Thoughtful Software Podcast

Today we take a look at Thoughtful Software: What is it? Why do you need it? What can it do for you? Join us as we dive back into the very first episode of the Thoughtful Software Podcast.

Developing Software can be complex and present unique obstacles and challenges for industries, executives, and engineers. From the Thoughtful Software Podcast, this episode of TSP Moments takes a look back to episode 32, where Andrew and Fahad sat down with IDesign CEO and legendary software architect Juval Lowy to discuss how the software industry has gotten off course and what can be done to Right the ship.

Systems of record, systems of engagement, and systems of intelligence. What exactly are these various systems and why are they so vital to success? Today, we take a look back and a deeper dive into episode 66 to examine the way these particular systems build upon one another and why it's so crucial for tech leaders to understand them.

TSP Moments from the Thoughtful Software Podcast takes a look back at episode 64 and Status Meetings. Research shows that status meetings aren't just making us feel bad; they may destroy our productivity and possibly even our mental and physical health. Fortunately, there are ways to stop this and relieve the stress and difficulties of excessive meetings. Join Andrew and Fahad as they discuss Status Meetings with Jim Thomas of Freedom Financial. 

Andrew and Fahad are Live from SaaStr 2021 to discuss various Systems such as Systems of Intelligence, Systems of Record, and Systems of Engagement, how they work together to build the foundation for organizations, and why these types of systems are so crucial for tech leaders to understand. 

Taking a look back as well as a deeper dive into episode 41 where Andrew and Fahad discuss Collaboration Architecture, why it's important, what it means for the future, and how to embrace Collaboration Architecture today to prepare for the challenges that lie ahead.

TSP Moments, from the Thoughtful Software Podcast, is both a look back as well as a deeper dive into some of the subjects discussed during the Thoughtful Software Podcast. We're taking a look back at episode 65, where Andrew and Fahad sat down with Chris Dix of the BBC to discuss emerging tech in media and entertainment as well as how deepfakes can play an ethical role.

Our guest today is Chris Dix, Head of Technology Transformation for Audience Products at the BBC. With a career spanning over 20 years in the communications, broadcast, and media sectors, Chris is a proven leader in the Media and Entertainment industry, transforming ideas and technology into groundbreaking next-generation solutions through a broader perspective supported by world-class talent. The hyper-personalization of technologies like machine learning and AI have forever changed the software landscape. As this technology grows, new innovations such as synthetic media, AR/VR, and Blockchain, have the potential to tailor the way media and technology are consumed.  Andrew and Fahad sit down with Chris to discuss these types of emerging tech, as well as how technology like this can be used ethically and responsibly to establish a culture of sustainable engineering.

Jim Thomas is a Senior Manager of Product and brings over 15 years of experience in operations, project, and product management to the discussion. Jim's leadership drives strategy, transparency, and a great customer experience delivering products that are simple, scalable, and sustainable.Together Jim, Andrew, and Fahad discuss overcoming the project management pitfalls that can hinder productivity and kill innovation, as well as what steps can be taken to ensure that every project delivers value.Show NotesIs it possible to roll up relevant information on a project in a simple, understandable format for team management and stakeholders?If these systems of records are not continuously updated then why are we still reporting from them? Why are we exporting this data and trying to manipulate it and then using it to report to executives?What about an alternative? Software projects can be very complex and difficult to boil down to a simple status update.Does a product mindset versus a project mindset change what's being reported and does it affect how employees and executives interact with each other? Why is it critical to gain control of project complexity now and how should enterprises be finding ways to take control of their complexity?Let's ConnectAt Skiplist we want to do something to curve the 70% failure rate. Want to see how we're doing it? Click hereInterested in this topic and want to hear more? We have even more resources available on our Insights pageDrop us a comment and let us know how we're doing. We read and respond to every comment and email.

Despite the availability of many project management tools, there is still a 70% failure rate within the software industry. Join us as Andrew and Fahad discuss the issues that stem from using project management tools, whether they are genuinely effective, and how to use these tools without undermining the ability to innovate and succeed.Show Notes:Why is there so much failure in software? There are more than fifty different project management tools on the market such as Asana, Monday, Atlassian, and Service Now. If the failure rate continues to climb do these tools really work? While data is readily available, the actual complexity of a project is not necessarily represented in the data. Modern technology has become very intricate, but the intricacy isn't being tracked anywhere. The best-performing organizations have built great habits and their habits are driven by their culture. The culture is driven by good ideas and usually good leaders within the organization.Set the culture, what do you want to become? What is your goal? What is the outcome you want while you're measuring to get there? And then what system is going to help you achieve those metrics? What is the cost of failure rate and why is it acceptable in this industry?  The returns are so high that when a company does succeed the failures almost become a rounding error.  This won't last forever, especially as better alternatives arrive. Thoughtful Software does not mean move fast and break things, but move thoughtfully and break the status quo.At Skiplist we want to do something to curve the 70% failure rate. Want to see how we're doing it? Click hereInterested in this topic and want to hear more? We have even more resources available on our Insights pageDrop us a comment and let us know how we're doing. We read and respond to every comment and email.

In this episode of the Thoughtful Software Podcast, Andrew and Fahad discuss team building in software, hiring methods for creating the best team possible, ways to screen for the best cross-functional candidates, and proven methods for instilling quality leadership to help train and mentor junior developers to be the next wave of industry leaders. Show NotesHow to build teams for application and development. How should development teams be built from a non-technical founder or executive standpoint?Start by looking at the size and maturity of the organization. Is there a technical founder? What is the maturity of that technical founder? Small organizations and startups should begin with Dynamic Programming languages such as Python or JavaScript. While these languages enable speed they do not often work at scale (number of coders working). Hiring top talent without paying them what Google or Netflix can offer requires new and exciting programming languages like Rust where people can come and learn.Once hiring is figured out then the question becomes "How fast do we want to move?" Senior developers are going to move more slowly than junior developers because they often make better decisions and take their time because they have suffered through bad decisions before. Larger companies can afford to move slower whereas startups may not.The last thing in hiring that must be considered is leadership. First are People Leaders - Managers, Directors, VP's. Second, are Tech Leaders - Engineers, Architects. Most startups need one technical leader.The people being hired in a startup must have a growth mindset or it will crush your team.Hiring at the enterprise level is designed to throw bodies at a problem, they are building to hedge against risk and return money to their shareholders. How can you screen for good candidates? Asking the right questions at the start: "Tell me why you picked this one technology and give me your reasons for doing so?"  Asking someone to defend their choices is the best to understand why people make choices.How important is it now for developers to be cross-functional and understand the context of their code, not just the latest and greatest languages? Understanding the business you are in is important. As a leader, you have to understand where the company is going and where the market might force you to go. Any single agenda can't supersede that of the business. What Does a Good Technical Mentorship Look Like? Pairing on programming is very helpful and explaining and working through errors together with junior engineers rather than leaving a note is a great learning experience. Enabling engineers to confidently sell their ideas and training them to execute. Let people make the mistakes and then help them learn from those mistakes is the constructive loop needed. Great leaders are always training their replacements.Hiring Remote will help optimizing business. Thanks for listening! What did you think about this episode? Drop us a comment and let us know how we're doing. We take the time to read and respond to every comment and email. Visit our Insights page to hear some previous episodes of our podcast and our Articles written by The Skiplist Team.We’d love to know what you took away from our conversation. Follow us at @fahsho12 and @andrewwwolfe and share your insights and questions with the #thoughtful software.

