Frontmatter

In this interview, Leanpub co-founder Len Epp talks with Maciej “MJ” Jedrzejewski, author of the Leanpub book Master Software Architecture: A Pragmatic Guide.

MJ, based in Switzerland, is a software developer, architect, and tech lead with extensive experience in the IT industry. He discusses his background, starting from his early fascination with hardware and overclocking processors in Poland, to his transition into software development and architecture, now working in Switzerland.

The interview covers MJ’s journey from software development to becoming a software architect. He explains how his career highlights the importance of understanding both technical and business aspects when designing software. In his book, MJ offers a practical guide for navigating the complexities of software architecture, emphasizing the need for pragmatic solutions that can evolve with the business.

MJ delves into the definition of software architecture, explaining that each architect may have a different perspective. For him, software architecture is a pragmatic and holistic approach to building software that includes understanding the business domain, deployment strategies, security, and testing. One of the key points he makes is about focusing on evolutionary architecture, where systems can adapt and grow over time.

A major theme of the discussion is the importance of understanding the business domain in software architecture. MJ describes how architects need to break down the problem into smaller subdomains and ensure that everyone on the team is aligned on the language and processes. He also discusses techniques such as “eventstorming” and domain storytelling, which are crucial for uncovering the right requirements and designing systems that meet business needs.

The conversation touches on key topics from MJ’s book, including release strategies and security. He explains how to plan for different types of releases - whether you’re deploying directly to production or working within a more regulated environment. MJ also highlights the importance of testing early and often, using strategies like automated testing and continuous integration to ensure systems are robust and scalable.

Another important focus of the interview is security. MJ discusses best practices, such as using static analysis tools, encryption, and partnering with third-party services for penetration testing. He emphasizes the need for automation in security processes and the importance of identifying potential vulnerabilities early in the development cycle.

Finally, MJ shares insights into how he approached writing Master Software Architecture. He spent years collecting ideas before fully dedicating himself to writing the book over a five-month period. He describes his disciplined yet flexible writing process, where he focused on creating clear and actionable content, complete with over 230 images and diagrams to support practical learning.

Listen to the full episode here.

This interview was recorded on September 5, 2024.

The full audio for the interview is here: https://s3.amazonaws.com/leanpub_podcasts/FM303-Maciej-MJ-Jedrzejewski-2024-09-05.mp3. The Frontmatter podcast is available on our YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/leanpub, in Apple Podcasts here https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/frontmatter/id517117137, and almost everywhere else people listen to podcasts.

This interview has been edited for conciseness and clarity.

Todd Miller and Ryan Ripley are the authors of the Leanpub book Fixing Your Scrum: Practical Solutions to Common Scrum Problems.

In this episode of the Frontmatter podcast, Ryan and Todd share their individual career journeys to becoming expert trainers in the Scrum framework and their deep insights in how to improve when things go wrong in your organization.

Ryan, based in Indiana, reflects on his time working in various industries, including work on medical devices, and the pivotal moment when he was introduced to Scrum in 2010 during a training session with Ken Schwaber, co-creator of Scrum. Ryan describes how this experience transformed his approach to project management and led him to embrace Scrum as a core practice in his work.

Similarly, Todd, based in Maryland, recounts his shift from software development to becoming a product owner and his introduction to Scrum, which helped him streamline processes in various projects.

The episode covers the origin and evolution of Scrum, which began with the 1986 Harvard Business Review article “The New New Product Development Game” by Takeuchi and Nonaka. This work inspired the creation of the Scrum framework by Ken Schwaber and Jeff Sutherland in the mid-1990s.

Ryan and Todd explain how Scrum helps organizations tackle complex work by providing a flexible framework with key elements such as Scrum events, accountabilities, and artifacts. They discuss the importance of roles in Scrum, and how these roles collaborate to deliver value incrementally.

One of the key insights from the interview is how Scrum can go wrong in organizations when it is misused or misunderstood. Todd highlights examples of “bad Scrum” or “zombie Scrum,” where teams claim to be using Scrum but are actually applying old waterfall-style project management techniques. They explain how their book offers practical solutions to help teams identify and correct these issues.

The discussion also touches on the values of Scrum—focus, openness, commitment, courage, and respect — and how these values underpin successful Scrum implementations.

Ryan and Todd emphasize the importance of applying these values, particularly when dealing with challenges such as miscommunication, hidden issues in organizations, and the pressure to deliver.

In the final part of the interview, Ryan and Todd discuss the process of writing Fixing Your Scrum and the challenges they faced releasing the book just before the COVID-19 pandemic. They share their journey of getting the rights back from their publisher to update and re-release the book, and how they are now using LeanPub to promote and manage its ongoing success.

This interview was recorded on September 4, 2024.

The full audio for the interview is here: https://s3.amazonaws.com/leanpub_podcasts/FM302-Todd-Miller-and-Ryan-Ripley-2024-09-04.mp3. The Frontmatter podcast is available on our YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/leanpub, in Apple Podcasts here https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/frontmatter/id517117137, and almost everywhere else people listen to podcasts.

