
Heavy Strategy
From technology to workplace culture, from geopolitical trends to economics, Heavy Strategy debates pivotal questions in enterprise IT. Hosts Johna Till Johnson & John Burke bring their technical expertise, analytical acumen, and contrasting viewpoints to discuss complex topics of interest to IT leaders. Frequently irreverent and always thought-provoking, these are the conversations you wish you could have at the leadership table. Tune in and join the think tank, where unanswered questions are better than unquestioned answers.
Latest episodes

Oct 11, 2023 • 31min
HS057: Technical Debt
In this podcast episode, Johna and I discuss the concept of technical debt. We provide different definitions of technical debt, with me focusing on the inability to switch solutions easily and Johna emphasizing the trade-off between immediate speed and long-term efficiency. We give examples of technical debt, such as outdated systems and insecure infrastructure, and... Read more »

Sep 27, 2023 • 35min
Heavy Strategy 56: FU to the Followup
Taking your feedback and followup and discussing the questions you bring us. Zero Trust Defintions, Out of Band in Zero Trust, Johna and/or Greg is/are insufferable and re-evaluating the Tech Job Debacle with hindsight.

Sep 12, 2023 • 34min
HS055: Cloud Is Not The Only Future
A special guest today, Keith Townsend joins Johna Greg to discuss the advantages and disadvantages of cloud computing compared to on-premises infrastructure. We start by clarifying the definition of cloud and emphasizing the significance of software-defined infrastructure and automation in on-premises data centers. Keith shares his perspective on hybrid infrastructure and making the case for a combination of on-premises and off-premises resources as the future of enterprise IT.

Aug 29, 2023 • 30min
HS054: Matching IT and Corporate Culture
Are you interested in learning more about aligning technology choices with organizational goals? Our podcast has got you covered! Listen now to explore the importance of technology alignment with business objectives.

Aug 2, 2023 • 38min
HS053: IT Facilities in 2023
The use of physical infrastructure has changed substantially in the last three years. Data centres are scaling down, offices and branches are being re-considered. One view is that offices are ‘playgrounds’ where white collar workers gather to chat, socialise, drink free coffee and have face-to-face for one or two days a week. An opposing view is that its legacy way of working but it will take time for people to adapt to remote work.

Jul 18, 2023 • 39min
HS052: Professional Liability and Qualified Design
As technology becomes more critical and vital to companies business leaders are beginning to question the reliability and liability. Insurers now require audits and demand complienace with set practices before issuing a policy. Corporate boards are realising that so-called tech professionals have zero training or professional requirement, consultants have even less and the analysts are... Read more »

Jul 11, 2023 • 24min
HS051: Things I Wish I’d Known Back When
Oft-asked question that doesn't have a right answer. We discuss non-convential answers that career coaches or self-help twaddle won't give you.

Jun 28, 2023 • 28min
HS050: The Tech Job Debacle
Google, Microsoft, Twitter, META/FB and a few others laid off an estimated 200,000 tech and tech-adjacent folks in recent weeks. Other companies like Fedex and Amazon have made layoffs, many impacting the IT teams. What does that mean for the tech industry? Between AI and our corporate overlords are we all lucky to be employed, and should we go back to working 80 hour in-office weeks?

Jun 7, 2023 • 26min
HS049 Evanescent vs Enduring IT
IT organisations tend towards two strategic approaches - enduring, permanent and susatined. Or short term, consumable and fungible IT.

May 23, 2023 • 27min
HS048 Using Personal Product Branding To Be Better Paid Technology Engineer
Many business executives are incompetent scumbags and yet they managed to get the job and get paid serious money. What can technology engineers learn from these fools so that they get the same results aka more money and less work.