Fernando Cardenas

Great article defining an MVP in detail from Ben Yoskovitz. Also gives a solid argument against the "L" of my SLC (https://lnkd.in/g9yRi9-B).

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The term “Developer Ecosystem” has been rolling around in my brain lately, so let’s discuss. Here’s the problem I’m noticing. The term #developerexperience is experiencing a similar problem to the term #technicaldebt. It correctly explains the problem for folks who have experience working in software and organizational systems that are inefficient and ineffective. The struggle of just getting good work out the door is real, and we know how we could make things better. We get it, so using these terms feels good because we finally have a phrase that describes a more abstract concept that we feel is important. But the value we feel in using these terms in our familiar domain doesn’t quite translate to people who don’t have experience working as or with software developers. The meaning gets lost in translation and the people who have the most influence into what organizational initiatives get funded can’t conceptualize the benefit. As I’m observing the trends in the #devex movement, I’m seeing that metrics like DORA, SPACE and the DevEx Model are highly focused on an *integrated* experience, not an *individual* experience. It’s about ensuring developers are working in concert with the organizational system instead of fighting it. The struggle is often strong and significant, but it’s easy to think it’s trivial if you haven’t been there. This nuance is pretty hidden, so it’s understandable when it gets glossed over or misinterpreted. I think this is why folks in other domains think about DevEx as emphasizing the productivity of individuals or assuming that devs want to be pampered and treated better than their colleagues. I’m curious if framing the overall problem as ecosystem health would help influence change. Would CEOs and CFOs grasp and fund initiatives more? My hunch is yes after so many years of selling the value of modernizing legacy systems, but I’m curious to hear your thoughts.

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Interesting discussion with Dave Farley and Emily Bache. There are a lot of things that I agree with in it, however the one main sticking point that I have is that a true "engineer" in the more common incarnations, Mechanical, Civil, etc, require registration and licensing from a local state/district and/or governing body. I'd LOVE for programming to have such a system, but we currently don't. That's one reason why I settle with code craft and call myself a crafter. I agree it's not a perfect term, but to me its better than giving the false impression that there's a standard of skillset or understanding like other engineering disciplines. What do you think? https://lnkd.in/gXqmkden

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Are you an unwitting saboteur on your dev team? Ascendle's Senior Software Architect, Ben Friedberg, will be hosting a session at Kansas City Developer Conference THIS Thursday, sharing his insights for identifying habits that might delay your team's progress. If you are attending KCDC, you don't want to miss this presentation! #ascendle #kcdc #kansascitydeveloperconference #devconference #softwaredevelopment

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Hat tip to David Evans for putting this article on my radar. It reports on a very interesting (if likely self-interested) study that throws a lot of cold water on Agile development practices. I’ve been saying for many years now that Agile is used too often to avoid the hard work of what I call “system design” - the production of a collection of design and architecture artifacts that describe software to be built. The most important aspect of a system design is that it is produced before a line of code is written. I often compare it to producing blueprints for a custom home. For many good reasons, nobody starts building without them. Agile grew out of the desire to address the drawbacks of the traditional waterfall development process – best summed up as “not being agile enough”. But as often happens, the pendulum swung too far and in practice Agile often results in software that is just plain “ugly”. For software engineers, source code beauty derives from qualities like organization, consistency, simplicity and elegance. These are all attributes that not only suffer under Agile’s propensity to avoid system design – I contend they are only possible when some form and amount of system design is practiced. Beauty is only discovered in nature - in engineering it must be consciously created. And as this study shows, ugly software comes at a high cost.

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As someone who values agile and lean principles, I find it problematic to rely solely on the Minimum Viable Product (MVP) approach, especially when it means rushing features to market without thorough testing. This morning's experience was a stark reminder. While attempting to upgrade our G-Suite through a reseller, I faced multiple issues: the site was unresponsive, blinked repeatedly, and then went completely blank. Unexpectedly, this led to the suspension of my Gmail and other services. I hadn’t made any changes to my payment plan, yet it seems an error on their part triggered these disruptions. Now, I'm without working email, and my documents are inaccessible. After nearly a decade of using this service, to say I’m disappointed is an understatement. While I understand that bugs and errors can occur, issues of this scale are unacceptable. This incident underscores the critical need for robust testing before product releases. In the drive to innovate quickly, we must not undermine the reliability that users depend on. It’s a balancing act that requires attention and care. Has anyone else navigated similar disruptions? How did you manage, and what lessons did you learn?