This is episode is about designing software that enables your vision as an organization to become reality. Although this topic may seem simple, it is a common problem that trips up many projects. Join Andrew and Fahad as they discuss how technology leaders should capture and communicate ideas, approach innovation, and bridge the communication gap that so often exists between engineers and executives. Show NotesHow do we turn our ideas into something tangible, into reality into a valuable asset? We know that 68% 0f all software projects fail, and 70% of executives believe their initiatives are doomed from the start.How Should Technology Leaders Capture Their Ideas? Know the problem first. Explore the problem space completely and understand why it's a problem, and then what opportunities are there to solve that problem.  Knowing the problem first opens multiple avenues and affords opportunities to create a less expensive solution that solves a larger problem.Only move into the solution space once the problem is understood.  Starting in the solution space is easy to do, but doing so may mean that you miss solving for parts of your problem that that was not properly understood at the start.Product vs Project Mindset. A good product life cycle is constantly moving between problem space and solution space. Don't index on things, don't make assumptions, solve for what you know are the issues, and then go back and try to discover the other issues as well. Should Innovation be Incorporated into the Problem Solving Process? No. When you're in the problem space, you should not be thinking about innovation. Innovation is a byproduct of solving a problem.Wayne Gretzky used to say, "skate to where the puck is going to be" and most organizations are not doing that because they are trying to copy what other organizations are doing. Do you try and become SoFi or do you look at where SoFi is going and become that instead?Don't copy innovation, decide if you want to be there, or if they're missing the mark, skate to where you think they should be going, you'll be innovative and market-defining.Understand context. What market are you in? Are you in a leadership position trying to hold on to users or do you understand the problem and are getting out in front of it? What is the best way for technology leaders and executives to communicate ideas? Design and prototypes are powerful because they are quick ways of showing somebody, this is what I interpreted. Now a conversation can take place about what was truly meant. Resources MentionedSoFiWayne Gretzky AppleTeslaFordFacebookTwittermyspaceUber Thanks for listening! What did you think about this episode? Drop us a comment and let us know how we're doing.Check out the Insights page to hear some previous episodes of our podcast and our  Thoughtful Articles written by The Skiplist Team.We’d love to know what you took away from our conversation. Follow us at @fahsho12 and @andrewwwolfe and share your insights and questions with the #thoughtful software.

In this episode, Andrew and Fahad discuss quantum computers, what they are, how they are different, why they will be game-changing for software, and how technology leaders can begin developing strategies now for quantum computing.Show NotesBackground: Classic computers have bits that are defined by either a zero or a one (binary), however, there are limitations to this as our computing needs become more complex and require more processing power while using less energy.Quantum computing technology is not designed to replace classic computers, but are tools for solving more complex computing problems.What Are They? Quantum computers are more complex than standard binary because they may process any number of quantum bits (Qubits), storing an enormous amount of information while using less energy.It is theorized that RSA, which is a common algorithm for encryption, can be solved in milliseconds, instead of what right now would take hundreds of years.Quantum Supremacy is a task that a quantum computer can do better than a traditional computer which can greatly impact areas like machine learning, life sciences, biology, chemistry, medicine.Should Technology Leaders Already Be Thinking About Quantum Computers? Yes. There may not be a Moore's Law for QC yet, but the technology is constantly evolving so there will be.If there is an innovation explosion in this field, it changes everything, and if you aren't one of the first people there when it happens you're going to lose.Known Issues With Quantum Computing: Quantum mechanics generate a lot of heat and have to be at zero degrees Kelvin (-459 F) in order to be accurate.These computers will not easily transition onto work or home desks since keeping QCs at zero degrees Kelvin is expensive.No real significant case studies exist yet, still too early. Quantum computing is in its own punch-card stage.Current systems such as Bitcoin are not secure enough to handle quantum changes and could create a Quantum Philosopher's Stone.How Will Quantum Change Software Development? Two possible ways: 1) It will change everything and we will have to re-learn everything. 2)We will be building for and using a library of quantum abstracts.It is best to create a road map with this in mind and assess as to whether your goal is to pilot this new technology, roll it out, or simply observe it (which is where QC currently is for most industries).Quantum Computing may even change the landscape of video games and VR gaming.Resources Mentioned:Moore's LawIBM Quantum ComputingAmazon BraketMicrosoft AzureTensorFlowThanks for listening! What did you think about this episode? Drop us a comment and let us know how we're doing.Visit our Insights page to hear some previous episodes of our podcast and our Thoughtful Articles written by The Skiplist Team.We’d love to know what you took away from our conversation. Follow us at @fahsho12 and @andrewwwolfe and share your insights and questions with the #thoughtful software.

In this episode, Andrew and Fahad examine digital transformation with a focus on people and strong leadership, how digital transformation should be established at the executive level, ways to keep up with competitors, and how an organization can begin transforming in a way that is healthy for the business and employees. Show NotesOver the next several years 6 trillion dollars will be spent on digital transformation and yet 70% of these initiatives will fail, those that succeed will only see 15 to 25% improvement. Start by transforming the part of the business that needs the most transformation. How is it possible to prevent the digital transformation from being spread out across a business but keep it contained? Parallelism - that which is computationally true tend to also be organizationally true. The more sharing between processes the less likely they are to be parallel. To prevent split-brain and stop parallelization, creating company-wide ownership is extremely effective because moving together makes a company tend to further. How to catch up with competitors? Worry about achieving outcomes as a company, and differentiate from the competition with digital strategies. Do not try to end up like competitors because they will beat you with experience, and they know how to be themselves better than you do. Understand what you want to be and the outcomes that will get you there. How strong does leadership have to guide a company through digital transformation? Strong leaders understand that culture is the only differentiator companies have, and the future is in that strong leadership where people trust that leaders will do right by them. Building a culture of mutual trust takes time and empathy. When customers and employees feel like they matter they will stay with your brand.Where to start /What Strategies to use?  Think like a startup, don't try to be everything to everyone. Instead, be the best in a particular area for a certain type of product and then expand. Decide where the one place is that will have the largest impact on the business. Pull the data together and start there. Answer the important questions, get the data you need, and do it over time and you'll find that you'll fail a lot less often. Resources Mentioned:AppleGoogleMicrosoftProcter and GambleSalesforceFordGeneral ElectricActivision-Blizzard AmazonWalmartUber LyftChewy Thanks for listening! What did you think about this episode? Drop us a comment and let us know how we're doing.Check out the Insights page to hear some previous episodes of our podcast and our  Thoughtful Articles written by The Skiplist Team.We’d love to know what you took away from our conversation. Follow us at @fahsho12 and @andrewwwolfe and share your insights and questions with the #thoughtful software.

In this episode, Andrew and Fahad demystify software architecture, discussing what defines architecture, how to make it less complicated, what the real goals of architecture should be, why patterns and technical debt are important, and how company execs can use this knowledge to empower their business.Show NotesSoftware systems are becoming increasingly sophisticated and complex and business expectations are driving that complexity. Go back to first principlesEarn Your Complexity Abstract for that which changes. You can know what changes if you study and understand your industry.Think of the problem before the solution and patterns will naturally be revealed.Architecture is business enablement which helps you to understand your product, its implementation, and its real world consequences. Technical debt is a vehicle for growth and not having it means that you are stagnant and not investing in anything toward the future. Leverage your technical debt by looking forward and understanding your product roadmap. Software is constantly evolving and you should be constantly leveraging technical debt to enable the business in the future.There are no "best patterns' to use as you accumulate and use technical debt. Patterns are tools and as a hammer has a specific job, so does a pattern.The goal is to refactor and pattern toward the simplest possible system. You can often abstract away compliance. Architects have to know about the product as well as how to be legal and compliant.Can CFOs, CTOs, and CEOs identify things that can help them with this or should they simply just truth the technical people? The best architects are going to help executives understand the decisions being made and why they are making them. Ownership requires a lack of ignorance in the entire process. It is all about connecting with people and trying to help people.People and Resources MentionedSlackMartin FowlerDjangoJavaScriptAWS Thanks for listening! What did you think about this episode? Drop us a comment and let us know how we're doing.Check out the Insights page for a library full of Thoughtful Articles. We’d love to know what you took away from our conversation. Follow us at @fahsho12 and @andrewwwolfe and share your insights and questions with the #thoughtful software.

