Ajay Chankramath⁠, Head of Platform Engineering at ⁠ThoughtWorks⁠, discusses measuring and improving developer experience through platform engineering. Platform engineering is the abstracted set of tools, principles, and techniques that make developers' lives easier and enable DevOps. It focuses on improving developer productivity and reducing friction in the software development process. The key to successful platform engineering is adopting a product management mindset and prioritizing capabilities based on their value. Platform engineering can benefit organizations of all sizes, but the scope and implementation may vary. Internal developer platforms and managed platform engineering services are emerging as options for startups and smaller organizations. Platform engineering is the evolution of software development and delivery. It is not a passing fad or a replacement for DevOps, but rather a cultural paradigm that brings together tools, techniques, and processes. Platform engineering aims to simplify and automate the development process, improve compliance gating, and provide internal developer portals for self-service. It also involves the use of generative AI to enhance operational productivity and enable proactive issue detection. While there is no one-size-fits-all approach to platform engineering, it is important for organizations to invest in platforms that align with their specific requirements and skill sets.

Takeaways

• Platform engineering aims to improve developer productivity and reduce friction in the software development process.
• Adopting a product management mindset and prioritizing capabilities based on their value is crucial for successful platform engineering.
• Platform engineering can benefit organizations of all sizes, but the scope and implementation may vary.
• Internal developer platforms and managed platform engineering services are emerging as options for startups and smaller organizations. Platform engineering is the evolution of software development and delivery.
• It is not a passing fad or a replacement for DevOps, but rather a cultural paradigm that brings together tools, techniques, and processes.
• Platform engineering aims to simplify and automate the development process, improve compliance gating, and provide internal developer portals for self-service.
• Generative AI can be used to enhance operational productivity and enable proactive issue detection.
• There is no one-size-fits-all approach to platform engineering, and organizations should invest in platforms that align with their specific requirements and skill sets.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Ajay Chankramath and ThoughtWorks

03:08 Defining Platform Engineering and its Importance

07:48 The Role of Product Management in Platform Engineering

10:21 The Genesis of Platform Engineering and the Importance of Value Modeling

13:22 Platform Engineering for Organizations of All Sizes

22:16 Breaking Down Platform Engineering into Five Planes

25:41 The Importance of Observability in Platform Engineering

29:19 The Role of Orchestrators in Platform Engineering

33:26 The Impact of Platform Engineering on Developers' Daily Work

35:56 The Importance of Compliance Gating

36:47 Internal Developer Portals

38:17 Abstraction with Terraform and Other Tools

49:04 The Potential of Generative AI

55:53 Coexistence of Self-Serve Portals and Conversational UIs

01:06:25 Platform Engineering as an Evolution of Software Development

In this conversation, Krish discusses the need for software development to evolve. He emphasizes the importance of adapting to change and exploring new ways of doing things. Krish also highlights the role of AI in software development and the potential benefits it can bring. He encourages reevaluating problem-solving approaches and finding more efficient ways to document and create tickets. Ultimately, Krish emphasizes the need to embrace change and stay ahead in the rapidly evolving software industry.

Takeaways

• Software development needs to evolve by adapting to change and exploring new approaches.
• AI can play a significant role in improving software development processes and delivering solutions more efficiently.
• Problem-solving approaches should be reevaluated to ensure they are still relevant and effective.
• Efficient documentation and ticket creation processes can enhance productivity and collaboration.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction

01:01 Adapting to Change

03:54 Reevaluating Problem Solving

05:18 Approaching Documentation

06:40 Efficient Ticket Creation

07:08 Embracing Change

In this conversation, Krish shares his thoughts on the challenges of entrepreneurship and building a software company. He emphasizes that while technical challenges are expected, non-technical challenges often prove to be more important. He discusses the evolving challenges of AI and the need to balance priorities and efficiency. Krish also highlights the importance of motivating teams and overcoming discouragement. He explains the exponential nature of startups and encourages listeners to embrace challenges and take action.

Takeaways

• Entrepreneurship is not just an option for some, but becomes their only option.
• Non-technical challenges are often more important than technical challenges in building a software company.
• The challenges of AI are constantly evolving and require adaptation.
• Balancing priorities and finding efficiency is crucial for startups.
• Motivating teams and overcoming discouragement are key to success.
• Learning by doing and embracing challenges leads to growth and success.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Resonance with Entrepreneurship

