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Peter Bogart-Johnson was one of Jane Streetâs first program managers, and helped bring the art of PMingâwhere that âPâ variously stands for âproject,â âproduct,â or some blend of the twoâto the company at large. Heâs also a poet and the editor of a literary magazine. In this episode, Peter and Ron discuss the challenge of gaining trust as an outsider: how do you teach teams a new way of doing things while preserving whatâs already working? The key, Peter says, is you listen; a good PM is an anthropologist. They also discuss how paying down technical debt isnât something you do instead of serving customers; what Jane Street looks for in PM candidates; and how to help teams coordinate in times of great change.
You can find the transcript for this episode  on our website.
Some links to topics that came up in the discussion:
This interview was recorded for GOTO Unscripted.
https://gotopia.tech
Read the full transcription of this interview here
Manuel Pais - Co-Author of the Book "Team Topologies"
Julian Wood - Serverless Developer Advocate at AWSÂ
RESOURCES
Manuel
https://x.com/manupaisable
https://www.manuelpais.net
https://www.linkedin.com/in/manuelpais
https://github.com/manupaisable
Julian
https://bsky.app/profile/julianwood.com
https://twitter.com/julian_wood
http://www.wooditwork.com
https://www.linkedin.com/in/julianrwood
Links
https://teamtopologies.com
https://academy.teamtopologies.com
https://www.teamperature.com
https://itrevolution.com
https://matthewskelton.com
DESCRIPTION
Manuel Pais, co-author of Team Topologies, shares his journey in shaping modern organizational design for fast-flow efficiency with Julian Wood. Reflecting on the widespread impact of the book, Manuel explores how its principles have enabled organizations to redefine team structures, streamline value delivery, and balance cognitive load.
The discussion covers communication challenges, the evolution of platform engineering, and strategies for iterative team reorganization. Manuel also addresses the growing influence of AI in software development, emphasizing the need for human oversight, strategic alignment with value streams, and enabling teams to harness AI effectively. With insights from real-world implementations and evolving trends, this episode provides a comprehensive guide to building adaptable, customer-focused, and innovative organizations.
RECOMMENDED BOOKS
Matthew Skelton & Manuel Pais ⢠Team Topologies
Susanne Kaiser ⢠Adaptive Systems With Domain-Driven Design, Wardley Mapping & Team Topologies
Heidi Helfand ⢠Dynamic Reteaming
Gene Kim, Kevin Behr & George Spafford ⢠The Phoenix Project
Gene Kim, Nicole Forsgren & Jez Humble ⢠Accelerate
Gene Kim, Jez Humble, Patrick Debois, John Willis & Nicole Forsgren ⢠The DevOps Handbook
Jonathan Smart ⢠Sooner Safer Happier
Bluesky
Instagram
LinkedIn
Facebook
CHANNEL MEMBERSHIP BONUS
Join this channel to get early access to videos & other perks:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCs_tLP3AiwYKwdUHpltJPuA/join
Looking for a unique learning experience?
Attend the next GOTO conference near you! Get your ticket: gotopia.tech
SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL - new videos posted daily!
This interview was recorded for the GOTO Book Club.
http://gotopia.tech/bookclub
Read the full transcription of the interview here
Simon Rohrer - Co-Author of "Better Value Sooner Safer Happier" & Senior Director at Saxo Bank
Eduardo da Sliva - Independent Consultant on Organization, Architecture, and Leadership Modernization
RESOURCES
Simon
https://bsky.app/profile/simon.bvssh.com
https://mastodon.social/@simonr
https://x.com/sirohrer
https://www.linkedin.com/in/simonrohrer
https://github.com/sirohrer
https://www.soonersaferhappier.com
Eduardo
https://bsky.app/profile/esilva.net
https://mastodon.social/@eduardodasilva
https://x.com/emgsilva
https://www.linkedin.com/in/emgsilva
https://github.com/emgsilva
https://esilva.net
DESCRIPTION
Eduardo da Silva and Simon Rohrer discuss the core ideas of "Better Value Sooner Safer Happier" diving into the principles of organizational transformation.
Simon shares insights on the shift from output-driven to outcome-focused thinking, emphasizing value over productivity, and the need for continuous improvement in delivery speed, stakeholder satisfaction, and safety.
The conversation explores key concepts like technical excellence, integrating safety into development, and balancing incremental changes with occasional larger steps.
Simon Rohrer discusses organizational patterns and the importance of decentralizing decision-making, recommending a flexible, context-driven approach to transformation. The session concludes with practical advice on how to start implementing these ideas, using the bookâs map to guide organizations toward the right transformation strategy based on their specific goals.