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Excited to witness Tembo's ongoing momentum! The array of database options available is truly dizzying. Sometimes, a purpose built DB can be transformative if you're pushing boundaries and your problem matches its domain. Most of the time, consolidating onto a single platform streamlines operations and improves developer productivity. Explore Tembo's offering to seamlessly use Postgres across the board! #Tembo #Postgres

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A new report from McKinley Advisors, Membership Reset: Delivering on the Promise of Membership, argues that while chasing nondues revenue, associations have neglected to strategically position membership as a core part of their value proposition. Too often, membership "just is" without a clear, intentional strategy. The report highlights the need for associations to re-center membership, making it a key organizing principle. Caroline Baugher, McKinley Advisors Practice Director, emphasizes the importance of identifying and solving the core problems for members.  It's about building a meaningful community and member engagement. As we reflect on these insights, it’s crucial for associations to treat membership with the same intentionality and care as other revenue streams. To read more https://lnkd.in/eE3mxPUm #Associations #MembershipModels #CommunityBuilding #MemberEngagement #NonDuesRevenue #AssociationManagement #Sengii

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Today Bonterms announces a Standard Agreement for use in marketplaces. The Bonterms 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗔𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 is a one-click end user agreement for enterprise SaaS or installed software. Customers can now purchase subscriptions from developers with zero legal friction in adopting marketplaces. If you’re a developer in the Atlassian Marketplace, this is an option for you starting now. https://lnkd.in/gj9-Xrq5 If you’re running a marketplace and want to improve relations between your developers and customers, we’re happy to help you deploy. This is Bonterms 𝘦𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘩 Standard Agreement! Huge props to our amazing Bonterms Standard Agreements Committee for making this happen. And special thanks to my former colleague Will M.! Details: The Bonterms Standard Agreement for Marketplace Transactions is a default end user agreement. Developers specify the Bonterms Standard Agreement in their marketplace listing, enabling customers to select their product without having to review custom legal terms. It is free to use by marketplaces, developers and customers. Find it here: https://lnkd.in/gDxnx8V7 Have questions? We are always happy to hear from you at support@bonterms.com. #standardagreements #procurement  #marketplaces

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About a month ago Noah Finberg put out a challenge to build a dynamic infographic on Domo using Canva. I finally knocked it out! I wanted to 1-up Noah's request and I built an super simple NO CODE option so now EVERYONE in the Domo community can use their marketing content from Canva inside their dashboards now! WATCH THIS DEMO if you are interested: https://lnkd.in/g3xEVCdW <- YOUTUBE VIDEO (w/ how to get image IDs)

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Welcome to another episode of the Mob Mentality Show, where we jump into the dynamics of teamwork, leadership, and trust in the ever-evolving landscape of software development. In this episode, titled "Cultivating Trust and Influential Relationships with Leadership," we embark on a journey to decode the intricate nuances of fostering trust and building influential relationships with leadership. Join us as we explore a myriad of topics, including techniques for influencing leadership within mobbing environments and navigating the complexities of both positive and challenged relationships with leadership figures. We delve into the importance of inviting criticism and feedback, advocating for self-organizing teams, and navigating instances where leaders' actions diverge from their words. Is the "Good cop, bad cop" relationship dynamic a pattern or an anti-pattern? Throughout the episode, we emphasize the significance of relentless transparency, genuine curiosity, and vulnerability in fostering natural trust and rapport. From leveraging the natural side effects of Mob TDD/CD to addressing chasms in relationship maps, come join our quest to unravel the secrets of effective trust-building interactions with leadership. Tune in now to discover with us how to navigate the delicate balance between being at peace with your efforts and continuously striving for improvement while embarking on a journey towards unlocking the true potential of influential relationships in leadership. https://lnkd.in/dcu6fjXy https://lnkd.in/dEb5Ye62 #influence #influencing #persuasion #environment #change #business #tech #habit #7habits #relationships #networking #systemthinking #lean #deming #organizationalchange #continuousimprovement #growth #devops #mobprogramming #ensembleprogramming #agile #agility #leadership #management #systemsthinking #radicalcandor #transparency

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We published an article about all the awesome product observability features of Segment we have today and upcoming in the near future. Bookmark this if you are a Segment user!

