Developer Experience at American Express | Michelle Swartz (American Express)
Jun 4, 2024
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Michelle Swartz, VP of Developer Enablement at American Express, shares insights on enhancing developer experience. Topics include onboarding bootcamp creation, AmEx Way Library development, balancing standardization and flexibility with Paved Roads, measuring success, fostering community, and elevating tech credibility.
Creation of onboarding bootcamp & AmEx Way Library for knowledge management.
Emphasis on aligning tools, feedback cycles, and platform support for seamless production path.
Deep dives
Evolution of Developer Experience at American Express
American Express transformed its developer experience strategy from grassroots initiatives to a well-established function. This involved creating the Jedi Council and the Obstacle Removal team, obtaining pivotal senior leadership buy-in, and executing a comprehensive strategy to enhance the developer environment. The focus was on making Amex attract top tech talent, fostering an inclusive culture, and aligning with the people and culture technology strategy for ongoing growth and talent retention.
Foundation of Developer Experience at American Express
The developer experience team at Amex operates under the Technology group, emphasizing enablement and advocacy to empower engineers. It comprises two essential areas: enablement, led by Michelle, and platforms, managed by Tim Cleaver. The aim is to align tools, feedback cycles, and platform support for a seamless path to production, highlighting collaboration and synergy between the enablement and platform sides.
Leadership Support for Developer Experience
Despite American Express not being a tech-focused organization, the leadership recognized the significance of investing in developer experience to attract top tech talent. While funding priorities need balance, there has been a commitment to empowering engineers through strategic DevEx initiatives. The leadership's support and understanding have been pivotal in driving progress and investment in tools and processes for a thriving developer culture.
Transition to Dedicated Developer Experience Team
The early focus at Amex centered around the Jedi Council and the Obstacle Removal team, pinpointing common engineering challenges and streamlining solutions. Over time, the need for a dedicated developer experience team emerged to address complex issues and improve ongoing support. The transition highlighted the importance of aligning with engineers' needs, evolving from a part-time program to a full-time, strategic function within the organization.
In this episode, Michelle Swartz, Vice president of Developer Enablement American Express, shares insights on improving developer experience. She discusses the creation of an onboarding bootcamp and the development of the AmEx Way Library for better knowledge management. Michelle explains how AmEx balances standardization and flexibility with the concept of Paved Roads. She also highlights the importance of measuring success, fostering community, and elevating the company's tech credibility.