Retro Time // A Software Podcast: Recent Episodes
Derek Seibert & Jeremy Miller
The Retro Time Podcast is all about retrospectives. Join your hosts, Derek Seibert and Jeremy Miller, as they talk about software — from product design to software development to the soft skills you need to make it in the industry. Using their long careers to kick off the conversation, they’ll drop a few nuggets of wisdom each episode… 96.7% guaranteed.
No one likes one-play toilet paper. Yet it’s everywhere. It’s in just about every public or institutional toilet across the world.
This begs the question, if no one likes one-play toilet paper, why is it everywhere?
Well, I think it’s simple.
The people who pay for the toilet paper aren’t the ones who have to use it.
And it’s not too unlike enterprise software when you think about it.
The people who get stuck using enterprise software have very little say in what tools they’re supposed to use every day. The people who pay for the software are rarely the ones who have to use it. Not to mention enterprise software is usually seen as a cost-center, not a profit-center. So there is very little incentive to bake quality in from the beginning.
This week Derek and Jeremy dig into this conundrum and talk through some potential solutions to this unique problem.
Topics:
• 03:00 – The Analogy of One-Ply Toilet Paper and Enterprise Software
• 20:00 – Building Better Software and the Importance of Empathy
• 27:00 – Creating Empathy and Relationships in the Workplace
• 31:00 – Turning Knuckleheads into Stallions
• 31:28 – Building Great Software Requires Focus and Vision
• 32:27 – Empathy and Skill are Essential for Solving Problems
• 33:40 – Assuming Positive Intent and Encouraging Effort
• 34:09 – The Challenge of Leadership Problems
• 35:03 – Lack of Vision and Strategy as Leadership Problems
• 36:38 – The Need for Empowering Employees to Speak Up
• 39:30 – The Iceberg of Ignorance and Incentives for Silence
• 41:40 – The Lack of Democracy in the Workplace
• 48:26 – Leadership’s Role in Building Better Software
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The post 78. A Thin Line: The Rough Reality of Enterprise Software appeared first on Retro Time.
What happens when the quest for the perfect design goes too far?Today, we’re stepping away from our usual interviews and discussions to bring you a special Halloween treat.
This is the story of Ethan. A talented UX designer so committed to creating the perfect prototype that he becomes consumed by it—so much so that he loses himself in his work… Never to be seen again.
😱
Two brave interns hear about Ethan’s tale and decide to unravel the mystery. What they discover is beyond anything they could have imagined.
Whether you’re a junior UX designer, a career shifter, or even a seasoned pro, this episode should serve as a cautionary tale. It’s a haunting reminder of what can happen when we lose ourselves in our work and the dangers of focusing on perfection at all costs.
So go ahead and give it a listen… If you dare!
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Thanks for listening! We hope you enjoyed today’s episode. If you liked what you heard, be sure to like and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts! If you enjoyed today’s episode, please leave a comment and a five-star review. It helps us out a ton.
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The post In the Dark: The Tale of the Cursed Prototype appeared first on Retro Time.
Sit right back and you’ll hear a tale. A tale of a woman who isn’t quite careful about what she does with her personal information while browsing the internet.
Do you think you’re safe online? Do you pay close attention to the websites you visit?
Unscrupulous UX designers might use some dirty tactics to trick you into doing their evil bidding.
Don’t fall for these dirty tricks. Find out how to protect yourself by listening to this cautionary tale of UX dark patterns.
We want to give a huge shout-out to Kat Richards for writing an awesome article about UX dark patterns that inspired this story. Thanks Kat!
Helpful Links:
• A Very Scary UX Halloween Story: Dark Patterns and Bad UX
—–
Thanks for listening! We hope you enjoyed today’s episode. If you liked what you heard, be sure to like and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts! If you enjoyed today’s episode, please leave a comment and a five-star review. It helps us out a ton.
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The post In the Dark: A Cautionary Tale of UX Dark Patterns appeared first on Retro Time.
This week, our heros discuss over levelling, or ending up in a position where you maybe aren't where you should be. Ending up in this position is not where anyone wants to be.