In this episode, Andrew and Fahad take a deeper dive into Data Mesh Architecture, discussing why it's important as well as examining the value of centralized vs decentralized structures. They also discuss data mesh nodes, examine some common issues a business might face with data mesh, and explore ways an enterprise can transition from a centralized structure to a data mesh.SHOW NOTES:What is data mesh and why is it important?As opposed to a data lake, which is the attempt to centralize into one system many different pools of data, a data mesh decentralizes the data but centralizes its governance. It is important because it helps data-driven organizations function in a way that is sustainable.Four issues at work that are slowing businesses down:Decentralized ownership of systems within a centralized structureBusiness is moving faster than ever and centralized structures can't keep up.Data lakes have become data oceans, impossible to index and understand. Some data is in silos and not accessible to other departmentsCentralized vs DecentralizedThere is no bad architecture - centralized, decentralized, monolith, distributed, monolith microservice etc. The only right architecture is one that gets the job done. Data lake docks are a piece of business logic that prevents the system from changing. Pulling away from the doc and allowing the business logic to where it was is created then will allow the business to move much faster.Data mesh allows a specific department to own itself without the entanglement of depending on other departments for their data.Smaller organizations may be better off starting with a data lake, but build your mesh as you grow and become more complex. Data Mesh NodesBigger companies that are acquiring smaller companies can incorporate their data with a mesh node. You can still have data pipelines that merge multiple mesh nodes that create specialized data ponds which have only the info they need to do their job and help their department. Data mesh nodes enable you to think about the data to how to compose that data to solve a problem.Issues Concerning Data MeshOverdeployment, not every company is big enough.Lack of overall governance can cause data mesh nodes to become swampyCompanies are going to make nodes too big. It is 1/4 of the size of the data lake market but will likely surpass the data lake market in the next five years as data mesh picks up the failures of data lakes. How Does an Enterprise Roll Out Data Mesh? Start at your biggest pain point and work out from there, pulling the data apart piece by piece until eventually, you are decentralized. RESOURCES MENTIONED:Kubernetes Tableau Salesforce NetSuiteSnowflakePREVIOUS EPISODES MENTIONED:Episode 45 - The Evolution of Data Architecture: Moving to a Data MeshEpisode 51 - Microservices: Trading Code Complexity With Organizational Complexity Follow us @fahsho12 and @andrewwwolfe and share your insights and questions with #thoughtfulsoftware.

This episode is a discussion about the vision being your guide to navigate your digital initiatives. Don’t let yourself be tied to a contract. Be adaptable and flexible. There is no playbook but you can take steps to deliver thoughtful software. At the end of the day, it's all about value and delivering a product that your customers not only love but are served through. Show NotesFixed ScopeIn 2020, two-trillion dollars was lost on harmful software.Fixed scope does not allow for dynamic software. Great for building bridges, not software.Software often never goes according to plan, and customers want a specific fixed scope of results.Fixed scope changes the buying process with which people have become accustomed. It feels risky.Changing your thinking and planning appropriately can mitigate risks and improve relationships.Approaching Technology ThoughtfullyMany companies will take a large sum of money upfront and fail to deliver any software.The organizational structure must change from a top-down structure to a bottom-up structure.Being a manager is no longer a boss privilege, but servant leadership. The currency of power is no longer power, it's love. How do we build what someone loves? Your company doesn't have to be the most powerful, as long as people love you they will follow you.Being Successful starts with a mission and putting people first.Software is a JourneyThoughtful software is a journey because it puts the needs and problems of people first.The best technology doesn't even seem like it's there, it just fades seamlessly into the background.You have to think ahead and plan, but you also need the flexibility to change and adjust when needed.ReferencesAppleNikeGameStopMike TysonMahesh PatelPrevious Episode MentionedEpisode 47: CFO's, CF-NO's, and Innovation with Mahesh Patel, CFO of DruvaThanks for listening! What did you think about this episode? Drop us a comment and let us know how we're doing.Check out our Insights page for a library full of thoughtful articles. We’d love to know what you took away from our conversation. Follow us at @fahsho12 and @andrewwwolfe and share your insights and questions with the #thoughtful software. If you’d like to be considered as a guest or have someone you’d like to hear from (Tech Leader), drop us a direct message on Twitter or Linked.

This episode is all about storytelling and data. By itself, data is just numbers. However, if presented as a story the impact is far-reaching on how it shapes the content we consume. To become a visionary Technology leader, storytelling is key to bring clarity in a noisy world.Show Notes: Humans are wired for storyData + story equals a more compelling narrative which could lead to more adoptionThe right data in the right graph can be transformativeThe key to effective data visualization is sharing impact storiesThe tools you use to create the visuals depend on the audienceHow CIOs and CTOs can reduce data silos to better effectively tell storiesIt's all about alignment within the organizationHow to help your team adopt a storytelling approach Spinning a story is never effective in the long run. Take the disaster of Theranos for example. The stories we tell must always be true. One of the critical challenges of our time is how we handle disinformation, misinformation, and alternative facts accepted as truthWe can't shy away from sharing truth assuming the average person wouldn't understand. Advice for businesses to incorporate storytelling: Think of your client firstEmpower your team with storiesPour time into professional development for you and your teamReferences: Color GenomicsUntold Content Data Storytelling TrainingTableau TheranosKatie's Podcast - the Untold Stories of Innovation PodcastThanks for listening! What did you think about this episode? Drop us a comment and let us know how we're doing. Check out the Insights page for a library full of thoughtful articles. About our Guest:Kathryn (Katie) Trauth Taylor, Ph.D., is the founder and CEO of Untold Content. Upon receiving her Ph.D. in Rhetoric & Writing from Purdue University with an emphasis in Professional and Technical Writing, Dr. Taylor founded Untold as a writing consultancy devoted to empowering thought-leading organizations in communications and storytelling. Dr. Taylor and our team at Untold Content have crafted content strategies for several national initiatives, including the VA National Homeless Programs Office, VA Women’s Health Program Office, the Medication Reconciliation initiative, and the Millennium Challenge Corporation's global evaluation brief effort. Dr. Taylor serves and trains clients across sectors to accelerate their thought leadership and create research-backed, impactful content. Her own writing has appeared in several news outlets, trade publications, and peer-reviewed journals in business, medicine, science, communications, and rhetoric.

In this episode, Andrew and Fahad reflect on the state of software and technology in 2020. They discuss what advancements were made that enabled various platforms to become more thoughtful, as well as what companies can improve upon in the coming year. From the medical industry to privacy and data, join Andrew and Fahad as they bring us insight on how software across several spectrums can become more Thoughtful. Show Notes:Advancements for Software in 2020 to be more ThoughtfulDataPharmaceutical - Testing, simulation, and machine learning. Instead of five to six years for a vaccine, we got it down to nine months because of technology and data. As a population, Covid has presented an opportunity for people to begin the journey towards more thoughtful software as we realize its impact on our lives. Services like Instacart became a pivotal part of people's lives.Pfizer is a powerful example of what it means to use the right data, build the right architecture. It cannot be understated that they may not be as innovative as a 30 person team, but they get there by partnering with them. PrivacyApple made major changes to its ad platforms in addition to the way ads are served to individuals.We have to start seriously asking the question: who gets to work on these projects, what are the qualifications required to do it, should people be allowed to do it if they are not aware of privacy being a concern?2020 has revealed that there is a ton of bad software out there, not because it is badly written, but because it does bad things to people like collecting data it should not have and monitoring individuals in ways it should not be doing.Remote WorkWorking from home was once considered a fad but has now become an accepted practice. Google and Netflix have stated that they will not become fully remote. However, many of their talented employees may leave to work for fully remote companies such as Skiplist. Remote work helps employees be efficient from home without sacrificing productivity, in person office work cannot always say the same.Data Swamps to Data Lakes The Broken Window Problem states that one broken window in a building leads to many broken windows and degradation over time. Because data lakes are monoliths software falls victim to this, but great teams can stop this from happening.Social media outlets are selling clicks because they need to make money, however, principles from microservices may help turn data swamps into data lakes. As we leave 2020 we have an opportunity to move forward and be innovative rather than simply go back to normal.Resources:Thoughtful Software Podcast: Episode 50mRNAPfizer Amazon FreshSafewayThanks for listening! What did you think about this episode? Drop us a comment and let us know how we're doing. Check out the Insights page for a library full of thoughtful articles. We’d love to know what you took away from our conversation. Follow us at @fahsho12 and @andrewwwolfe and share your insights and questions with the #thoughtful software. If you’d like to be considered as a guest or have someone you’d like to hear from (Tech Leader), drop us a direct message on

