Tech Lead Journal Henry Suryawirawan

“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]

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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

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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.



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Show notes & transcript: techleadjournal.dev/episodes/170.
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“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]

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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

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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.

“If you can outsource it and if it’s not something that makes you different, you should use a service, because you’ll always be asked to do more things than you can build that are differentiated to your organization.”

Are you ever frustrated by your software development team getting bogged down doing undifferentiated tasks, leaving less time for innovation? In this episode, Joseph Emison, co-founder and CTO of Branch Insurance and author of “Serverless as a Game Changer,” suggests how serverless technology can streamline the way we do software development.

Joe starts by explaining the existing gap between the best and average software development teams, highlighting how teams often prioritize undifferentiated tasks instead of focusing on what truly sets them apart. He challenges the conventional wisdom that code is an asset and explains why it can be a liability.

Joe breaks down the definition of serverless technology and delves into the real costs of software development. He addresses a few of the most commonly raised objections to adopting serverless: lock-in, security, and uptime. You’ll also learn the Branch development principle and how they successfully implement serverless architecture and gain many benefits from the approach.

This episode is a must-listen for any developer or engineering leader looking to gain an understanding of serverless technology and revolutionize the way we approach software development.  

Listen out for:


Career Journey - [00:01:09]
Writing “Serverless as a Game Changer” - [00:04:25]
Software Development Teams Gap - [00:11:07]
Differentiated vs Undifferentiated - [00:14:52]
The Real Costs of Software Development - [00:19:57]
The Serverless Mindset - [00:24:58]
Code is a Liability - [00:27:44]
Infrastructure as a Code - [00:31:06]
Serverless Definition - [00:32:29]
Serverless Security Objections - [00:36:22]
Serverless Uptime Objections - [00:40:30]
Branch Development Principle - [00:45:22]
Hiring Junior Developers - [00:48:39]
Branch’s Cloud Bill - [00:54:06]
3 Tech Lead Wisdom - [00:55:27]

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Joseph Emison’s BioJoe Emison is the co-founder and CTO of Branch Insurance, a B corporation and insurance carrier that makes it simple to bundle home and auto insurance. Previously, Joe founded BuildFax (acquired by Verisk), Spaceful (acquired by DMGT), and BluePrince (acquired by Harris Computer). Joe is also the author of “Serverless as a Game Changer: How to Get the Most out of the Cloud”.

Follow Joe:


Twitter / X – @JoeEmison
LinkedIn – linkedin.com/in/joemastersemison
Serverless as a Game Changer: How to Get the Most Out of The Cloud – https://www.amazon.com/dp/0137392621/

_____

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/168.
Follow @techleadjournal on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram.
Buy me a coffee or become a patron.

“A blind spot is the gap between your intention and your impact. The more you can narrow the gap, the more you’re going to be able to be effective in your role and drive more performance."

Marisa Murray is the CEO of Leaderley and the author of “Blind Spots”. In this episode, Marisa delves into blind spots and explains why leaders must uncover them to become truly effective and great. She describes a blind spot as the gap between our intention and impact, and explains how it can be difficult for leaders to get feedback about their blind spots.

Marisa shares the 7 different blind spots from her book and dives deeper into three of them in this conversation: false assumptions, unhealthy detachments, and mismatched mindsets. Marisa also suggests how we can cultivate a culture to help us uncover our blind spots and also shares her practical tips for acknowledging positive intent.  

Listen out for:


Career Journey - [00:01:46]
Writing “Blind Spots” - [00:07:05]
Blind Spot - [00:10:08]
Intention and Impact - [00:11:51]
Strengths and Blind Spots - [00:14:48]
Getting Feedback for Leaders - [00:18:45]
7 Blind Spots - [00:23:07]
Bias and Blind Spot - [00:29:43]
False Assumptions - [00:31:41]
Unhealthy Detachment - [00:35:28]
Mismatched Mindsets - [00:41:34]
Uncovering Our Blind Spots - [00:45:05]
The 3As of an Iteractive Leader - [00:48:12]
3 Tech Lead Wisdom - [00:49:33]

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Marisa Murray’s BioMarisa Murray P. Eng., MBA, PCC is a leadership development expert and the CEO of Leaderley International, an organization dedicated to helping executives become better leaders in today’s rapidly changing, highly complex world. Marisa leverages her over two decades of executive experience as a former Partner with Accenture and VP at Bell Canada in providing executive coaching, and leadership development services for organizations including Molson-Coors, Pratt & Whitney and Queen’s University.

Follow Marisa:


LinkedIn – linkedin.com/in/murraymarisa
Leaderley International – www.leaderley.com

Weekly Leaderley tips – https://www.leaderley.com/leadership-tips
Get feedback for free at https://www.leaderley.com/FeedbackFriend


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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/167.
Follow @techleadjournal on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram.
Buy me a coffee or become a patron.

“Kanban is a strategy for optimizing the flow of value to your customers by focusing on three main goals: efficiency, effectiveness, and predictability."