This interview has been edited for conciseness and clarity.

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Eric Elliott is the author of the Leanpub book The Art of Effortless Programming: Unleashing the Power of AI Driven Development.

In this interview, Leanpub co-founder Len Epp talks with Eric about his early fascination with AI, starting from when he was six years old, writing text-based adventure games, and developing his first neural network in the late 90s.

Eric shares his career journey, from pioneering AI-driven development, to his role at Adobe Firefly, focusing on generative AI. He explains key breakthroughs in AI technology, including the significance of the 2017 paper “Attention Is All You Need” that introduced the Transformer model, which revolutionized natural language processing and paved the way for large language models like GPT-3 and GPT-4.

The conversation covers the concept of “functional understanding” in AI, where models exhibit an ability to solve problems, reason, and provide explanations much like humans, without necessarily being conscious. Eric clarifies the distinction between functional and conscious understanding and delves into the debate over AI’s capabilities and limitations. He emphasizes the importance of adopting a practical approach to AI development, treating it like collaborating with a human coworker.

Eric also discusses the role of pseudocode languages like SudoLang, a language designed for AI-driven development. He explains how tools like SudoLang can significantly boost developer productivity, enabling even non-programmers to build complex software solutions by leveraging AI capabilities.

The episode concludes with a discussion on the future of AI in software development and the broader impacts on industries, society, and the economy. Eric anticipates that AI will continue to disrupt job markets while also creating opportunities for innovation and growth. He advocates for preparing for these changes by embracing AI tools and methodologies in the software development processes.

This interview was recorded on August 29, 2024.

The full audio for the interview is here: https://s3.amazonaws.com/leanpub_podcasts/FM301-Eric-Elliott-2024-08-29.mp3. The Frontmatter podcast is available on our YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/leanpub, in Apple Podcasts here https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/frontmatter/id517117137, and almost everywhere else people listen to podcasts.

This interview has been edited for conciseness and clarity.

Michael Feathers is the author of the Leanpub book AI Assisted Programming.

In this episode of the FrontMatter podcast, host Len Epp interviews Michael Feathers, founder of R7K Research and Conveyance. Michael delves into his career journey, from his early interest in technology to becoming a prominent voice in software design and the challenges of working with legacy code.

The conversation begins with Michael sharing his background, detailing how his fascination with technology evolved from his childhood into a professional career focused on software engineering. He discusses the significance of legacy code in the industry, explaining how it presents both challenges and opportunities for developers. Michael’s expertise in this area has made him a key figure in helping companies navigate and modernize their existing codebases.

A major focus of the interview is Michael’s insights on the growing influence of AI in programming. He discusses the potential of AI to change the way developers work, highlighting both the opportunities and the concerns associated with AI-assisted development. Michael emphasizes the need for developers to adapt to these changes and to consider how AI can be used to enhance, rather than replace, human creativity and problem-solving in software development.

The discussion also touches on the emotional aspects of coding, where Michael talks about the frustrations and rewards that come with programming. He reflects on how dealing with legacy code can be emotionally taxing but also deeply satisfying when solutions are found. This leads to a broader conversation about the future of software development in an increasingly AI-driven world, where Michael offers his thoughts on how the industry might evolve and the skills that developers will need to thrive.

To learn more about Michael Feathers and his work, you can visit the R7K Research and Conveyance website or follow him on Twitter.

This interview was recorded on August 14, 2024.

The full audio for the interview is here: https://s3.amazonaws.com/leanpub_podcasts/FM300-Michael-Feathers-2024-08-14.mp3. The Frontmatter podcast is available on our YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/leanpub, in Apple Podcasts here https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/frontmatter/id517117137, and almost everywhere else people listen to podcasts.

This interview has been edited for conciseness and clarity.

In this episode of the FrontMatter podcast, host Len Epp interviews Eric Wise, author of Effectively Learning to Code: A Brain-Based Approach. Based in Cleveland, Eric is a software architect turned learning expert who has founded and led successful companies while honing his passion for creating impactful learning experiences. His book bridges the gap between cognitive science and coding education, offering strategies rooted in brain science to help aspiring developers learn to code more effectively.

The conversation starts with Eric’s origin story. He grew up in Ohio and was inspired to pursue coding after being introduced to the Atari gaming system and the Commodore 64 by his father. Although initially drawn to game development, he shifted to business programming after recognizing the instability and demanding nature of the gaming industry. Eric discusses his successful career in enterprise architecture and consulting, highlighting his transition from working for large companies like Microsoft to joining smaller firms where he had more influence.

Eric delves into his management experience, sharing lessons learned about effective communication and leadership. He emphasizes the importance of understanding how people learn, which became a focus when he started building his own coding bootcamp. Through his experiences, Eric realized that many teaching methods lack essential learning science principles, such as active learning, spaced repetition, and project-based approaches. His book and online content aim to fill this gap by incorporating scientifically backed strategies that facilitate better long-term retention and skill development.

