Frontmatter Rich Allen, Author of User Needs Mapping: Aligning Teams Around What Matters
Oct 28, 2025
Rich Allen, an independent consultant and author of User Needs Mapping, shares his journey from coding to organizational change. He discusses the importance of systems thinking and Team Topologies in scaling teams effectively. Rich explores whether a university degree is still valuable in today's world, touching on the critical-thinking benefits it offers. He also reflects on how martial arts enhances mindfulness and presence in his work. Lastly, Rich simplifies Wardley Mapping and illustrates it with a fascinating cinema example of user needs.
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From Developer To Independent Contractor
- Rich Allen went independent in 2007 while his wife became pregnant and the 2008 crash hit.
- He built a contracting career focused on hands-on coding and test-driven practices before shifting to organizational work.
Scaling Teams At PureGym
- At PureGym Rich helped bring development in-house and scale the team while introducing modern practices like continuous deployment.
- That experience led him to apply Team Topologies and write a case study for its authors.
Martial Arts For Presence And Self-Awareness
- Rich studies a meditational karate style focused on presence and training mind via pushing-hands practice.
- He uses martial arts to build self-awareness and escape digital life.