In this episode, we are speaking with Darren Gallop CEO and co-founder of Securicy, a venture-backed company that helps startups simplify information security and privacy compliance. Listen to Andrew, Fahad, and Darren cover the most common mistakes SaaS founders make when it comes to security. They also explore the best practices to follow and share actionable insights into what you can do to prepare for the coming year.Show Notes: It is important to address compliance sooner than later. The challenge lies in the various standards, developing a process, and managing control, and this is where companies like Securicy save the day. How do you advise customers to be compliant? Companies are not going to be fined because they are not 100% compliant in every single way to the interpretation of the law. Where you are seeing most of the issues is where companies are far from being compliant or not respecting the law. Has compliance evolved from check all the boxes to more of are we trying our best to follow the best practices? If you're obviously putting in a really strong effort for your budget and size your company and you're for the most part compliant, then then you have a lot less risk. There is a lot of differences from one organization to another, but also the nature of the work they are going to do.Companies are taking compliance more seriously from an actual risk reduction process, versus general counsel led administrative compliance exercises. So they will ask compliance questions, but they are obviously still concerned about maintaining their compliance.Being reactive or investing in compliance before it happens is not necessary. Just implementing good policy and good procedure, and good configuration, around the stuff you're already using in your business.What are the common mistakes made by established companies and startups? Waiting until you need compliance is a really big mistake. When clients ask about security and you cannot answer them in a reasonable time frame, it becomes clear to auditors that you do not have it. Auditors know when you are giving naive or intentionally vague answers.It is not just the tools that will protect you, but implementing the best practices as well.References:ISO 27001CCPAHIPPAOWASPThanks for listening! What did you think about this episode? Drop us a comment and let us know how we're doing.Check out the Insights page for a library full of thoughtful articles.We’d love to know what you took away from our conversation. Follow us at @fahsho12 and @andrewwwolfe and share your insights and questions with the #thoughtful software. If you’d like to be considered as a guest or have someone you’d like to hear from (Tech Leader), drop us a direct message on Twitter or Linked.About our Guest:Darren Gallop is a business leader and security professional with over twenty years of experience as a CEO and CISO of companies that handle sensitive data. Having founded a non-profit organization, three service companies, and two tech startups in his career, he understands how to assess and manage risk in alignment with organizational goals. Currently, the CEO and co-founder of Securicy, Darren’s unique pe

Our topic for discussion on this episode is centered around Emerging Tech such as computer vision, AI, NLP, and specific steps to take if you want to start an Emerging Technology Project. At the end of the day, it all comes down to playing the long game, thinking long term, and spending time where it’s needed the most - discovery. Listen in as Andrew and Fahad share insight and best practices. This might be the jumpstart you need to start your new Emerging Tech project!Show Notes: Defining emerging tech Why companies should start adopting emerging tech before the tech is fully matureDiscovery is the key to successful emerging tech projectsUtilize the reuse, build, then buy principle when evaluating emerging tech Start with a proof of concept when adopting emerging tech Adopting emerging tech when you don't fully know its full capability Innovation theater vs discovery Focus on augmenting people with AI not replacing jobsWhat to do with all the data you find in discoveryCan you actually make predictive decisions with emerging tech?It's about finding trends and correlations in the dataIncremental, slow improvement and an evolutionary mindset is key to successYou must play the long game to success in digital businessOff-the-shelf models vs building your own custom solutions for emerging tech Resources Mentioned:Focus on Delivering Value, Not Features - Episode 50Thanks for listening! What did you think about this episode? Drop us a comment and let us know how we're doing. Check out the Insights page for a library full of thoughtful articles.

In this episode, we are exploring the topic of microservices. Together, Andrew and Fahad discuss the details of microservices, who should utilize them, how they work, advantages and disadvantages, best practices, and examples where the utilization of microservices benefitted major companies. Show Notes: What are microservices and why are they important?The trade-off between microservices and monolithsWhy decouple everything?How could companies migrate towards microservices?How Capital One migrated to microservicesHow containers fit into microservicesIs there such a thing as ideal architecture?Microservices aren't always the answerHow startups can approach microservicesThe disadvantages of managing microservicesThe cost of communication throughout The difficulty of request timingSolutions to help manage microservicesThe importance of Open Source with microservicesCulture change in big businesses and open sourcingWhats next for microservices?Resources MentionedThe Unix Philosophy Episode 49: Deploying a Multi-Cloud StrategyEpisode 42: Exploring Open Source with Amanda McPherson

We are excited to bring you a brand new episode focusing on the topic of delivering value and the software development life cycle. Listen in as Andrew and Fahad discuss why thinking about value is more important than shipping features, agility vs agile, Point Theater, the roles of Project Managers and Product Managers, how to measure value, and so much more. Episode Highlights: Why it's important to have a software development lifecycleUnderstanding the vision of the project before writing codeSolving problems in Vertical SlicesAgility isn't really the point of AgileThinking about software in a value-based wayProduct Managers vs Project ManagersWhy Project Managers and Project Managers tend to be undervalued in an orgWhy Point Theater existsEstimating points as a team instead of an individualHow to get better at estimating software projectsCommunicating the lifecycle to stakeholdersAgility vs AgileResources"Software is a Team Effort" episode 43Thanks for listening! What did you think about this episode? Drop us a comment and let us know how we're doing. Check out the Insights page for a library full of thoughtful articles.

In this episode we are jumping into the cloud, specifically discussing how businesses can deploy a multi-cloud strategy to diversify services, mitigate risk, and enable innovation. Andrew and Fahad discuss the ins and outs of a multi-cloud distributed architecture and why it's essential for every technology business.Episode HighlightsDefining multi-cloud architectureProminent multi-cloud providers: IBMGoogle Cloud Platform (GCP)Amazon Web Services (AWS)AzureOracleExamples of companies using an effective multi-cloud strategyZoom, Apple, Dropbox, NetflixSupporting a multi-cloud strategy without the resources of a large enterprise company Approaching multi-cloud as a large enterprise, mid-size company, or a start-upIncorporating distributed architecture like data meshes and data lakes into the multi-cloud strategyManaging these services through MicroservicesHow the major platforms differentiate themselves from one anotherThe future for data lakes and Snowflake, and multi-cloud platforms in generalWatch out for Oracle to become a legitimate competitor in the cloud platform spacePeople will start investing in custom software to hit their digital initiativesThe best advice for developers when it comes to this space is to learn the fundamentals of cloud development: open-source protocols, Docker, Elastic Search, Redis open-source databases, Terraform, and PuppetResources/Tools MentionedTerraform PuppetDockerSnowflakeTwilio

In this episode, we are speaking with psychologist and tech founder, Kat Houghton. Kat founded ilumivu to help mental health clinicians and researchers support real-time behavioral interventions. She is a pioneer in using digital tech to disrupt the way mental health is accessed and delivered. Listen in as Andrew, Fahad, and Kat discuss health and tech, data collection, and the good we can do when science and data meet. Episode Highlights: The need for a service like ilumivu Digital phenotyping - what are they doing with all the data being collected?Proactive medicine vs reactive medical interventionHelping upstream before chronic conditions set inThe leading-edge science in this field is making predictive algorithms as effective and efficient as possible Some of the leading mental health apps don't have scientific evidence behind them FDA regulation in the mental health and tech spaceMeasuring meaningful work and productivity There is always going to be a level of dissatisfaction in work if the work is not meaningfulUsing technology as a tool to build instead of destroyResources Mentioned: The Social DilemmaMindstrongHeadspaceDigital TherapeuticsRay DalioThanks for listening! What did you think about this episode? Drop us a comment and let us know how we're doing. Check out the Insights page for a library full of thoughtful articles. About our GuestKat is fascinated by the intersection of technology and psychology. She is actively engaged in designing and testing systems to facilitate positive behavior change in a variety of populations. She co-founded ilumivu in 2009 (ilumivu.com) to provide software systems to researchers and clinicians to capture human data and deliver just-in-time interventions. Ilumivu's first software service was for parents of children with autism to track symptom change and treatment use in an online HIPAA compliant, sharable platform. Since then ilumivu has provided web, mobile and wearable systems to researchers and clinicians working with a wide range of populations including substance abuse, suicide, anxiety, and depression. They are committed to finding innovative and effective ways to use everyday technology to improve the daily life experience of the millions of people who suffer from mental health issues.