RECOMMENDED BOOKS
Jonathan Smart, Zsolt Berend, Myles Ogilvie & Simon Rohrer ⢠Sooner Safer Happier
Stephen Fishman & Matt McLarty ⢠Unbundling the Enterprise
Carliss Y. Baldwin ⢠Design Rules, Vol. 2
Matthew Skelton & Manuel Pais ⢠Team Topologies
Forsgren, Humble & Kim ⢠Accelerate: The Science of Lean Software and DevOps
Kim, Humble, Debois, Willis & Forsgren ⢠The DevOps Handbook
Bluesky
Instagram
LinkedIn
Facebook
CHANNEL MEMBERSHIP BONUS
Join this channel to get early access to videos & other perks:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCs_tLP3AiwYKwdUHpltJPuA/join
Looking for a unique learning experience?
Attend the next GOTO conference near you! Get your ticket: gotopia.tech
SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL - new videos posted daily!
In this episode, I was joined by Gui Ferreira to chat about one of my favourite topics - life productivity! Where we talked about goal-setting, time management, and productivity in general. We also chatted a bit at the end about testing and AI.
Guilherme Ferreira, also known as Gui, is a Minimalist Software Craftsman, passionate about simplicity and continuous learning. Gui is a Microsoft MVP for Developer Technologies, a Tech Speaker, a YouTuber, and a .NET content creator. With over 15 years of experience in software development, Gui went from Startups to Tech Giants. Along his journey, he got to know several hats, including Software Engineer, Architect, CTO, and Developer Advocate, gathering a diverse and invaluable skill set.
For a full list of show notes, or to add comments - please see the website here
Supported by Our Partners
â˘â Statsig â â â The unified platform for flags, analytics, experiments, and more.
⢠Graphite â The AI developer productivity platform.
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Thereâs no shortage of bold claims about AI and developer productivity, but how do you separate signal from noise?
In this episode of The Pragmatic Engineer, Iâm joined by Laura Tacho, CTO at DX, to cut through the hype and share how well (or not) AI tools are actually working inside engineering orgs. Laura shares insights from DXâs research across 180+ companies, including surprising findings about where developers save the most time, why devs donât use AI at all, and what kinds of rollouts lead to meaningful impact.
We also discuss:Â
⢠The problem with oversimplified AI headlines and how to think more critically about them
⢠An overview of the DX AI Measurement framework
⢠Learnings from Booking.comâs AI tool rollout
⢠Common reasons developers arenât using AI tools
⢠Why using AI tools sometimes decreases developer satisfaction
⢠Surprising results from DXâs 180+ company study
⢠How AI-generated documentation differs from human-written docs
⢠Why measuring developer experience before rolling out AI is essential
⢠Why Laura thinks roadmaps are on their way out
⢠And much more!
â
Timestamps
(00:00) Intro
(01:23) Lauraâs take on AI overhyped headlinesÂ
(10:46) Common questions Laura gets about AI implementationÂ
(11:49) How to measure AIâs impactÂ
(15:12) Why acceptance rate and lines of code are not sufficient measures of productivity
(18:03) The Booking.com case study
(20:37) Why some employees are not using AIÂ
(24:20) What developers are actually saving time onÂ
(29:14) What happens with the time savings
(31:10) The surprising results from the DORA report on AI in engineeringÂ
(33:44) A hypothesis around AI and flow state and the importance of talking to developers
(35:59) Whatâs working in AI architectureÂ
(42:22) Learnings from WorkHumanâs adoption of CopilotÂ
(47:00) Consumption-based pricing, and the difficulty of allocating resources to AIÂ
(52:01) What DX Core 4 measuresÂ
(55:32) The best outcomes of implementing AIÂ
(58:56) Why highly regulated industries are having the best results with AI rollout
(1:00:30) Indeedâs structured AI rolloutÂ
(1:04:22) Why migrations might be a good use case for AI (and a tip for doing it!)Â
(1:07:30) Advice for engineering leads looking to get better at AI tooling and implementationÂ
(1:08:49) Rapid fire round
â
The Pragmatic Engineer deepdives relevant for this episode:
⢠AI Engineering in the real world
⢠Measuring software engineering productivity
⢠The AI Engineering stack
⢠A new way to measure developer productivity â from the creators of DORA and SPACE
â
See the transcript and other references from the episode at â â https://newsletter.pragmaticengineer.com/podcastâ â
â
Production and marketing by â â â â â â â â https://penname.co/â â â â â â â â . For inquiries about sponsoring the podcast, email [email protected].
In this episode, Christian Pichnick, co-founder and CEO of Wandelbots, discusses the future of robotics and automation, the challenges and opportunities for tech startups in Europe, and the impact of AI on manufacturing. He emphasizes the need for a shift in mindset towards innovation and the importance of having a clear vision for the future. The conversation also touches on the macroeconomic changes affecting the tech ecosystem and strategies for founding successful companies in Europe.