The post Sink or Swim: How to Survive Being Overleveled appeared first on Retro Time.
AI isn’t coming. AI is here.
There are two types of people in this world. Those who are chomping at the bit to embrace AI tools like ChatGPT, and those who are terrified the end is nigh.
Let’s face it, AI is pretty incredible. But it’s also kind of dumb right now. We’re not quite to the point of dealing with Skynet and Terminator-style robots looking to completely wipe out humanity… yet.
Is there any point in fighting it? Does it do any good? Or should you pop some popcorn, sit back, relax, and get ready for the end?
It all depends if you agree with Derek or not.
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Thanks for listening! We hope you enjoyed today’s episode. If you liked what you heard, be sure to like and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts! If you enjoyed today’s episode, please leave a comment and a five-star review. It helps us out a ton.
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Photo by Owen Beard on Unsplash
The post 76. Ctrl+Alt+Del Your Existential Dread: A Phoenix Will Rise Out of ChatGPT’s Ashes appeared first on Retro Time.
Most software teams don’t realize the power they have over our everyday lives. With the proliferation of smart technology and connected networks, when product teams miss seemingly little software bugs, the consequences can be astounding.
Where does the software industry start to draw the line between innocent oversight and criminal negligence? Will a licensing scheme similar to the law and medical industries help to hold people accountable?
This week Derek and Jeremy interview the esteemed Gojko Adzic. They talk about some examples of software gone wrong and offer some insights on how to address these issues.
Gojko is the author of Running Serverless, Impact Mapping, Specification by Example and a few more books… He’s now working on Narakeet – narakeet.com and MindMup – mindmup.com.
Topics:
• 03:00 – Very close to reaching Peak Software $#!%
• 04:24 – Software is starting to negatively affect people’s lives.
• 15:25 – Illegal vs unethical patterns
• 20:20 – “Automation helps to get things done faster, not better”
• 25:40 – Software that breaks is often meant to serve the underprivileged.
• 30:00 – Gojko’s state of the industry
Helpful Links:• Gojko.net
• Humans vs Computers
• Narakeet
• MindMup
Order your Peak Software $#!% stickers!—–
Thanks for listening! We hope you enjoyed today’s episode. If you liked what you heard, be sure to like and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts! If you enjoyed today’s episode, please leave a comment and a five-star review. It helps us out a ton.
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The post From the Archives: Peak Software $#!% with Gojko Adzic appeared first on Retro Time.
You may have never heard of “The Network Effect” but you most certainly have experienced it.
If you’ve used social media, watched TV, or subscribed to a streaming service like Spotify, or Netflix, you’ve been a part of the network effect. Even if you didn’t realize it.
The Network Effect is when a system brings value to users because of the number of other users active in the system.
The more producers on a platform the more it is desirable for users. The more users on the platform the more desirable it is for the producers to join the platform.
This week, Derek explains The Network Effect and how this might influence your approach to planning out your system.
When we think about it in the context of software, this is something that can improve the experience of our users. Or it can have a negative effect and end up hurting the experience.
When you’re in the planning phase, it’s important to think about The Network Effect and make sure you’re setting your team up for success.
Helpful Links:
• The Network Effect on Wikipedia
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Thanks for listening! We hope you enjoyed today’s episode. If you liked what you heard, be sure to like and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts! If you enjoyed today’s episode, please leave a comment and a five-star review. It helps us out a ton.
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Episode Thumbnail by Alina Grubnyak on Unsplash
The post 75. What Is the Network Effect? appeared first on Retro Time.
Every once in a while, a great team will fall into an alternate universe. One where things don’t go according to plan. Where things could have gone right if only someone made a different decision. It might look a lot like the universe you’re used to, but it just doesn’t feel quite right.
The multiverse is often described as different bubbles. If you don’t like the universe you’re in. Yo might need to pop that bubble.
How do you get a team from a state of chaos to a state of enlightenment? How do we pull out the pin and pop the bubble? It requires time and energy to pop the bubble. If the leaders are unwilling, sometimes the leaders have to go.