The relationship between a CFO and technical executives is vital for the health of a successful company, but sometimes CFOs get the reputation for saying No and shutting down tech projects. In this episode, we are speaking with Mahesh Patel, CFO of Druva. Mahesh gives us great insight into how CFOs view innovation and taking risks as well as giving helpful advice for how CFOs can best work with CTOs and CIOs and how to avoid being a CF-No. Episode Highlights: Innovation is about the business modelAllocating funds to invest in customer-facing products and internal productsSetting your organization up to value innovationFocusing on the business as a whole, not just the technology sectorAmazon's model of heavily Investing in R&D and innovationInvesting in internal teams vs outsourcingThe working relationship between CFO, CTO/CIOTruly considering value, not just products shippedHow CTOs/CIOs can approach CFOs to request more money or a bigger budgetHow the CFO role is evolvingEmbracing changes from the COVID eraResources Mentioned: Satya Nadella, CEO MicrosoftThanks for listening! What did you think about this episode? Drop us a comment and let us know how we're doing. Check out the Insights page for a library full of thoughtful articles.

This episode is all about simplicity. Too often, especially in the software industry, we make things too big and too complicated and miss the point when it comes to designing great software. The focus should always be on the user and solving problems. Listen in as Andrew and Fahad discuss what it really means to value simplicity in software architecture, what’s missed, and how you can drill down to the simplest methods of building software that works.Episode Highlights: Why simple is difficult in software How to approach complex problems with simplicity The power of AbstractionThe common mistake of functional decomposition How to estimate projects in softwareDefining simple systems architectureManaging technical debtDelivering real value instead of just delivering featuresLow code / no-code applicationsResources Mentioned: Skiplist's Core ValuesCapital One's move to microservicesAirtablecodaThanks for listening! What did you think about this episode? Drop us a comment and let us know how we're doing. Check out the Insights page for a library full of thoughtful articles.

Recently, Andrew and Fahad led a webinar in the Kakou CxO Community, a private platform for CXOs and technology leaders to collaborate on topics from data privacy to emerging technologies, This discussion was on the topic of the Evolution of Data Architecture: Moving to a Data Mesh. Andrew and Fahad examine the benefits of a Data Mesh, how to get started, how to make the transition, and how to mitigate the risks with a data mesh.Episode Highlights: Defining a data mesh and why it should be considered over a data lakeA data mesh helps organizations make better decisions because of access to dataThe advantages and disadvantages of a centralized vs distributed architecture How domain driven design comes into a data mesh Unmet expectations and failure points of a data lakeData mesh and user experienceHow companies can start a data mesh initiativeData mesh and security Data mesh is a very promising architecture Kākou CXO is a new shared-trust, peer-invite only community for CIOs, CISOs, CTOs, and CxOs to engage in timely interactions, idea-sharing, and inspiring knowledgeable conversations in a private and peer-vetted setting on a single platform. Thank you to Tony Scott Group and SPJ for starting Kākou CxO and inviting us to be a part of the community!If you would like more information on Kākou CXO or would like to join the community, click here.

A glossed over part of the recent Twitter Hack was the underinvestment in internal tooling. In this episode, we’re discussing the hack, how companies can strategize, where and how privacy fits in, and what both startups and enterprises can do to address internal tooling. We hope you enjoy this conversation!Episode Highlights: Defining social engineeringThe need for regulation in social mediaA strategic approach to shoring up internal tooling:Get your own process codified inside a toolStart looking where the inefficiencies are via telemetry and metrics in the applicationFor early-stage startups: building a custom system vs buying off the shelfoperate with the agility you havebuild the things that differentiate your business80% of tools should be bought, 20% should be customDue to the hack, companies are realizing that they need to invest more in internal security and need to strategize about making internal tools betterTrain people not to be socially engineered Routinely be paying for someone to try to hack youRoutinely patching and reviewing securityEnsure that people understand that they are stewards of the data and properties of the companyImproving the image of negativity in security and IT:focusing on what can be done instead of what can'tEmbracing security inconveniences and make the small changes into habitsBuild a culture of understanding of the need for safety online"Zero Trust" is the solution moving forward; data is encrypted no matter whatThe future of quantum computing and what the race for quantum computing means for computing in general Resources MentionedOktaZero Trust Model HeartbleedThanks for listening! What did you think about this episode? Drop us a comment and let us know how we're doing. Connect with us at Skiplist.com

Software is a team effort, and it centers around people. There isn't really any automation or AI that can solve the entire problem. AI might be a piece of the puzzle, but it really needs to be centered around how to get people to come together, share the values do the right thing. This episode of the Thoughtful Software Podcast is all about the importance of a team. Creating really great software is not about a superstar developer, but in fact, it's a team sport. Listen in as Andrew and Fahad discuss the importance of teamwork in the software industry.Episode Highlights: characteristics of great teamswhy software is a team effortwhy a rockstar 10X developer cannot solve everythingwhen companies should choose a software team vs an individual why clients need to be involved in the processthe "move fast and break things" mentality shared values are what bring teams togetherwhy AI cannot solve a people problem what people get wrong about "white-glove" serviceResources Mentioned: Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance Thanks for listening! What did you think about this episode? Drop us a comment and let us know how we're doing. Connect with us at Skiplist.com

In this episode, we’re diving into the world of Open Source with expert in the field, Amanda McPherson. Amanda is an advisor, board member, writer, and college lecturer on technology, marketing, and open source issues. Previously, she was the Chief Marketing Officer and Vice President of Developer Programs for The Linux Foundation, a worldwide non-profit that advances and protects the Linux operating system and other open source software projects. As a founding executive of the Linux Foundation, she led growth of the business to a $50m a year entity and established the brand as one of the most trusted names in software. Currently, she is an advisor on marketing and creative strategy, open source governance, and organizational development. We hope you enjoy this conversation on Open Source with Fahad, Andrew, and Amanda. Episode HighlightsThe early days and significant impact of open sourceEvery piece of software written today includes open sourceThe turning point in developer culture Why some technologies win and others don'tMicrosoft vs Google Enterprises relying on open sourceSponsoring open source projectsThe outlook for open sourceResources Mentioned: The Cathedral and the BazarKakou CxO Tech Talk with Andrew WolfeOn Thursday, July 16 at 12:00 pm PST, Skiplist CEO, Andrew Wolfe will shed some light on an emerging enterprise data architecture called a data mesh. Imagine a data architecture that abstracts complexities of stitching together data across multiple data silos. Data that is available, searchable, and secure. Click here to join Kakou CxO and register for this online event. Thanks for listening! What did you think about this episode? Drop us a comment and let us know how we're doing. Connect with us at Skiplist.com

