Nickolas Means on Software Engineering, Data Liability, and Good Coffee

In this episode, we have a fascinating conversation with Nickolas Means, the VP of software development at Sym. Nickolas shares his insights on software engineering, data liability, and of course, good coffee. Nickolas starts off by sharing his love for audiobooks, particularly those narrated by the talented Wil Wheaton. He also recommends a management book called "Turn the Ship Around" by Admiral David Marche, which explores the importance of autonomy and ownership in improving performance. The conversation then turns to the topic of shame in the software engineering industry. Nickolas emphasizes the impact of shame on silencing voices and discouraging vulnerability within teams. They discuss imposter syndrome and the subjective nature of judging someone's skills, delving into the Dunning Kruger effect. Drawing lessons from physical engineering disasters, Nickolas shares the importance of early recognition and admission of mistakes, highlighting the need for a blameless mindset in software engineering. They also explore the impact of organizational culture on agile processes and the value of implementing meaningful controls for compliance. In addition to his expertise in software engineering, Nickolas shares his passion for pour-over coffee and reveals his obsession with perfecting his daily cup. So grab your favorite brew and join us for this engaging conversation on software engineering, data liability, and the pursuit of excellence. Let's dive into another thought-provoking episode of Data Driven!Show Notes[00:00:00] Nick Means discusses shame and software engineering. [00:04:46] Loud voices silence others; vulnerability is key. [00:09:16] What can we learn from physical engineering? [00:10:01] Engineering disasters teach human error in steel. [00:13:58] VP of software development interested in disasters. [00:16:37] Learn, not blame. Safety 2 perspective. [00:20:16] Big Agile vs. little a Agile explained. [00:25:39] DevOps leads to improved engineering efficiencies and cost savings. [00:29:25] Emergence of data regulations in government and industry. [00:30:33] Spirit of law makes compliance easier, safer. [00:35:51] Useless ash turned profitable by steel mills. [00:38:34] Uncle's Amiga sparked love for computers. [00:40:44] Increasingly humane tech interaction; a historic shift. [00:45:35] Favorite narrators and management book recommendations. [00:48:12] Intriguing episode of data-driven with Nick Means.