The interview also explores Eric’s insights on mentorship, where he describes the value of having a mentor to guide learners through the often overwhelming amount of information available. He notes that good mentorship involves meeting learners where they are, understanding their challenges, and helping them build foundational skills. This approach aligns with the advice he gives on effective studying—encouraging note-taking, journaling, and breaking down complex problems into manageable steps.

In discussing content creation, Eric shares how he approaches building educational materials by first identifying the needs of his audience. He emphasizes the importance of structuring content based on real learner feedback, which he often gathers from online communities like Reddit. His content strategy involves not just presenting information but ensuring that learners actively engage with it through exercises, project work, and reflective practices like journaling.

Eric also touches on the future of software development in light of AI advancements. While some fear that AI might replace developers, Eric is optimistic that AI will serve as a tool that enhances productivity rather than replacing human expertise. He advises developers to focus on building a broad foundation of knowledge rather than specializing in a single technology, as this adaptability will be key in navigating the evolving tech landscape.

To learn more about Eric and his work, visit SkillFoundry.io or follow him on YouTube and Twitter.

This interview was recorded on August 12, 2024.

The full audio for the interview is here: https://s3.amazonaws.com/leanpub_podcasts/FM299-Eric-Wise-2024-08.mp3. The Frontmatter podcast is available on our YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/leanpub, in Apple Podcasts here https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/frontmatter/id517117137, and almost everywhere else people listen to podcasts.

This interview has been edited for conciseness and clarity.

Gojko Adzic is the author of the Leanpub book Lizard Optimization: Unlock Product Growth by Engaging Long-Tail Users. In this interview, Leanpub co-founder Len Epp talks with Gojko about what he’s been up to since he was first on the podcast, managing hugely successful products with really small teams, and his new book about how to think about outlier customers.

This interview was recorded on August 8, 2024.

The full audio for the interview is here: https://s3.amazonaws.com/leanpub_podcasts/FM298-Gojko-Adzic-2024-08-08.mp3. The Frontmatter podcast is available on our YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/leanpub, in Apple Podcasts here https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/frontmatter/id517117137, and almost everywhere else people listen to podcasts.

This interview has been edited for conciseness and clarity.

Thad McIlroy is the author of the Leanpub book The AI Revolution in Book Publishing: A Concise Guide to Navigating Artificial Intelligence for Writers and Publishers. In this interview, Leanpub co-founder Len Epp talks with Thad about about his new book, and many of the important questions for both authors and books publishers in our current era of technological innovation in the area of artificial intellegence.

This interview was recorded on August 6, 2024.

The full audio for the interview is here: https://s3.amazonaws.com/leanpub_podcasts/FM297-Thad-McIlroy-2024-08-06.mp3. The Frontmatter podcast is available on our YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/leanpub, in Apple Podcasts here https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/frontmatter/id517117137, and almost everywhere else people listen to podcasts.

Peter Stevens is the author of the Leanpub book The Illustrated Guide to Scrum: Scrum Explained Through Infographics. In this interview, Leanpub co-founder Len Epp talks with Peter about his background and career, manufacturing innovations and what it means to be a “Musk” company, Scrum, and about his approach to writing and illustrating for professionals.

This interview was recorded on July 18, 2024.

The full audio for the interview is here: https://s3.amazonaws.com/leanpub_podcasts/FM296-Peter-Stevens-2024-07-18.mp3. The Frontmatter podcast is available on our YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/leanpub, in Apple Podcasts here https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/frontmatter/id517117137, and almost everywhere else people listen to podcasts.

This interview has been edited for conciseness and clarity.

Leo Tam is the author of Truth Engine: Applying AI to Investing. In this interview, Leanpub co-founder Len Epp talks with Leo about his background and career, his academic research and his time working at NVIDA, the deep applications of AI in investing, and about his writing process.

This interview was recorded on June 17, 2024.

The full audio for the interview is here: https://s3.amazonaws.com/leanpub_podcasts/FM-295-Leonidas-Tam-2024-06-17.mp3. The Frontmatter podcast is available on our YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/leanpub, in Apple Podcasts here https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/frontmatter/id517117137, and almost everywhere else people listen to podcasts.

This interview has been edited for conciseness and clarity.

Stephan Schmidt is the author of the Leanpub book Amazing CTO: The Missing Manual for Managing. In this interview, Leanpub co-founder Len Epp talks with Stephan about his background and career, his book and the challenges of being a CTO, and how to prepare for and thrive in that role, and also about his writing process.

This interview was recorded on June 12, 2024.

The full audio for the interview is here: https://s3.amazonaws.com/leanpub_podcasts/FM294-Stephan-Schmidt-2024-06-12.mp3. The Frontmatter podcast is available on our YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/leanpub, in Apple Podcasts here https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/frontmatter/id517117137, and almost everywhere else people listen to podcasts.

This interview has been edited for conciseness and clarity.