In this episode, Andrew and Fahad are looking ahead and discussing the trend toward collaboration first software. We believe the next generation of engineers, product designers, and salespeople want a real-time collaborative experience when it comes to software in the workplace and will in turn increase productivity and efficiency. Join in the conversation with us as we examine the benefits and key features of collaboration first architecture. In this episode we discuss: Software is changing to a more collaborative experience due to the remote transformation happening in almost every company Companies don't need siloed departments anymore but integrated together to provide the best possible customer service for your customersThe key features of collaboration first architecture are: working in real-time, speaking the same language across platforms, and effective communication Instead of trying to catch up to another company's collaboration methods, start thinking about the future. Consider what the next trends will be and start working to solve those potential problems. The first step leaders and companies can take toward more collaboration is to build an internal work culture that values collaboration, then look at where the handoffs happen in your business. Once you know where your company is missing communication, you can start working on integration in your existing systemsResources/Tools MentionedRemote Work is Eating the World. Will it eat you too? by Andrew WolfeThe Future of Customer Experience: Personalized, White-Glove Service for All By Rohit Agarwal, Raelyn Jacobson, Paul Kline, and Maurice ObeidThanks for listening! What did you think about this episode? Drop us a comment and let us know how we're doing. Connect with us at Skiplist.com

When you listen to someone share his or her life story and overcoming obstacles, you can't help but feel inspired as you think about your own goals and aspirations. In this episode, you'll hear an interview with leader, author, and coach, Joe Moglia. Joe is the Chairman of the Board at T.D. Ameritrade, Chairman of the Fundamental Global Investors and Capital Wealth Advisors, and Chair of Athletics and Executive Advisor to the President at Coastal Carolina University. Listen in as he and Fahad discuss the principles Joe used to grow his career and influence, knowing when to say yes or no when faced with opportunities, and taking responsibility for yourself. This is another exclusive interview from a previous KakouLive Leadership Series discussion. Kākou CXO is a new shared-trust, peer-invite only community for CIOs, CISOs, CTOs, and CxOs to engage in timely interactions, idea-sharing, and inspiring knowledgeable conversations in a private and peer-vetted setting on a single platform. Thank you to Tony Scott Group and SPJ for starting Kākou CxO and inviting us to be a part of the community!If you would like more information on Kākou CXO or would like to join the community, click here. Resources Mentioned: 4th and Goal: One Man's Quest to Recapture His Dream by Monte BurkeCoach Yourself to Success: Winning the Investment Game by Joe MogliaThe Perimeter Attack Offense: the key to Winning Football by Joe Moglia

No matter who you are or what setting you find yourself in, leadership is leadership. You do not have to be a highly decorated 4 Star General who leads tens of thousand soldiers to implement strong leadership practices, but who better to learn from when it comes to leading people well? In this episode, you are getting to hear an exclusive interview on leading through a crisis. We met General Brown through Kākou CXO. Kākou CxO is a new shared-trust, peer-invite only community for CIOs, CISOs, CTOs, and CxOs to engage in timely interactions, idea-sharing, and inspiring knowledgeable conversations in a private and peer-vetted setting on a single platform. This interview is from the Kākou Community as part of the KākouLive Leadership discussion.Thank you to Tony Scott Group and SPJ for starting Kākou CxO and inviting us to be a part of the community!If you would like more information on Kākou CXO or would like to join the community, click here. Episode Highlights: Leaders need to be 5X more visible during times of crisisLeaders must remain positive Reinforce success by sharing small winsTrue leaders show humility and empathyLeaders will prepare for every kind of situationTransparency in leadership is key to building trustLeaders always present hopeResources Mentioned: Red Teaming by Bryce HoffmanWe know that you are going to benefit from this conversation. No matter your position within your organization or company, you can be a great leader. Thank you for listening! Drop a comment and let us know what you think about this episode.

Recently Skiplist Founder and CEO, Andrew Wolfe, was interviewed on The Future Lab Podcast with Chris Berry. We wanted to share the interview here on our show because it's packed full of incredible insight when it comes to leadership and building trust in remote work. It's very fitting for our time as so many companies became a distributed or remote company overnight. Listen in as Andrew shares his experience on remote transformation and building trust within your organization. In this episode we discuss: what does Thoughtful Software™ mean?how software is a team sportthe benefits of remote work when it comes to talentbuilding trust within a remote organizationcreating a meaningful mission for people to believe inremote transformation in all businesseswork-life balance vs work-life integration (we choose work-life integration every time!)leading by example is key to creating a strong remote work culturea crisis is a great opportunity for leadersThanks for listening! What did you think about this episode? Drop us a comment and let us know how we're doing. Connect with us at Skiplist.com and check out our updated website.

Today's episode is all about Software Platforms. Andrew and Fahad are discussing how Software Platforms have evolved over time and what they actually are now, how a platform is different from a product, the architecture needed underneath, and what we see companies getting wrong about platforms. In this episode we discuss: the basics of a Software PlatformNetwork Effectscreating solutions instead of platforms GitHub's rise as a successful platformcreating the right architecture to support platformsgrowing into a well-rounded software architectenterprises and custom software solutionsResources Mentioned: ZyngaSlackBoxGithubWorkdayConcurNetSuiteThanks for listening! What did you think about this episode? Drop us a comment and let us know how we're doing. Connect with us at Skiplist.com and check out our updated website.

The hot topic for several years has been digital transformation. Today, remote transformation has become essential for every company. There is little doubt now that employees only have to be in the office to work. However, going remote goes beyond installing Slack and Zoom. Going remote requires companies to transition from approval-based workflows to audit-based workflows. In this episode, Andrew and Fahad discuss from their experience new workflows and what it really means to be a remote company. Listen in as they discuss how remote is eating the world. Don’t let it eat you.In this episode we discuss: the benefits of remote work the importance of implementing not just a digital transformation, but a remote transformation in your businessmoving from an approval-based workflow to an audit-based workflowbuilding trust in your organization by implementing more latitude and less leashthe mindset shift needed to become a results-based companyhow collaborative, web-based apps speed up work the challenges of remote work and managementcollaboration is the next wave in softwareleading through a crisisThe future of work is remote, how are you going to adapt to this new landscape? You can read more on this topic in this article from the Skiplist Insights. Resources and/or Tools mentioned in this episode: "Deep Work" by Cal NewportFigmaVisual Studio CodeSign up for the Thoughtful Software Newsletter and we'll give you a free E-book of Andrew's key software principles.

Our guest for this episode is Silicon Valley veteran, Samir Kaji. Samir is the Senior Managing Director at First Republic Bank, a Kaufman fellow and the source of truth for venture capital and emerging VC funds. Together, Fahad and Samir discuss how the current COVID crisis is affecting venture capital and start-ups and what we can expect moving forward. Host: Fahad ShoukatGuest: Samir Kaji, Senior Managing Director at First Republic Bank & Innovation Sector Strategy LeadSamir is currently a Senior Managing Director at First Republic Bank, leading the team's Venture Capital/Private Equity/tech banking efforts. Over the past several years, we've had a particular focus on the early-stage venture landscape, primarily Micro-VC & seed/Series A start-ups. Prior to joining First Republic, he spent 13 years at Silicon Valley Bank working in various capacities. Show NotesIn this episode, we take a detailed look at the world of Venture Capitalism and how it's been affected over the COVID pandemic thus far. Veteran Venture Capitalist, Samir Kaji, gives us great insight into the current state of Venture Capitalism. You'll hear his financial wisdom and foresight come through as he goes into detail about investing, advice for startups, and what we can expect for VCs and technology startups in the next 2-3 years.During this episode we discuss:the effect COVID-19 is having on big and small VC firmsadjustments startups need to start makingvisible inefficiencies revealed through the crisisfinancial options for startups during this time (PPP)how this current situation can define who you are as a leader and how your business can respondThank you for listening to our show! Learn more at Skiplist.com

