the workplace – 53% of managers are burnt out, 1 in 3 employees leave their jobs in the first 90 days, and an estimated $7.8 trillion in lost productivity is due to poor organizational fit. On this week’s Dev Interrupted, we uncover the keys to a thriving workplace as co-host Conor Bronsdon is joined by Dr. Andre Martin, a seasoned organizational psychologist and author of the book 'Wrong Fit, Right Fit'. Together, they share strategies to discern whether a job will be a right fit or a wrong fit and delve into how companies can align their structures with individual preferences to enhance employee engagement and productivity. This insightful conversation offers practical strategies for leaders and individuals alike to identify and cultivate the right fit for long-term success and fulfillment in their careers. Order your copy today: Wrong Fit, Right Fit: Why How We Work Matters More Than Ever Show Notes: Monday MattersDORA Metrics. 100% Free. Forever.Best DevOps-Related Podcast SeriesSupport the show: SubstackLeave us a reviewYouTubeTwitter LinkedIn Offers: Learn about Continuous Merge with gitStreamGet your DORA Metrics free forever

What trends do engineering leaders need to pay attention to, and how will they impact your teams in 2024? This week, co-host Conor Bronsdon is joined by LinearB co-founder and CEO Ori Keren to discuss his predictions for next year. Together they discuss why dev team metrics are here to stay, why Ori doesn’t like the term ‘developer productivity’ [hint: he prefers ‘engineering efficiency’], how the rise of gen AI written code will create a problem for development pipelines everywhere, and the potential friction points inherent to remote work. Ori concludes the episode by offering advice to engineering leaders and startup founders on the need to adopt a metrics program or risk getting left behind. Show Notes: DORA Metrics. 100% Free. Forever.Best DevOps-Related Podcast SeriesSupport the show: SubstackLeave us a reviewYouTubeTwitter LinkedIn Offers: Learn about Continuous Merge with gitStreamGet your DORA Metrics free forever