Christian Piechnick
Christian Piechnick is the CEO and co-founder of Wandelbots, a Dresden-based robotics startup revolutionizing industrial automation through its hardware-agnostic NOVA operating system, launched in 2024 to simplify robot programming using modern IT tools like Python. A former TU Dresden researcher in adaptive software architectures, he pivoted Wandelbots from hardware solutions like the TracePen to a software-first strategy in 2023, prioritizing scalable automation platforms. Under his leadership, the company secured over âŹ113 million in funding from investors including Microsoft, Siemens, and Insight Partners, establishing partnerships with NVIDIA and 3M to integrate AI capabilities. Recognized as Germanyâs "Newcomer of the Year" in 2020, Piechnick aims to democratize robotics by enabling non-experts to deploy industrial robots across sectors like manufacturing and food production. His vision positions Wandelbots as a global leader in accessible automation, challenging traditional robotics paradigms while fostering Dresdenâs emergence as a tech innovation hub.
LinkedIn:Â https://www.linkedin.com/in/christian-piechnick/
Wandelbots:Â https://www.wandelbots.com/
Stellar Work:
Check out â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â www.stellarwork.comâ â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â  for more information about how evolutionary agile transformations work
Make sure to follow us on your podcast player đ as well as on LinkedIn to never miss out on more content:Â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â https://www.linkedin.com/company/stellarwork/â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â
Sponsors:
This podcast is 100% sponsored by me :)
If you need help with you agile transformation and opting for an evolutionary approach seems like something you want to check out, click here and lets meet:Â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â https://zeeg.me/stellarwork
Note:
Stellar Work Podcast hosts and guests may hold assets discussed in this episode. This podcast is not investment advice, and is intended for informational and entertainment purposes only.
You should do your own research and make your own independent decisions when considering any financial transactions.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Robotics and Wanderbots
05:54 Founding a Tech Company in Europe vs. Silicon Valley
11:48 AI's Role in Manufacturing and Innovation
17:48 Navigating a Fractured Market in Europe
24:41 Risk Aversion in European Innovation
30:23 Building a Global Relevant Player
35:31 Moving Ahead of the Wave in Technology
37:36 Podcast Redesign and Feedback
37:36 Future Directions and Professionalism
In this episode of the Stellar Work Podcast, Benjamin interviews Andrei Savine, a transformation leader with over 20 years of experience. They discuss the challenges of digital transformations, the importance of data in decision-making, and how AI can enhance management practices. Andrei shares insights on his platform, CapabiliSense, which aims to streamline transformation processes by analyzing organizational documents and providing evidence-based assessments. The conversation also touches on the cultural shifts needed for successful transformations and the future of AI in organizational settings.
Andrei Savine
With over two decades of hands-on experience leading transformation at global organizations such as AWS, Decathlon, and Airbus, Andrei is a recognized Transformation Leader known for making change initiatives deliver real results. Throughout his career, he has specialized in designing operating models, steering complex programs, and ensuring that transformation efforts translate into measurable outcomes. Having seen firsthand how recurring challenges can undermine even the most promising initiatives, Andrei is now building CapabiliSenseâan AI platform that analyzes an organizationâs existing documents to deliver a clear, evidence-based assessment of their readiness for change. Drawing on his extensive experience, Andrei is dedicated to helping organizations sidestep common pitfalls and achieve their most important goals more quickly and effectively.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/savine/
Andrei on Medium: https://medium.com/@andreisavine
Stellar Work:
Check out â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â www.stellarwork.comâ â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â  for more information about how evolutionary agile transformations work
Make sure to follow us on your podcast player đ as well as on LinkedIn to never miss out on more content:Â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â https://www.linkedin.com/company/stellarwork/â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â
Sponsors:
This podcast is 100% sponsored by me :)
If you need help with you agile transformation and opting for an evolutionary approach seems like something you want to check out, click here and lets meet:Â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â https://zeeg.me/stellarworkâ
Note:
Stellar Work Podcast hosts and guests may hold assets discussed in this episode. This podcast is not investment advice, and is intended for informational and entertainment purposes only.
You should do your own research and make your own independent decisions when considering any financial transactions.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Andrei Savin
03:34 Understanding Transformations: Beyond Cloud
13:23 The Role of Capability Sense in Transformations
22:17 AI and Data in Organizational Transformation
33:02 Cultural Shifts and Change Management
38:28 Real-World Applications and Lessons Learned
49:32 Introduction to Stellar Work Podcast
50:00 Engagement and Community Building
In this episode of the Stellarwork Podcast, Benjamin interviews Alisa Stolze, a Scrum at Scale trainer and author, discussing practical leadership tips, the importance of habits in team dynamics, and effective time management strategies. Alisa emphasizes the need for transparency in teams and how small changes can lead to significant improvements in productivity and team morale.
