I talk SWE
@italkswe.bsky.social
I just like talking about software engineering 🤷♂️
What are some good talks on refactoring?
November 12, 2025 at 11:07 AM
What are some good talks on refactoring?
It’s dawning on me that
80% of getting software engineers to work right* is environmental.
20% is education (15% co-creation patterns 5% techniques)
(*I’m my context of enterprise software development this is XP and TBD)
80% of getting software engineers to work right* is environmental.
20% is education (15% co-creation patterns 5% techniques)
(*I’m my context of enterprise software development this is XP and TBD)
November 12, 2025 at 9:34 AM
It’s dawning on me that
80% of getting software engineers to work right* is environmental.
20% is education (15% co-creation patterns 5% techniques)
(*I’m my context of enterprise software development this is XP and TBD)
80% of getting software engineers to work right* is environmental.
20% is education (15% co-creation patterns 5% techniques)
(*I’m my context of enterprise software development this is XP and TBD)
The main feature of LLMs seems to be disappointment. So close yet so far.
October 18, 2025 at 8:00 AM
The main feature of LLMs seems to be disappointment. So close yet so far.
For me the killer-feature of ai has not been writing code but writing prose. Managing a dev team in a larger org involves a lot of writing. Being able to quickly unload a stream-of-consciousness in to a markdown file and have the ai clean it up is very useful.
October 13, 2025 at 5:55 PM
For me the killer-feature of ai has not been writing code but writing prose. Managing a dev team in a larger org involves a lot of writing. Being able to quickly unload a stream-of-consciousness in to a markdown file and have the ai clean it up is very useful.
Hey @kentbeck.com have you read “Leadership is language” by David Marquet?
He makes done really interesting points about the nature of work especially dividing it in to blue and red work (analysis vs execution).
It seems to align closely with your work (both past and present)
He makes done really interesting points about the nature of work especially dividing it in to blue and red work (analysis vs execution).
It seems to align closely with your work (both past and present)
October 13, 2025 at 8:02 AM
Hey @kentbeck.com have you read “Leadership is language” by David Marquet?
He makes done really interesting points about the nature of work especially dividing it in to blue and red work (analysis vs execution).
It seems to align closely with your work (both past and present)
He makes done really interesting points about the nature of work especially dividing it in to blue and red work (analysis vs execution).
It seems to align closely with your work (both past and present)
Consider framing stories as learning activities. Instead of “as a … I need to … such that …” try “as <team> we will learn how to … such that …”
Too often stories turn out to be wrong in subtle ways which make them hard to close. If the emphasis is on learning is clearer
Too often stories turn out to be wrong in subtle ways which make them hard to close. If the emphasis is on learning is clearer
October 7, 2025 at 5:17 AM
Consider framing stories as learning activities. Instead of “as a … I need to … such that …” try “as <team> we will learn how to … such that …”
Too often stories turn out to be wrong in subtle ways which make them hard to close. If the emphasis is on learning is clearer
Too often stories turn out to be wrong in subtle ways which make them hard to close. If the emphasis is on learning is clearer
All good design is testable but not all testable design is good.
Low tests coverage is always bad but high tests coverage is not always good.
What other one way correlations have you encountered?
Low tests coverage is always bad but high tests coverage is not always good.
What other one way correlations have you encountered?
September 26, 2025 at 2:50 PM
All good design is testable but not all testable design is good.
Low tests coverage is always bad but high tests coverage is not always good.
What other one way correlations have you encountered?
Low tests coverage is always bad but high tests coverage is not always good.
What other one way correlations have you encountered?
Lately I’ve found my self writing more ADRs and KDRs than code. Funny how everything I’ve learnt about small steps and refactoring is a 100% transferable skill
September 24, 2025 at 5:41 PM
Lately I’ve found my self writing more ADRs and KDRs than code. Funny how everything I’ve learnt about small steps and refactoring is a 100% transferable skill
I wish I could write tests for prose.
assert_<some_point>_is_expressed_in_<some>_way
So that I could apply TDD
Could I get my AI to do this somehow?
assert_<some_point>_is_expressed_in_<some>_way
So that I could apply TDD
Could I get my AI to do this somehow?