01:20 The Challenges of Building Software

04:41 The Evolving Challenges of AI

06:04 Balancing Priorities and Efficiency

07:02 Motivating Teams and Overcoming Discouragement

09:00 The Exponential Nature of Startups

10:28 Embracing Challenges and Taking Action

12:19 Learning by Doing and Spreading Wings

13:43 Conclusion and Call to Action

Jake Moshenko⁠, CEO of ⁠AuthZed⁠, discusses the importance of permissioning databases and the challenges of implementing permissions at scale. He explains how AuthZed solves this problem by providing a common API for flexible and fine-grained authorization. The target market for AuthZed includes companies of all sizes that need to add complex permission workflows to their applications. Jake demonstrates how AuthZed can be integrated with backend systems, web applications, and mobile apps. He also explains the benefits of using AuthZed, such as increased security and improved product velocity. The conversation concludes with a discussion on the AuthZed schema language and how permissions and roles are defined in the system. Jake Moshenko introduces the concept of permissions and relations in the context of access control. He explains how permissions can be granted to users for specific actions on resources, and how relationships between users and objects are defined. Jake also discusses the flexibility of defining roles and the granularity of permissions. He demonstrates how permissions can be visualized and edited in a user interface, and highlights the benefits of using a startup solution for access control. The conversation concludes with a discussion on the importance of leveraging existing tools and trusting innovative startups.

Takeaways

• Permissions can be granted to users for specific actions on resources, such as read, write, and admin privileges.
• Relations define the relationships between users and objects, allowing users to be readers, writers, or admins of a particular object.
• Roles can be used to group multiple privileges or permissions together, providing a higher level of access.
• Design time actions involve configuring the access control system, while runtime actions involve making API calls to enforce permissions.
• When considering building or buying a solution, it is important to focus on core competencies and leverage existing tools and services.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background

01:04 The Problem of Permissions at Scale

05:25 Implementing Authorization for Different Client Types

06:46 Integration with Backend and Web Applications

10:24 Implementing Permissioning for Mobile Apps

14:25 Benefits of Using AuthZed for Permissioning

22:00 Granting Access to Resources with AuthZed API

25:11 Defining Permissions and Roles in AuthZed

30:42 Introduction to Permissions and Relations

31:11 Understanding Permissions and Roles

32:20 Decoupling Relationships and Actions

33:36 Granularity of Permissions

34:14 Grouping Privileges into Roles

36:01 Design Time and Runtime Actions

36:46 Visualizing and Editing Permissions

39:33 Trusting a Startup

53:36 Building vs. Buying Solutions

58:36 The Value of Innovation and Trust

In this podcast, Krish discusses the impact of layoffs and how individuals can better prepare themselves for such situations. He emphasizes the importance of continuous learning and expanding one's skill set to stay competitive in the job market. Krish also advises against becoming too attached to a company and building a lifestyle around the highest pay, as these can lead to difficulties in the event of a layoff. He reminds listeners that a company is not a family and encourages them to enjoy their time off and give back to the community.

Takeaways

• Continuous learning is crucial for staying competitive in the job market.
• Avoid becoming too attached to a company and build a lifestyle around the lowest pay to mitigate the impact of a layoff.
• Recognize that a company is not a family and maintain a healthy separation.
• Take the opportunity of job loss to expand your horizons and learn new skills.
• Focus on adding value to the organization to stay relevant and stand out.
• While there is competition, there is also a dearth of good and smart people, so being committed and passionate can make a difference.
• Enjoy your time off and use it to recharge and explore new opportunities.
• Remember that a job is just a job and there are other aspects of life to prioritize.
• Give back to the community and share your knowledge and experiences with others.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction

00:35 Summary of Previous Podcast

01:14 Preparing for Layoffs

04:00 Limited Attachment

05:00 Lifestyle and Financial Planning

05:45 Company is Not Your Family

06:06 Expanding Horizons

09:01 Adding Value

12:34 Competition and Dearth of Good People

13:48 Enjoying Time Off

16:16 Perspective on Job Loss

16:32 Giving Back

Snowpal Products

• Backends as Services on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠AWS Marketplace⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• Mobile Apps on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠App Store⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Play Store⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Web App⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Education Platform⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for Learners and Course Creators

For Entertainment Purposes only.

In this podcast episode, Krish Palaniappan introduces the idea of creating a series of podcasts on trading stocks, which is a departure from their usual software-related topics. He mentions that while Snowpal is not in the business of trading and does not claim to be experts in finance, they have some knowledge and experience in trading. Krish explains that the motivation behind this series is to share their learnings and provide entertainment on the topic. He also emphasizes that listeners should seek qualified sources for learning finance and trading.

Takeaways

• Snowpal is planning to create a series of podcasts on trading stocks, which is a departure from their usual software-related topics.
• The motivation behind the trading series is to share their learnings and provide entertainment on the topic.
• Snowpal acknowledges that they are not experts in finance and trading, and listeners should seek qualified sources for learning finance.
• The trading series will cover topics such as opening an account, buying stocks, basic analysis, placing trades, and understanding trading terminologies.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background

00:53 Engaging in New Topics

01:35 Interest in Trading

03:11 Podcast Disclaimer

04:07 Topics to Cover

05:33 Exploring Trading Terminologies

06:02 Sharing Knowledge and Entertainment

Snowpal Products

• Backends as Services on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠AWS Marketplace⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• Mobile Apps on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠App Store⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Play Store⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Web App⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Education Platform⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for Learners and Course Creators