Today’s guest is Machine Learning expert, Luis Serrano. Luis has a passion for teaching and is the author of Grokking Machine Learning. He is currently a researcher at Zapata Computing working on quantum computing. This episode covers a wide variety of information centered around machine learning, AI, applications for ML, and why everyone should learn Machine Learning.Host: Fahad ShoukatGuest: Luis Serrano, Author of Grokking Machine Learning, Quantum AI Research Scientist at Zapata ComputingLuis is the author of Grokking Machine Learning and maintains a popular machine learning YouTube channel with over 55K subscribers and 3M views. He currently works as a scientist at Zapata Computing, focusing on quantum AI algorithms.His previous roles include machine learning engineer at Google, head of AI and data science content at Udacity, and lead AI educator at Apple. Before transitioning his career to machine learning, Luis was a research mathematician. He holds a Ph.D. in mathematics from the University of Michigan, a Masters and Bachelors in mathematics from the University of Waterloo, and worked as a researcher and instructor at the University of Quebec at Montreal.To view information about Luis, including educational material in AI, please check out his website. All Thoughtful Software Podcast listeners can receive a discount on Luis' book with the code podthought20.Show Notes‍How would you define Machine Learning?Common sense for a computer.Computers need to be programmed and given instructions. This is not how humans operate, we learn from experience. When we inject this capability to the computer, we get machine learning. (where experience is called data).‍What tasks do humans perform that are machine learning addresses?Anything that is repetitive can be done by machine learning.‍Why do you call the Machine Learning the new renaissance?It's about enhancing the human experience not replacing humans.It gives humans the capability to be experts in more than one field.It gives the computer the capability to create.Supervised learning: answer questionsReinforcement learning: do tasksUnsupervised learning: create, paint paintings, music, (maybe one day) philosophy, scienceIt's a huge step because the difference between answering a question and creating is huge. Creative machine learning is able to reach a whole new level of intelligence for computers and it encourages humans to reach a higher level of thinking.AI is the all-encompassing function. Every time a computer uses some kind of intelligence to make a decision, that's AI. You can program in logic and reasoning or use data.‍The Melody of Machine LearningWhen you hear a great song, you don’t go straight for the scales and look at them, you try to capture the melody and the feeling that it gives you, that’s the most important stuff. The theory and scales are important, but they’re not the soul of the music.In ML, or any stem field, we focus too much on the formulas, but there is a heart to everything behind that. Theway I find it is, how do I explain this to a child. That’s the soul. It is what the algorithm is doing at the very core of its existence.‍Machine Learning Applications for EnterprisesUsing AI is a no-brainer. Every

This episode is all about the importance of sleep for optimal performance. Our guest is Dr. Michelle Jonelis a Sleep Medicine Physician. Dr. Jonelis specializes in behavior sleep therapy and has so many great things to say about sleep, why it’s important for your health and reaching optimal performance, and how we can get better quality rest.Host: Fahad ShoukatGuest: Dr. Michelle Jonelis, Sleep Medicine PhysicianDr. Michelle Jonelis is a Board Certified Sleep Medicine physician who practices in Redwood City, California at Redwood Pulmonary Medical Associates. Her focus is on the non-pharmacologic management of sleep disorders using techniques such as bright light therapy, circadian rhythm optimization and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia. Show NotesThe Importance of Getting Good Sleep There are 2 kinds of sleep deprivation: internally driven and externally driven sleep deprivation.Internally driven sleep deprivation is a consequence of stress. You have the opportunity to sleep, but you can't fall asleep. Being under chronic stress impairs the immune system, as well, but giving yourself the opportunity for rest is not as damaging to your immune system as externally driven sleep deprivation.Externally driven sleep deprivation is a consequence of not having the opportunity to sleep due to working long hours, a child awake during the night, healthcare workers on the front lines, etc. Externally driven sleep deprivation, when you don't have the opportunity for sleep, weakens our immune system.Our immune system recovers during sleep. If you shortchange sleep your immune system will be impaired and you're less prepared to fight sickness.Do as much as you can to allow rest and sleep during this global pandemic.Latest Sleep ResearchFor years sleep research was relatively inaccessible. There wasn't a lot that you could see, you couldn't access research. It wasn't until the development of the polysomnogram in the 60s that we were able to look at brain waves and breathing. That's when we became interested in sleep research.Sleep is behind other fields of medicine because it was introduced later.Ariana Huffington and Matt Walker's books have helped push sleep into mainstream view.Sleep and Optimal Performance at WorkWhen it comes to work and companies building software, there's a lot of ethical things in play and we want to be at our best performance. Sleep is so important to our creativity and helping our companies make better decisions.If you shortchange sleep, not allowing your employees to get sleep, they will not perform optimally.Beyond the amount of time available for sleep, you also need downtime. Performance tanks if you're working too long, especially if you're asking people to be creative and problem solve. If you go beyond the optimum length of the workday, you're compromising your performance. We need downtime where our minds can have creative thoughts.A lot of tech companies ask people to go beyond optimum work time and work longer hours, which is at the detriment of the company.For companies who have international offices, it's incredibly difficult for employees to perform well when they have meetings scheduled any time during the day or night. Working continuously with no break period is really unhealthy. If you're running with a company with international offices, try to group your teams together with similar sleep and meeting patterns.Signs of Sleep DeprivationAn employee sleeping on the job or yawning, it's not a sign of laziness, but a

Our guest for this episode is author, teacher, and keynote speaker, Juval Lowy. Recognized by Microsoft as a software legend, Juval has been in the software industry for over 20 years and is definitely one of the world’s top experts and industry leaders. Andrew, Fahad, and Juval discuss insights, techniques, and breakthroughs, in architecture, project design, development process, and technology. They also talk about Juval’s latest book, “Righting Software.” Take some notes along the way as you listen in to this Software Architecture Master ClassHosts: Fahad Shoukat and Andrew WolfeGuest: Juval Lowy Juval Lowy is the founder of IDesign and a master software architect. Over the past 20 years, Juval has led the industry in architecture and project design with some of his ideas such as microservices serving as the foundation of software design and development. He has helped countless companies deliver quality software on schedule and on budget and has mentored hundreds of architects across the globe, sharing his insights, techniques, and breakthroughs, in architecture, project design, development process, and technology. Juval participated in the Microsoft internal strategic design reviews and is a frequent speaker at the major international software development conferences. He also published several bestsellers, and his recent book is Righting Software (Addison-Wesley, 2019). Juval conducts Master Classes around the world, teaching thousands of professionals the skills required of modern software architects and how to take an active role in the design, process, and technology. Microsoft recognized Juval as a Software Legend as one of the world's top experts and industry leaders.‍‍Show NotesSoftware ArchitectureArchitecture can be summed up as business enablement. It's easy to describe software architecture, but difficult to practice.We see a high turnover rate in software architecture because of the comprises. You start out with big goals but give in to expediency, deadlines, and excuses. That erodes you overtime. IF you don't compromise and insist on doing it right, you can last longer over time and not burn out."Earn Your Complexity" is the idea of starting simple. As long as you keep it simple filling your head with all the things you need right now. It's knowing where you're at and knowing where you want to be over time. You can apply that to architecture and code and it will relieve the pressure.Software systems used to be complicated, but now they are complex systems. You lose in engineering when you give into complexity. If the project has an unknown level of complexity, it should never be done.‍"Righting Software"It focuses on saving our capsized industry. The reason the industry is so bad is because we've lowered the bar. Success today in software is anything that doesn't bankrupt the company right now. If you define success correctly, then 95% of projects actually fail.The objective of the book is to help people succeed and become mature engineers.To fix the software industry, we just have to implement sound, simple engineering principles that every mechanical engineer or bridge-builder knows, into how we build software.In software, there's no physical waste like in a physical engineering project. It doesn't mean that there is no waste, it means that the waste is hidden. The way to solve it is by adhering to the simple engineering principles.In our world, people are more interested in doing agile, than being agile. Being agile takes a lot of hard work.