When we reinforce and incentivize good behavior we get good results.
It’s often that simple.
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Thanks for listening! We hope you enjoyed today’s episode. If you liked what you heard, be sure to like and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts! If you enjoyed today’s episode, please leave a comment and a five-star review. It helps us out a ton.
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Episode thumbnail by Israel Piña on Unsplash
The post 74. Bursting the Multiverse Bubble or Stop It With the Status Quo Already! appeared first on Retro Time.
Who the software teams serve is a great question and often gets conflicting answers, depending on who you ask.
This week, Derek and Jeremy discuss this question and dive into some deeper questions about why the software team exists in the first place. What is the point of “the product”? Why do we even have a job in the first place?
Check out this week’s episode for some deep conversation about these topics and find out if Jeremy finishes all of his king cake.
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Thanks for listening! We hope you enjoyed today’s episode. If you liked what you heard, be sure to like and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts! If you enjoyed today’s episode, please leave a comment and a five-star review. It helps us out a ton.
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Episode thumbnail by William Krause on Unsplash
The post 73. Who Do Software Teams Serve? appeared first on Retro Time.
Making decisions is hard.
What’s harder is documenting those decisions.
What’s often impossible is trying to figure out why a decision was made years before you joined the team.
And all too often that decision lingers for a very, very, very long time.
This week Derek and Jeremy discuss decisions, their long-term impact, and what happens when those decisions turn into ancient history that predates your modern era.
Topics:
• 10:25 – The Great Stink
• 12:59 – Let the PSR commence
• 14:06 – Teams often value speed over quality
• 20:30 – Create a stakeholder map
• 24:29 – Teams often have problems with decision making
• 24:52 – Org charts don’t always tell the whole story
• 28:13 – Visions can be great, but there’s a catch
• 33:17 – You don’t have to be that wrong to still be wrong
—–
Thanks for listening! We hope you enjoyed today’s episode. If you liked what you heard, be sure to like and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts! If you enjoyed today’s episode, please leave a comment and a five-star review. It helps us out a ton.
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The post 72. When Important Decisions Become Ancient History appeared first on Retro Time.
When things go wrong at work, there’s usually someone to swoop in and save the day.
But what about the folks who work hard to ensure nothing ever goes wrong? Sometimes they may get some recognition eventually, but usually, these are the ones who fly under the radar.
We usually don’t know their names or their deeds. Because they fade into the background.
What’s interesting is many organizations incentivize the hero mindset over incentivizing these nameless heroes who fly under the radar.
Buckle up for the deepest, most philosophical software podcast episode you may ever listen to.
Topics:
• 00:36 – It’s Carnival Time!
• 04:37 – A Star Trek Allegory
• 09:50 – We often celebrate people who come to the rescue
• 11:13 – Normal things shouldn’t be seen as exceptional
• 14:41 – There is a social incentive to let things go nuts, so we can be seen fixing it
• 18:58 – The less attention something receives the better it is managed
• 21:43 – Boring usually means something works. But we celebrate the opposite
• 23:47 – What’s the moral of the story?
• 24:25 – What are our incentives?
• 32:31 – Most people are terrible at estimating
• 36:38 – Don’t focus on estimates. Focus on quality.
—–
Thanks for listening! We hope you enjoyed today’s episode. If you liked what you heard, be sure to like and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts! If you enjoyed today’s episode, please leave a comment and a five-star review. It helps us out a ton.
If you haven’t already, sign up for our email list. We won’t spam you. Pinky swear.
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Episode thumbnail by Sander Sammy on Unsplash
The post 71. A Couple of Miracle Workers appeared first on Retro Time.
What does it mean to build perfect software?
Is perfect software, or perfect anything for that matter, even attainable? Or is it a utopian dream?
If perfection is nearly impossible, what options do we have?
You’ve probably heard the old adage “Don’t let perfect get in the way of the good enough,” or something similar.
But what does it mean to be good enough? Well, it’s likely hard to understand what any of this looks like without constant communication with your entire team.
