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QCon London: Learnings from Automating Deployments
Copying and pasting code from one Windows folder to another as a deployment method can cause downtime. Jemma Hussein Allen presented how they automated their deployments and the benefits that they got from it at QCon London.
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Enabling Fast Flow in Software Organizations
Resolving impediments to flow and removing unnecessary sources of cognitive load can make culture issues disappear in organisations, Nigel Kersten argued. Start with a clear strategy that is easy to communicate, then follow the path to creating stream-aligned teams and platform teams, he suggested.
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The Value of Using Timeless Testing Tools
According to Benjamin Bischoff, developers find new tools much more interesting than old ones, as they offer an opportunity to learn new technologies and approaches and to expand their tool belt. Using tools that have been around for decades, however, can save time and budget. When evaluating tools, it is more important to understand the problem to be solved than to jump straight into the tools.
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Fostering High-performing Work Environments for Software Development
According to Eb Ikonne, leaders should provide a motivating challenge or mission so that the software engineering team understands what success looks like. They can provide an enabling structure for effective teamwork, address things that negatively impact team success, and reduce or remove friction. Coaching can help people discover how to work effectively together.
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LLMs and Agents as Team Enablers
Eric Naiburg and Birgitta Böckeler published articles on the benefits and challenges of using AI as a multiplier in dev teams. We report on their insights for scenarios such as simplifying the germane cognitive load of a domain, automating code migrations, and coaching scrum masters on team facilitation. We also cover Böckeler's experiments with using LLMs to onboard onto a complex project.
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How Tech-Enabled Networks of Software Teams Work
To maintain agility at scale, software teams can use technological and organizational solutions to reduce dependencies and work autonomously. According to Fabrice Bernhard, collaboration technology can be leveraged to create a distributed network of teams. To empower their teams, leaders can support them with a systematic problem-solving culture aimed at delivering good products to customers.
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Experiences from Doing DORA Surveys Internally in Software Companies
Doing DORA surveys in your company can help you reflect on how you are doing software delivery and operation. The way you design and run the surveys, and how you analyze the results, largely impact the benefits that you can get out of them. Carlo Beschi shared his experiences from doing DORA surveys at Agile Cambridge.
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Null-Restricted and Nullable Types for Java
Draft JEP 8303099 was recently made public. This JEP discusses Null-Restricted and Nullable Types, and aims to bring optional nullness-marking to the Java language, in a similar way to that seen in other programming languages (such as Kotlin).
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JSpecify 1.0.0 and Nullability in Java
The JSpecify collective has made its first release. The group's mission is to define common sets of annotation types for use in JVM languages, to improve static analysis and language interoperation. The first release is centred on nullability, and aligns with a recently announced Draft JEP that is exploring this issue at language level.
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Ideas for Crafting Inclusive Public Software Platforms
Public software platforms should be inclusive and accessible to everyone, where people feel comfortable using them. It’s a big challenge to design a platform for everyone, from digital newbies to natives, with varying knowledge and experience of administrative processes. Government platforms must ensure their users' trust so that they feel safe using government services online.
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Increasing Productivity by Becoming a Dual-Purpose Stream Aligned and Platform Software Team
To manage their increased workload effectively and maintain quality and efficiency, a software team decided to become dual-purpose: stream-aligned and platform. They rewrote their main application to be API-first and implemented micro releases with their customer-facing products, to provide value to their end users quickly and maintain a steady flow of accomplishments for the team.
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Gojko’s Lizard Optimization for Product Growth and Retention
Gojko Adzic’s new book, Lizard Optimization, shows how addressing product misuse and marginal use cases enhances customer retention and drives growth. He discusses the book with Dave Farley for GOTO's Book Club, and shares examples illustrating how focusing on unique user needs leads to broader improvements. The techniques are suited to products seeking to grow market share or reduce churn.
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Gen AI Increases Workloads and Decreases Productivity, Upwork Study Finds
A controversial survey by Upwork Research Institute found that while 96% of C-suite leaders expect the use of generative AI tools to increase overall productivity levels, 77% of surveyed employees say they have actually decreased their productivity. In fact, the survey contradicts previous research showing a positive correlation.
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How Team Health Checks Help Software Teams to Deliver
In healthy software teams, people feel psychologically safe to solve problems and contribute, Brittany Woods said in her talk at QCon London. She presented how they do team health checks and the benefits that it has brought them.
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Navigating Software Architecture at Scale: Insights from Decathlon’s Architecture Process
Raphaël Tahar, staff engineer at Decathlon, recently published his insights from co-leading an architecture process at scale. He depicts how, by combining methodologies like architecture committees, the C4 model, and System Thinking and emphasizing the importance of ADRs and centralized documentation, Decathlon ensures its teams are well-equipped to make informed, strategic decisions.