Boosting Software Release Velocity: Strategies for Reliable and Efficient Software Delivery

In this episode of The Leadership Exchange, Rob Ocel, VP of Innovation at This Dot Labs, speaks with Josh Tenenbaum, VP of Engineering at First Advantage, about improving release velocity. Josh shares practical strategies for achieving faster, smaller, and more frequent releases, emphasizing automation, intentionality, and robust testing. They discuss overcoming challenges like resistance to change, balancing speed with quality, and fostering happier, more efficient teams. Key Points from this Episode: - Josh Tenenbaum emphasizes the value of smaller, more frequent releases to reduce the risk of failure, improve rollback capabilities, and maintain a steady release cadence that fosters developer confidence and efficiency. - Automation is critical for improving release velocity. Josh describes how his team built automated pipelines for development, QA, and production, enabling smoother and faster deployments while minimizing manual effort. - Frequent releases provide developers with immediate feedback on their work, enhancing satisfaction and productivity. Teams benefit from seeing their impact quickly and iterating efficiently, fostering a sense of accomplishment. - To ensure quality without sacrificing speed, Josh's team prioritizes automation in testing and emphasizes robust code reviews. This approach minimizes bugs, improves collaboration, and builds confidence in the release process, creating a sustainable velocity. Chapters 0:00 - The Misconception About Faster Releases 0:50 - Introduction: Rob Ocel & Josh Tenenbaum 1:34 - Why Release Velocity Matters 2:16 - Team Structure & Scope of Work 3:06 - Migrating a Legacy Platform to the Cloud 4:04 - The Goal: Releasing Twice a Day 5:22 - Making Releases as Simple as Getting a Glass of Water 6:18 - Key Metrics for Measuring Release Efficiency 7:36 - Breaking Down the Release Process into Four Steps 9:10 - Understanding Release Size vs. Velocity 11:09 - The Importance of the Second Release 12:17 - Avoiding the Pitfalls of Chasing Faster Releases 16:35 - Sponsor Break: This Dot Labs 17:19 - How to Improve Release Velocity Sustainably 19:25 - Automating Everything, But Knowing What’s Worth It 21:32 - The Danger of Overcorrecting for Quality Issues 24:16 - Should Teams Test in Production? 27:38 - The Power of Frequent Releases in Reducing Risk 28:43 - Addressing Developer Concerns About Crunch 30:43 - The Role of Code Reviews in Release Quality 32:38 - The Impact of Release Efficiency on Developer Satisfaction 36:14 - The Importance of Intentionality in Engineering Processes 38:00 - Where to Connect with Josh Tenenbaum Follow Josh Tenenbaum on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshtenenbaum/ Sponsored by This Dot: thisdot.co