Engineering Culture by InfoQ

Technology Radar and the Reality of AI in Software Development

21 snips
Jun 13, 2025
Guest
Rachel Laycock
In this engaging discussion, Rachel Laycock, Global CTO of ThoughtWorks, shares her insights from 15 years in technology leadership. She delves into the importance of the Technology Radar, which encourages rich debate on software trends. Laycock expresses skepticism about the current AI hype, emphasizing its true potential in tackling complex issues like legacy code rather than merely speeding up coding. The conversation also highlights the need for human creativity and expertise as automation rises, ensuring that seasoned engineers remain invaluable in the evolving tech landscape.
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INSIGHT

ThoughtWorks Technology Radar Model

  • The ThoughtWorks Technology Radar identifies and debates technology trends globally every six months.
  • It categorizes technologies into assess, trial, adopt, or hold, focusing on real experience rather than hype.
INSIGHT

Radar Influences Industry Thought

  • The Technology Radar discussions organically influence industry thought leadership and publications.
  • Concepts like microservices and data mesh emerged from these internal debates before becoming canonical knowledge.
INSIGHT

Culture Drives Technology Debate

  • ThoughtWorks culture values attitude, aptitude, integrity, and curiosity over coding speed.
  • The culture embraces strong opinions loosely held and open challenge, enabling richer technology discussions.
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