Alisa Stolze:
Alisa Stolze is the first German certified Scrum@Scale, Registered Scrum by Scrum Inc., and eduScrum trainer in Germany. She works within the trainer network Scrum Events, at Common Sense Team GmbH, and for Scrum Inc., the company founded by Scrum creator Dr. Jeff Sutherland. Since 2019, Alisa has been one of the Scrum Inc. Trainer Fellows, responsible for the training of Scrum Inc. Scrum trainers.
By training, Alisa is a state-certified musical performer and has worked both as a musical actress and as Germanyâs first live audio describer for shows on ARD, ZDF, ORF, and NDR. Her passion for quality entertainment, including in the business sector, remains evident today through her co-organization of conferences such as Scrum Day, Women in Agile Europe, Scrum@Scale Summit, and her own podcast âZusammen mehr Elefant,â which focuses on holistic organizational development from a Lean and Agile perspective
Alisas LinkedIn: â https://www.linkedin.com/in/alisastolze/
Alisas Book: https://www.wiley-vch.de/de?option=com_eshop&view=product&isbn=9783527512461
Podcast Zusammen mehr Elefant: https://pod.librescrum.org/@zusammen_mehr_elefant/links
Stellar Work:
Check out â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â www.stellarwork.comâ â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â  for more information about how evolutionary agile transformations work
Make sure to follow us on your podcast player đ as well as on LinkedIn to never miss out on more content:Â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â https://www.linkedin.com/company/stellarwork/â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â
Sponsors:
This podcast is 100% sponsored by me :)
If you need help with you agile transformation and opting for an evolutionary approach seems like something you want to check out, click here and lets meet:Â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â https://zeeg.me/stellarworkâ â
Note:
Stellar Work Podcast hosts and guests may hold assets discussed in this episode. This podcast is not investment advice, and is intended for informational and entertainment purposes only.
You should do your own research and make your own independent decisions when considering any financial transactions.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Background
03:40 The Journey of Writing a Book
06:22 Insights on Agile Practices
09:16 Training and Coaching Dynamics
12:18 Evolving Questions in Agile Training
15:08 Current Challenges in Team Leadership
18:09 Understanding Switching Costs
21:06 The Importance of Buffer Time
24:01 Time Management and Productivity
27:08 Key Habits for Effective Leadership
29:58 The Role of Transparency in Teams
32:48 Final Thoughts and Conclusion
Description
In this episode of the Stellar Work Podcast, Benjamin and Stefan Roock discuss the recently published Scrum Guide Expansion Pack. They explore its key features, challenges, and the implications of AI in Scrum practices. The conversation delves into the complexity of the expansion pack, the evolving role of stakeholders, and the future of AI in agile methodologies. Stefan shares his insights on the need for a deeper understanding of Scrum and the importance of adapting practices to fit specific contexts.
-> Scrum Guide Expansion Pack: https://scrumexpansion.org/
Stefan Roock:
Since 1999, Stefan Roock has been an influential figure in the dissemination and evolution of innovative working and organizational approaches within Germany. He was an early adopter and champion of agile methodologies, including Scrum, Kanban, and even less mainstream approaches like Feature-Driven Development (FDD).
He has served as a trusted coach and consultant for large-scale transformations involving hundreds to thousands of people, including prominent engagements at mobile.de and Deutsche Telekom.
Stefan is a highly sought-after speaker, regularly sharing his insights at conferences, user groups, and within companies. His intellectual contributions are also evident in his extensive publishing record, which includes numerous books and articles. Among his significant works are "Innovative agile Teamkonzepte," "Agile Leadership," "Scrum - verstehen und erfolgreich einsetzen," "Agile Unternehmen," and "Agile Verträge," all of which underscore his profound influence on agile thought leadership.
Stellar Work:
Check out â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â www.stellarwork.comâ â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â  for more information about how evolutionary agile transformations work
Make sure to follow us on your podcast player đ as well as on LinkedIn to never miss out on more content:Â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â https://www.linkedin.com/company/stellarwork/â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â
Sponsors:
This podcast is 100% sponsored by me :)
If you need help with you agile transformation and opting for an evolutionary approach seems like something you want to check out, click here and lets meet:Â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â â https://zeeg.me/stellarworkâ â
Note:
Stellar Work Podcast hosts and guests may hold assets discussed in this episode. This podcast is not investment advice, and is intended for informational and entertainment purposes only.
You should do your own research and make your own independent decisions when considering any financial transactions.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to the Scrum Guide Expansion Pack
07:29 Insights on the Expansion Pack's Content
13:41 Challenges with Complexity and Understanding
16:20 The Role of Stakeholders in Scrum
23:01 The Impact of AI on Scrum Teams
32:42 Speed vs. Outcome in Agile Practices
37:39 Key Insights and Takeaways
From the publisher's feed