September 7, 2025 at 9:52 AM
I wish I could write tests for prose.
assert_<some_point>_is_expressed_in_<some>_way
So that I could apply TDD
Could I get my AI to do this somehow?
assert_<some_point>_is_expressed_in_<some>_way
So that I could apply TDD
Could I get my AI to do this somehow?
The most human thing about AI coding agents is that they really struggle with working in small steps
September 4, 2025 at 1:49 AM
The most human thing about AI coding agents is that they really struggle with working in small steps
Maybe the killer feature of AI for programming is making the cost of mapping layers effectively zero
August 31, 2025 at 6:06 AM
Maybe the killer feature of AI for programming is making the cost of mapping layers effectively zero
He still not able to get real value out of agents. The edit mode in copilot still the only way I can keep control
August 31, 2025 at 6:05 AM
He still not able to get real value out of agents. The edit mode in copilot still the only way I can keep control
Trying to take agents seriously. By default it is easy to eager to make changes. Trying to get it to follow a plan in small tiny steps is way too hard
August 30, 2025 at 7:22 AM
Trying to take agents seriously. By default it is easy to eager to make changes. Trying to get it to follow a plan in small tiny steps is way too hard
The future of enterprise software development is test-writing
August 29, 2025 at 6:46 PM
The future of enterprise software development is test-writing
Augmented coding is amazing. Now I just feel silly for being this late to the party.
More designing, more experimentation, less bug hunting and much better tests!
More designing, more experimentation, less bug hunting and much better tests!
August 27, 2025 at 3:43 PM
Augmented coding is amazing. Now I just feel silly for being this late to the party.
More designing, more experimentation, less bug hunting and much better tests!
More designing, more experimentation, less bug hunting and much better tests!
The augmented coding flow really changes the economics of making changes. Bigger experiments can be to cheaper and faster. Making it both productive and fun
August 26, 2025 at 5:17 PM
The augmented coding flow really changes the economics of making changes. Bigger experiments can be to cheaper and faster. Making it both productive and fun
Lately I’ve been experimenting more seriously with ai. I’ve yet to give any value in agents BUT the edit mode on copilot (where you select which files to include) + TDD has me extremely excited
August 26, 2025 at 3:55 PM
Lately I’ve been experimenting more seriously with ai. I’ve yet to give any value in agents BUT the edit mode on copilot (where you select which files to include) + TDD has me extremely excited
Complexity is managed not only by **what** we build but also by **how** we build it
August 24, 2025 at 7:48 AM
Complexity is managed not only by **what** we build but also by **how** we build it
I’m currently trying to teach a small group of experienced engineers how to work in small steps.
Turns out that I had completely forgotten how some (most?) engineers work… everything everywhere all at once
Turns out that I had completely forgotten how some (most?) engineers work… everything everywhere all at once
August 19, 2025 at 3:57 PM
I’m currently trying to teach a small group of experienced engineers how to work in small steps.
Turns out that I had completely forgotten how some (most?) engineers work… everything everywhere all at once
Turns out that I had completely forgotten how some (most?) engineers work… everything everywhere all at once
Okay, first attempt at teaching engineers how to be agile:
Lesson 1: work in smaller steps
Lesson 1: work in smaller steps
August 18, 2025 at 5:50 AM
Okay, first attempt at teaching engineers how to be agile:
Lesson 1: work in smaller steps
Lesson 1: work in smaller steps
I’ve reached a point in my career where I need to teach XP to others. It is incredibly difficult. Some engineers are so cynical that they genuinely think TDD is a hoax, TBD is unprofessional, small steps are impossible.
How do you deal with this?
How do you deal with this?
August 15, 2025 at 4:41 PM
I’ve reached a point in my career where I need to teach XP to others. It is incredibly difficult. Some engineers are so cynical that they genuinely think TDD is a hoax, TBD is unprofessional, small steps are impossible.
How do you deal with this?
How do you deal with this?
How on earth do you teach software engineers to work in small steps?!
August 11, 2025 at 3:57 PM
How on earth do you teach software engineers to work in small steps?!
How are you planning your sprints/iterations?
July 27, 2025 at 4:01 PM
How are you planning your sprints/iterations?
Good architecture is a trailing (not leading) indicator of a healthy project
June 16, 2025 at 5:16 AM
Good architecture is a trailing (not leading) indicator of a healthy project