Better ROI from Software Development

Occasionally I record an episode exploring something that may commonly be considered good, or common practice, but is actually causing dysfunctional, and unexpected, results in modern software development - and thus would be bad for ROI. This week I want to introduce you to a strange beast, found way too often in our organisations, the HiPPO. While the term might sound comical, its implications in...

In this episode I wanted to explore what it means to be a manager for a development team - and more importantly in the world of diverse, cross-functional, self-managing, value stream teams, does the manager still have a role to play? Picture this: You've successfully built a software development team that's as diverse as it is dynamic. They are cross-functional, self-managing, and entirely...

In this episode I wrap up this series of episodes on transaction-based costing by looking at the common themes and revisiting some of my initial reasons for starting the series. For me the key takeaway is the common theme of constantly rethinking our best practice and adapting to the changing landscape of technology, our organisation, and our markets. ----- Find this episodes show notes at: https:...

In this episode I continue the discussion on transaction-based costing by looking at the relationship with Small Batch Sizes. I began by defining small batch sizes - the breaking of work down into more manageable tasks, which can improve the speed and quality of your output. I then explore how small batch sizes play a pivotal role in transaction-based costing, promoting efficiency and cost-effecti...

In this episode I continue the discussion on transaction-based costing by looking at the relationship with Value Stream Teams. I start by defining value stream teams - cross-functional groups that work towards delivering value from customer request to service delivery. I explore how they fit into the software development landscape, leveraging principles of lean manufacturing for better efficiency....

In episode, I discuss the relationship between transaction-based costing models, serverless computing, and cloud computing in a dynamic business environment. I look at how this model offers flexibility, scalability, and cost-effectiveness by allowing businesses to pay only for the resources they use - and compare this model to the traditional capex/opex model and highlight how the transaction-base...

Are you struggling to track the true return on investment in your software development projects? Traditional CapEx and OpEx models may not be enough in dynamic environments. But don't worry, there's a solution! In this episode, I introduce transaction-based costing. By assigning a cost to each transaction within the software development process, you can achieve better transparency, tighter...

In this episode, I discusses the potential benefits of organization-specific AI Coding Assistants. While AI won't replace developers, it can provide more refined and less generic answers, leading to improved code quality and enhanced productivity within the organization. By tailoring AI Coding Assistants to an organization, it can understand and adapt to project-specific requirements, suggest...

In this episode I discuss the potential negatives of using AI Coding Assistants in software development. I cover topics such as: over-reliance and skill degradation, lack of creativity and innovation, false positives and incorrect suggestions, limitations with domain-specific knowledge, dependency on internet connectivity, adoption and learning curve, and privacy and security concerns. ----- Find...

In this episode, I discusses the expected benefits of using AI Coding Assistants in software development. These benefits include: increased productivity, code optimization, learning and knowledge enhancement, error detection and debugging, collaboration and coding consistency, code documentation, and code completion and suggestions. ----- Find this episodes show notes at: https://red-folder.com/po...

In this episode I discuss the growing use of AI Coding Assistants in software development, particularly large language models like ChatGPT. I explain how AI Coding Assistants can greatly improve productivity and efficiency for developers, with examples of popular products in the market. AI Coding Assistants will not replace developers, but rather enhance their work. ----- Find this episodes show n...

In this episode, I review last weeks conversation with ChatGPT, an artificial intelligence language model developed by OpenAI. I discuss the technology behind ChatGPT, its potential risks and benefits, and the ethical and societal questions it poses. I also talks about my personal experience with ChatGPT and my intention to use it for podcast scripting. ----- Find this episodes show notes at: http...

In this episode, I aim to explain what ChatGPT is and its future for a non-technical managerial audience - and I do this through conversing with ChatGPT. I share this first chat I've had with ChatGPT - with a followup planned for next week to talk through my experience and initial thoughts. ----- Find this episodes show notes at: https://red-folder.com/podcasts/168 Have an idea for an episode...

In this episode, I discusses the LastPass breach that occurred last year and how it has prompted me to improve my password hygiene. I talk about why the breach has led me to move away from LastPass - and how it has provided an opportunity to clean up my password data and reset passwords for critical accounts. I also re-emphasizes the importance of good password hygiene and using multi-factor authe...

In this episode, I discuss my personal experience with Microsoft Certifications and their value in the IT industry. I believe that certifications provide a wider breadth of knowledge that may not be obtained through day-to-day work - but is still no subsitute for experience when it comes to recruitment. ----- Find this episodes show notes at: https://red-folder.com/podcasts/166 Have an idea for an...

In this episode, I introduce the Actor Model as a Design Pattern that can offer faster and more efficient processing by managing state in memory. I discuss potential use cases for the Actor Model, such as in online gaming and IoT sensors, but acknowledge that it is a different development model than traditional approaches. ----- Find this episodes show notes at: https://red-folder.com/podcasts/165...

In this podcast episode, I introduce the concept of design patterns in software development and explain their importance in improving code quality and readability. I give examples of design patterns in everyday life and emphasize how they can speed up the development process by providing tested and proven development paradigms. I also highlight the confusion that can arise when design patterns are...

This is the first episode after a prolonged break - so firstly, an apology for the gap in recordings. In this episode I wanted to talk about why I took a break, the lessons to learn and what I've been up to over the past few months. ----- Find this episodes show notes at: https://red-folder.com/podcasts/163 Have an idea for an episode topic, or want to see what is coming up: https://red-folder...

As we start the new year, its not uncommon for organisations to looks at budgets and general expenditure - and given the current financial outlook, I would have expected many organisations to be taking the time to look at how best to weather the storm. I've found that many organisations typically react with a combination of cost cutting and putting pressure on staff for "more" in such periods. How...

This episode, I wanted to take a quick look at the 2022 edition of the State of DevOps Report. I've talked a number of times about the State of DevOps report. I originally introduced it back in episode 13, and last year I devoted seven episodes, 120-126, to a deep-dive into the 2021 edition. ----- Find this episodes show notes at: https://red-folder.com/podcasts/161 Have an idea for an episode top...

I've long held the belief that Estimation is the source of much dysfunction within Software Development. However, with a New Year, I'll like to take this as an opportunity to revisit my strong opinions on the subject - are they still valid? Are there better ways? In this episode I recap the understandable desire for Software Development Estimations, why I feel that its a source of so much dysfunct...

I originally discussed Gantt charts back in episode 62, but I found more history behind them while researching Scientific Management and Taylorism for episode 156. I originally thought to include this additional history in that episode, but it felt out of place - thus this separate episode to revisit Gantt charts. ----- Find this episodes show notes at: https://red-folder.com/podcasts/159 Have an...

In episode 150, I reintroduced this series with a new pitch. It was my way of taking what I've learnt over the last three years, the last 150 episodes, and almost 33 hours of content and updating the why of the podcast.  Over recent episodes, I've take a deeper dive into the themes of the pitch and why they made the cut. And in this weeks episode, I want to explore the idea that there is no a...

In episode 150, I reintroduced this series with a new pitch. It was my way of taking what I've learnt over the last three years, the last 150 episodes, and almost 33 hours of content and updating the why of the podcast.  Over the coming episodes, I'll take a deeper dive into the themes of the pitch and why they made the cut. In this episode, I look at why Software Development cannot be determ...

In episode 150, I reintroduced this series with a new pitch. It was my way of taking what I've learnt over the last three years, the last 150 episodes, and almost 33 hours of content and updating the why of the podcast.  Over the coming episodes, I'll take a deeper dive into the themes of the pitch and why they made the cut. In this episode, I want to take a deeper dive into the management pr...