Are things changing for better or worse in the gig and freelance economy? In this episode we're diving into that conversation with Matt Mottola, discussing the human cloud, major pain points for corporations and freelancers, and what we expect in the years ahead.Episode 31: The Human Cloud and Transforming WorkHosts: Fahad Shoukat and Andrew WolfeGuests: Matt Mottola, Product Leader | Building the Human Cloud‍Matthew R Mottola builds the human cloud, a model of work that is digital, remote, and outcome-based. As a product leader and serial entrepreneur, Matthew builds the tools and technology adopted by individuals, startups, SMB’s, and Fortune 100’s to embrace the future of work at scale.At Microsoft, he built the Microsoft 365 freelance toolkit - the unlock for enterprises to embrace the human cloud at scale - bringing Microsoft from nascent to an industry leader in under two years. At Gigster, he built Ideation - a service that used freelance developers, data scientists, and product managers to consistently generate what should be built in the software development lifecycle. At Georgia Tech, he helped develop the entrepreneurship curriculum and guest lectures. He is an international keynote speaker, the author of StartUp Not StartDown, and the upcoming book The Human Cloud.The Freelance ModelFrom a customer lens, you can go directly to the talent. You can work with the specific individual that you want.The Freelance Model is subjective. We can do things to mitigate the outcome risk.We know that 68% of software projects fail. Business owners should be hyper-aware of Scope Creep. The Freelance model can mitigate scope creep by really digging deep into the scoping; specifically the expectations when it comes to quality and the way that freelancers work with their clients.Business owners need to trust the freelancers to be the expert. Give them the scope document and explain what you're looking for. You want a high level of what you're going to get, comparable, and a road map to understanding what is going to be done and who is going to do it.Freelance can create a radical redistribution of opportunity. With freelance, you can build relationships you'd never have the opportunity to build. This model accelerates your ability to create outcomes.The Freelance Model on large scale projectsSometimes the smaller projects are the ones that go off the rails. No matter what the dollar size is, it comes down to be able to scope outcomes. Scoping small outcomes as soon as possible is one of the best things you can do.Freelancers are able to build deep relationships with their clients because the work enables you to focus on outcomes instead of political or informal things that happen in an office setting.Microsoft 365 Freelance ToolkitSolution for enterprises to work with platforms and scale freelancers across their organizations. It's like a jetpack that works alongside Microsoft tools to enable an enterprise to use platforms/ freelancers in a way that's compliant, secure, and integrative.Companies are interested in freelancers because of the direct access to the talent and agility. For enterprises to be able to compete with startups, they need the agility to have the speed of a start-up with the scale of an enterprise.The Human Cloud

In this unique episode, Andrew and Fahad speak with Kristin Smith, Executive Director from the Blockchain Association in Washington D.C. They dive into blockchain, cryptocurrencies, and how policymakers are addressing emerging technologies. Blockchain Association’s mission is to change public policy in Washington so that crypto and blockchain technology has the clarity needed to thrive. Kristin is passionate about advancing blockchain with the support of Washington D.C. She brings expert knowledge to this space and we are so excited to have her on our show todayHosts: Fahad Shoukat and Andrew WolfeToday's Guest: Kristin Smith, Executive Director of Blockchain AssociationKristin runs the Blockchain Association, where she leads the crypto industry’s development of a strategic roadmap for public policy. She is an experienced policy professional, with senior-level experience in both House and Senate offices as well as private sector experience advocating for companies in the telecommunications, Internet, and other tech-focused industries. Kristin holds an MBA in Finance from NYU’s Stern School of Business and a graduate degree from Georgetown University.The Blockchain Association is a trade association representing the interests of the open blockchain and cryptocurrency industry before Congress and policymakers in Washington D.C. Our guest in this episode is the Executive Director of the Blockchain Association, Kristin Smith. Interacting between public policy and disruptive technology, such as cryptocurrency, is an exciting place to be because the policies haven't been built yet and the dynamic is continuously changing. The work that the Blockchain Association is doing is so important because this technology is really complicated. When dealing with non-tech background policymakers, it's important to have a voice in the room who is able to communicate the key ideas in a way that people understand. If we want to get a better public policy that supports the development of this technology, you have to show up, present ideas and ask for help. Having a trade association here on the ground is important for the companies that came together to launch it. Concerns about Blockchain in the Public and Private SectorWhen it comes to Blockchain itself, it's got a good reputation. However, when you get into open blockchain networks fueled by cryptocurrencies that flags are raised.Before Facebook announced Libra back in the summer, there weren't many policymakers taking the technology seriously. After that, they realized that big companies that we trust or don't trust are getting into the arena. All of a sudden it was real and they realized they would have to address it. Some have concerns and are addressing them through legacy policy ideas, others are approaching it through a fresh lens.There's been a shift this past year where people are realizing the potential of technology and even though it's not figured out, they're ready to dialog about it to ensure that consumers are protected, but the US is staying competitive.Blockchain is well received in the private sector, but there are concerns especially when it comes to regulations. There is faith in the technology, but they are running into this roadblock of not knowing when or what regulations apply.Politics and BlockchainEmerging technology doesn't come up too often on the campaign trail. The

Today we're taking a deep dive into Natural Language Processing (NLP). It's an exciting topic and an important piece of the software puzzle. For people, speaking and understanding are simple, but its actually quite difficult for computers. Our conversation with Skiplist Principal Developer, Josh Smith, revolves around what NLP is, what it's not, and why it's so hard to do.

What does it take to be a good CTO? It's important for every organization to understand what it means to be a good technology leader. Whether you are the CIO, CTO, CSO, or CDO, you own the technology at your company. In this episode, Andrew and Fahad are diving into what it means to be a great CTO, misconceptions in the industry, and sharing more helpful information on how to best work with CTOs in your organization.

Today we’re breaking away from our typical Thoughtful Software Podcast format and going a little more technical. Experts in the tech industry, Andrew and Fahad, have compiled their top reasons as to why Software Projects Fail. This is a huge issue because software projects are costly and have a high failure rate. Here at Skiplist, we want to bring a thoughtful perspective to the way we build software for our clients and focus on the positive impact thoughtfully built software can have on society. We hope you enjoy this episode. Let’s go through the top 10 reasons why software projects fail.

Today on the Thoughtful Software Podcast, we’re sharing a conversation with our friend David Kravitz of Karma. Karma is a Slack application that’s designed to build High-performance team culture, build happier teams, set goals, track performance, and reward excellence.David, Andrew, and Fahad are sharing their thoughts on the psychology of rewards systems, handling positive and negative feedback, and what makes a great remote working culture. Remote offices are becoming more popular today and it’s pivotal to create not just a productive working environment, but an engaging community in the remote workplace.

Today on the Thoughtful Software Podcast, we’re discussing the latest Apple Announcement with one of our Senior Skiplist developers, Josh Smith. Josh is an industry veteran, accomplished speaker, and a published author. We are excited to have him on the show. In this episode Andrew, Fahad, and Josh are sharing their reactions to Apple’s newly announced products, discussing the state of iOS, and what they believe is coming down the pipeline in the software field. Its a unique take on Apple’s Special Event from software veterans you won’t find anywhere else.

Today we are catching up with our friend Ravi Swaminathan, the creator of the revolutionary app Task Human. Andrew, Fahad, and Ravi are talking about online marketplaces and platforms, how we can effectively serve people by creating new types of marketplaces, and change the way we search for information.

We're celebrating our one year anniversary of the Thoughtful Software Podcast! In this episode Andrew and Fahad discuss the journey of Skiplist so far, lessons they've learned from some of their favorite episodes of the show, the major need for software that’s user-first, and guests they'd like to have on the show. You might be surprised by their answers...

Our guest on the Thoughtful Software Podcast is business centric technology leader, Michael Keithley. Michael Keithley is the Chief Information Officer at United Talent Agency. UTA is one of the biggest talent agencies in the world. Michael has over 25 years of experience in the information technology field. He was named one of the top 100 CIO/CTO leaders in 2015 and we are so grateful to have him on the show today! We hope you enjoy this discussion on technology leadership and innovation.