Colleen Johnson is the CEO of ProKanban, and in this episode, we delve into the fundamentals of Kanban and how you can use it to optimize your workflow. We start by defining Kanban and exploring its core principles. You’ll learn why work item age is the single most important aspect you should track in Kanban. Colleen then explains the concept of Service Level Expectation (SLE) and how it can improve predictability and client satisfaction. We also discuss the importance of smaller batch sizes, defining workflow policies, handling blockers, and the benefits of completing already started work items to optimize flow.

We also touch on scaling Kanban beyond an individual team and discuss why Kanban is suitable for navigating unpredictable situations like the current economic climate. Towards the end, Colleen shares Women in Kanban, a community and scholarship programme to empower women to excel in Kanban.  

Listen out for:


Career Journey - [00:01:18]
Kanban - [00:04:24]
Work Item Age - [00:04:59]
Calculating Work Item Age - [00:10:20]
Small Batch Size - [00:13:08]
Service Level Expectation (SLE) - [00:16:54]
Managing Blockers - [00:21:05]
Stop Pulling More, Finish Open Work Items - [00:24:46]
Optimizing Flow - [00:28:14]
Scaling Kanban Beyond a Team - [00:30:17]
Kanban in the Current Tough Time - [00:34:37]
Tools to Get Started - [00:37:21]
Women in Kanban - [00:39:33]
Tech Lead Wisdom - [00:41:45]

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Colleen Johnson’s BioColleen is the CEO of ProKanban.org, an inclusive Kanban learning community. She is also co-founder of ScatterSpoke, a proud Atlassian Ventures Portfolio company driving actionable improvements through retrospective data. She has presented and taught agile to audiences around the world. As a coach, she has worked across a range of industries with clients like Wells Fargo, eTrade, Home Depot, Tanium, Gemini, and more. Colleen helps organizations apply a systems thinking approach to aligning agile methodologies end-to-end. She has served as a board member for Agile Denver, the Agile Uprising, and chair of the Mile High Agile Conference. She is happiest in the woods, camping with her three kids and very patient husband.

Follow Colleen:


LinkedIn – linkedin.com/in/colleen-johnson/
Twitter – @scrumhive
Threads – @colleenrae.j
ProKanban – prokanban.org
Women in Kanban – https://prokanban.org/women-in-kanban/

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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/166.
Follow @techleadjournal on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram.
Buy me a coffee or become a patron.

“As software engineers, only a fraction of your time is spent coding. A lot of your time is spent thinking. And I’m not seeing LLMs taking that away from us anytime soon, at least, for now."

Can AI help you learn to code? Will AI take your developer job? Join me discussing these topics with Leo Porter and Daniel Zingaro, the co-authors of “Learning AI-Assisted Python Programming”.

In this episode, we discuss the impact of AI assistants on how we learn and approach programming, particularly for students and educators. We examine the shifting skillset of developers, emphasizing the importance of code reading, specification, testing, and problem decomposition over syntax and library semantics.

We also confront critical questions like the ethical implications of AI, the potential impact on developers’ job, and whether it can help lead us to a more equitable society.  

Listen out for:


Career Journey - [00:01:11]
AI Assistant - [00:07:55]
How AI Assistant Affect Student - [00:11:04]
Problem Decomposition Skill - [00:16:46]
How LLM Works - [00:19:47]
Prompt Engineering - [00:23:36]
Automating Tedious Tasks - [00:29:29]
AI Ethical Issues - [00:33:30]
AI Replacing Developers - [00:40:08]
A More Equitable Society - [00:47:34]
3 Tech Lead Wisdom - [00:55:58]

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Leo Porter’s BioLeo Porter is a Teaching Professor in the Computer Science and Engineering Department at UC San Diego. He is best known for his award-winning research on the impact of Peer Instruction in computing courses, the use of clicker data to predict student outcomes, and the development of the Basic Data Structures Concept Inventory. He co-wrote the first book on integrating LLMs into the instruction of programming with Daniel Zingaro, entitled “Learn AI-Assisted Python Programming: With GitHub Copilot and ChatGPT”. He also co-teaches popular Coursera and edX courses with over 500,000 enrolled learners. He is a Distinguished Member of the ACM.

Daniel Zingaro’s BioDr. Daniel Zingaro is an award-winning Associate Teaching Professor of Mathematical and Computational Sciences at the University of Toronto Mississauga. He is well known for his uniquely interactive approach to teaching and internationally recognized for his expertise in active learning. He is the co-author of “Learn AI-Assisted Python Programming” (Manning Publications, 2023), author of “Algorithmic Thinking” 2/e (No Starch Press, 2024), co-author of “Start Competitive Programming!” (self-published, 2024), and author of Learn to Code by Solving Problems (No Starch Press, 2021).

Follow Leo & Daniel:


Leo’s LinkedIn – linkedin.com/in/leoporter/
Daniel’s LinkedIn – linkedin.com/in/danielzingaro

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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/165.
Follow @techleadjournal on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram.
Buy me a coffee or become a patron.