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Don't fall for the myth that automation is replacing jobs. The transition to automation isn't about job displacement — it's about empowering roles to be more meaningful and impactful. Abhijit Kakhandiki, Chief AI and Innovation Officer at Redwood Software, emphasizes that businesses combining automation with human expertise gain a competitive edge, allowing them to provide better customer and employee experiences, operationalize their strategic initiatives and unlock new possibilities for new growth. Explore how automation is shaping the future of work in Solutions Review: 🔗 https://lnkd.in/eJUarDEU #Automation #AI #HumanPotential #IT

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Great article by Ray Carnes. In my 20+ years in the software industry I've seen companies learn and relearn the basics again and again because each generation of leaders think things are "different this time" because of such and such technology. The frameworks, platforms, underlying technology changes but the principles and foundations are still the same. #softwareengineering

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Innovation stalls when the default response to new ideas is "no." Coming from startups, I don't like gatekeepers -- people whose role in tech is to dispense permission to innovate. In enterprise architecture, I am willing to concede that gatekeepers play a role in maintaining compliance, but this shouldn't come at the expense of creativity. By fostering a culture of "yes, and," and embracing flexibility, enterprises can balance innovation with necessary governance. Innovation thrives where it is nurtured, not where it is stifled.

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It's time to unleash your company's superpower. What do I mean? Lakeside Software CEO David Keil explains why and how you can strengthen your company's foundational differentiators - especially in today's AI world - in his latest Fast Company article.

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I recently heard someone talk through why being passionate about your craft shows up so strongly in the outcomes. This put me in a reflective mood about my industry and why I've been so highly engaged for the past 24 years. The mission matters  Effectively being the bank and accountant for growing businesses, I traditionally have focused on the business customers and the incredible opportunity that a well run ticketing platform can provide to a Promoter / Organizer / Creator (whatever you end up calling yourself). Earning my chops at a sales led company makes you customer focused in a way that is hard to describe - manic / unstoppable. More recently, a combination of working for Eventbrite and the pandemic has pulled the fan and artist into the forefront for me. The mission is the outcome of the live event experience. It's that feeling you have while on stage or in the audience. That spark of positivity that hangs with you after the event. Truly, bringing people together for live experiences. Technology at scale There have been a few times in my career when the impact and scale of what I do really popped for me. One of the first times I remember this happening was sitting in the quiet of the last row of the Colosseum in LA during EDC. Looking down at the main stage, the amusement rides, and the sea of people. Realizing that I processed most of these people's credit cards on the systems I had built.  Live events bring to the table such an interesting set of challenges to solve. Dealing with the traffic spike of an on sale. The war against the bots and fraudsters. The distribution, marketing integrations, relevancy, and audience matching of connecting the dots between interested fans and the event. The complexity of day of show and all the hardware integrations and transitions a "ticket" has taken over the years. The complexity of reporting and data export at scale and post event process of refunds, chargebacks, payouts. A blend of opportunity, curiosity, and passion has led me to most of the impactful innovations that I've driven. I know that every industry has some opportunities like that, but there is something special about the live events space that has kept me so engaged over all these years. For those folks who have been in the trenches with me in the past and especially for my team today that is pushing on some of the most interesting problems I've ever worked on... Thank you for letting me co-innovate with you in such an interesting and impactful industry.

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After two decades in tech, I transitioned into the CTO role. Here’s the number one advice I’d give a new leader: Don’t micromanage. I’m sure we’ve all fallen into this trap at some point in our careers. Whether you do it intentionally or not, micromanaging a team as a leader is a recipe for failure. It leads teams to: - Grow demotivated - Settle for basic work - Eventually quietly quit One of the most essential traits of a leader is knowing when and how to delegate. So, challenge your team to think independently, embrace their ideas, and push boundaries. Team members must feel they own their work and are the smartest person in the room.

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There are accelerators, and then there is https://lnkd.in/gyKGcx8i

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