Dev Interrupted

The debate on measuring developer productivity has arrived - and it’s here to stay. On this week’s episode of Dev Interrupted, cohost Conor Bronsdon welcomes LinearB cofounder & CEO Ori Keren and Kelly Vaughn, Director of Engineering at Spot AI, to offer their critiques of a debate that has captured the attention of the engineering community: can you measure developer productivity?Consulting giant McKinsey published an article that ignited a firestorm, prompting industry leaders Kent Beck and Gergely Orosz to counter with a detailed 2-part response via the Pragmatic Engineer.Believing the industry to be at a crossroads, Ori and Kelly combine forces to offer their perspective on the debate, sharing why it’s an opportunity for dev teams everywhere to “roll out metrics the right way.”Show Notes:The McKinsey article: Yes, you can measure software developer productivityOrosz & Beck 1: Measuring developer productivity? A response to McKinsey, Part 1Orosz & Beck 2: Measuring developer productivity? A response to McKinsey, Part 2CTO Board SlidesKelly's newsletter: Lessons in Engineering LeadershipRegister for the 2023 Engineering Benchmarks Report Release WebinarSupport the show: Subscribe to our Substack Leave us a review Subscribe on YouTube Follow us on Twitter or LinkedIn Offers: Learn about Continuous Merge with gitStream Get your DORA Metrics free forever

Thiago Ghisi, Director of Engineering at Nubank, discusses the essential skills and key attributes of engineering leaders. They talk about efficient decision-making, developing new features, taking ownership and responsibility, and the four Ps of engineering leadership. The episode also includes promotions for the guest's podcast and the show's Substack.

Thiago Ghisi, Director of Engineering at Nubank, discusses the journey to becoming an engineering manager, the four C's paradigm for career management, skills and qualities for engineering managers, tips to stand out in the interview process, and the benefits of promoting from within the same company.

Simone Casciaroli, Head of Engineering at Onto, discusses building engineering platforms with the right metrics. They explore HEAT metrics and their alignment with established engineering standards like DORA. They also delve into the challenges and benefits of platform efficiency. The podcast concludes with a conversation about Onto, an electric vehicle startup offering subscriptions for hassle-free owning. They discuss the future of the electric car market and industry changes.

Kelly Vaughn, Director of Engineering at Spot AI, discusses the decision-making process behind opening a new office abroad, including country selection and navigating timezones and cultural differences. She also shares insights on ground-level practices like using local recruiters and strategies for discussing equities and contractor partnerships.

Debosmit Ray, the Co-founder & CEO of DevZero, discusses the challenges developers face due to inadequate internal tools. He highlights the importance of investing in internal tooling for productivity and bridging the gap between engineers and users. The podcast also explores the future of cloud-based development environments and provides insights on pitching engineering teams and promoting DevZero.

On this week’s episode of Dev Interrupted, host Dan Lines speaks with Mike Hamrah, CTO at Flowcode. Together, the two detail the fundamental responsibility of developers and tech leaders: shipping code. Mike shares a candid view of the industry's current state, lamenting how the focus on code shipping is getting lost amidst the complexities of agile methodologies, stand-up meetings, and sprint planning. He urges developers and leaders alike to recenter their conversations on the essence of their roles, serving as a call to action in the episode and reminding listeners of the importance of understanding what code needs to be written and the purpose it serves, all while avoiding detrimental practices that can hinder long-term development success.Dan and Mike end the episode with a conversation on goalsetting and OKRs, translating classic business goals into engineering execution and emphasizing the need to turn general business goals into concrete, actionable plans.Show Notes:Learn more about Flowcode at flowcode.comFlowcode is hiring!Support the show: Subscribe to our Substack Leave us a review Subscribe on YouTube Follow us on Twitter or LinkedIn Offers: Learn about Continuous Merge with gitStream Get your DORA Metrics free forever

On this week’s episode of Dev Interrupted, co-host Conor Bronsdon and Ben Lloyd Pearson, LinearB’s Director of Developer Relations, detail the evolution of Continuous Merge and the tool behind it, gitStream. Joining the conversation is Nik LeBlanc, VP of Engineering at DevCycle. Nik shares the ways his team is using gitStream to streamline code reviews and offers practical advice for anyone looking to implement the tool on their own team. He also explores the somewhat controversial practice of splitting up and reshuffling engineering teams, a strategy that DevCycle has used to great effect. Nik finds that this practice helps balance teams, manage diverse knowledge bases, and de-risk the organization.Conor and Ben wrap up the conversation by casting an eye on the future, focusing on the potential and direction of gitStream.Show Notes:Guide to Continuous Merge StandardsEvery pull request is unique: treat them that way with gitStreamAbout DevCycleDevCycle's Continuous Merge blog postNikolas LeBlanc (@nikolasleblanc) / Twitter Support the show: Subscribe to our Substack Leave us a review Subscribe on YouTube Follow us on Twitter or LinkedIn Offers: Learn about Continuous Merge with gitStream Get your DORA Metrics free forever

Amid the escalating buzz surrounding AI tools, many development teams grapple with deciding which ones suit their needs best, when to adopt them, and the potential risks of not doing so. As AI continues to pose more questions than answers, the fear of falling behind the competition lurks for many.This week's episode of Dev Interrupted aims to dispel these uncertainties by welcoming CodiumAI’s founder & CEO, Itamar Friedman. In one of our most illuminating discussions this year, Itamar pierces through the AI hype, explaining what AI tools bring to the table, how to discern the ones that would truly augment your dev teams, and the strategies to efficiently identify and experiment with new tools.Beyond the allure of AI, Itamar doesn't shy away from addressing its pitfalls and adversarial risks. He also probes into the future of the developer's role in an increasingly AI-driven landscape, answering the question: “Will there be developers in 10 years?”Show Notes:Learn more about CodiumAIRead CodiumAI's blogCodium's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/codiumaiItamar's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/itamarf/Itamar's Twitter: @itamar_marSupport the show: Subscribe to our Substack Leave us a review Subscribe on YouTube Follow us on Twitter or LinkedIn Offers: Learn about Continuous Merge with gitStream Get your DORA Metrics free forever

On this week’s episode of Dev Interrupted, co-host Conor Bronsdon welcomes Francisco Trindade, Director of Engineering at Braze, to discuss strategies to improve collaboration and effectiveness within engineering teams. Francisco notes a shift in the tech industry over the past decade from focusing on rapid hiring and individual growth to a need for more effective team dynamics. Criticizing the tech industry's aversion to micromanagement, he argues that it has inadvertently resulted in a lack of focus on team effectiveness and proposes a renewed emphasis on fostering productive environments for engineers to fully realize their potential.Show Notes:Braze is hiring!Accelerate State of DevOps SurveySupport the show: Subscribe to our Substack Leave us a review Subscribe on YouTube Follow us on Twitter or LinkedIn Offers: Learn about Continuous Merge with gitStream Get your DORA Metrics free forever