DevOps at is the heart of modern software systems. In my regular newsletter, I dive into the human factors that make successful engineering organizations where teams and platforms thrive at the heart of your socio-technical systems. From leadership to team setup, maximizing performance, tools and techniques.
Human DevOps - Sunday 21st April - Staying Relevant and Respectful
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Is it just me, or is April turning out to be a complete stinker? The rain hasn't stopped, it's cold, and it feels more like October or November than it does at the start of spring. This feeling appears to be pervading work at the moment, too—I sense frustration bubbling under at every turn. We need some warm sunshine and a few days off before heading back to the grind. I have a short trip coming up and a few things to look forward to not least the just-announced Fast Flow Conference in London in September. As you might know, I'm not a big fan of conferences in general. I tend to love the idea more than I enjoy the outcomes. Last year, I spoke at a few, and I planned to speak at a lot more this year but I realised that the thought of speaking gave me a creeping dread. I did the "Would you do it tomorrow?" test on my speaking engagements. In other words, ask yourself if you would do the 'thing' tomorrow and gauge your body's reaction to thought. My stomach did a flip which led me to cancel all the engagements. The only emotion I felt at that decision was relief. On top of that, conferences are difficult to get right. In a white, middle-class, male-dominated industry, if I speak I'm just adding to the problem. We need to champion diversity and inclusion within our industry events in order for our growing communities to stay welcoming, neurologically diverse, and, most importantly, relevant. The cornerstone of humane software development has to be inclusivity, and this should be evident from the daily scrum right up to the conference level. Conferences are important opportunities to test our beliefs. Therefore whether you're attending or speaking, make sure you check out the DEI policies of the event and ensure that your talk is going to contribute to a discussion. One thing I've learned in the last few weeks, months and years is that sometimes it's better to spend a little longer thinking about something before opening your mouth. Have a great Sunday. -- Richard Missing The Social Cues – When The Tools Do The Talking Published on April 20, 2024 Tech people have a superpower. They can communicate without speaking, without being in the same room, or even via email or teams. They can communicate purely through their actions. But this is not telepathy, this is no telekenesis. I’m talking about PRs, infrastructure (as code) and tool configurations. Tools and processes have become silent battlegrounds… Read More »Missing The Social Cues – When The Tools Do The Talking
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Human DevOps
DevOps at is the heart of modern software systems. In my regular newsletter, I dive into the human factors that make successful engineering organizations where teams and platforms thrive at the heart of your socio-technical systems. From leadership to team setup, maximizing performance, tools and techniques.
“Through the years, I have learned there is no harm in charging oneself up with delusions between moments of valid inspiration... Thankfully, persistence is a great substitute for talent.” – Steve Martin, Born Standing Up: A Comic's Life You're receiving this because you subscribed to receive updates about "Human Software" or you're on my Human DevOps mailing list. The summer season is upon us. Originally I was aiming to have some early chapters of my debut novel "Human Software" available to...
It has not by any means been a good summer in the Netherlands. It's been very wet and the last few days have also been extremely windy. At work, on the streets and on the roads, there is a tension. I try to take the time to go out for a lunchtime walk at least a couple of times a week and took this photo last week during a gap in the rain. The Middelpolder And we head towards the summer break, make sure to take some time to relax before you face the serious business of relaxation. I'm taking...
I lived in London in 1997 when the Tony Blair "New Labour" government swept into power. It was a time of great hope and audacity. It felt like "we" could do anything, but then I was 25 years old and living in London, and indeed, anything did, in fact, feel possible because I was at the dawn of my career without responsibilities or the weight of history behind my thoughts and actions. So perhaps older and wiser, we are here. The UK has been (according to some) bitten down by 14 years of Tory...