Topics:
• 01:08 – The allegory of the “smart” dishwasher
• 07:39 – We often start building before we know what to do
• 08:32 – Think about the problem in simplest form
• 08:44 – The UX team can help
• 13:06 – “Good enough” is a conversation
• 13:36 – Perfect looks different from Engineers and Designers
• 17:05 – Communication is critical to know what “good enough” is
• 19:52 – Reaching for perfection, within the context, is part of being successful
• 20:59 – How much risk do you want to assume?
• 21:39 – Look down the line for potential risks to “good enough”
• 25:23 – It’s often about intuition and knowing what works
• 33:16 – Perfection can be about anything
• 33:46 – It’s not about being perfect its about finding the perfect balance
—–
Thanks for listening! We hope you enjoyed today’s episode. If you liked what you heard, be sure to like and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts! If you enjoyed today’s episode, please leave a comment and a five-star review. It helps us out a ton.
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Episode thumbnail by Pablò on Unsplash
The post 70. The Endless Drive for the Perfect Program appeared first on Retro Time.
Join Barry on the holiday adventure of a lifetime, a journey through space, time, and a kooky winter wonderland. Your hearts will be warmed by the colorful characters Morty the Head Elf, Emma and Mr. Weatherspoon (those goofs will laugh at anything), and most of all Barry, a man who learns all about the spirit of giving …
Just in the nick of time.
Coming this holiday season to home video!
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Thanks for listening! We hope you enjoyed today’s episode. If you liked what you heard, be sure to like and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts! If you enjoyed today’s episode, please leave a comment and a five-star review. It helps us out a ton.
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Episode thumbnail by Isaac Martin on Unsplash
The post Seasons Greetings: The Story of Barry Christmas appeared first on Retro Time.
I know a lot of people dread networking. The idea of going to some silly event after work is the last thing they want to do.
But networking is more than just showing up to a bar, slapping on a nametag, and shuffling around for 45 minutes before you go home.
Lots of people look at networking as a necessary evil. Something they dread doing. Something they think only kiss-asses and brown-nosers do.
Some people think networking seems forced or fake. Some people feel like they’re just bugging people or bothering them.
There are several really good reasons to continue networking internally after you land your next gig. Some of them may seem somewhat selfish at first, or like you’re playing into the politics game, but I would encourage you to think about the benefits to the entire organization, your team, and your career.
So check out this week’s episode where we’ll dive into some benefits of networking long after you get that job offer.
Topics:
• 01:23 – Why is networking so important?
• 03:18 – Build your social capital
• 04:57 – Insights into other teams adds clarity
• 06:40 – Cross-functional collaboration becomes easier
• 09:37 – It makes your job easier overall
• 10:28 – It will help find a mentor
• 11:27 – It will help with career growth
• 12:37 – It can lead to internal opportunities
• 14:23 – Some handy networking tips
• 21:32 – Networking tips for introverts
Helpful Links:
• How Leaders Create and Use Networks
• Internal Networking: Why It’s Important And How To Do It Well
• How Internal Networking Helps Employees and Organizations | Randstad Risesmart
• Network effects: How to rebuild social capital and improve corporate performance
• High-performing teams: A timeless leadership topic | McKinsey
• 5 Things High-Performing Teams Do Differently
• 8 Reasons Building “Internal Network” Is Good for Your Career | BioSpace
• Networking for Introverts: The Ultimate Guide | TopResume
• The Surprising Benefits of Being an Introvert | Time
—–
Thanks for listening! We hope you enjoyed today’s episode. If you liked what you heard, be sure to like and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts! If you enjoyed today’s episode, please leave a comment and a five-star review. It helps us out a ton.
If you haven’t already, sign up for our email list. We won’t spam you. Pinky swear.
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The post 69. Don’t Stop Networking After You Land the Job appeared first on Retro Time.
This week, our heroes dig into the interview archives to present the legendary "Uncle Bob," Martin. We learn about the history of the Agile Manifesto and if any parts were written in a hot tub.
The post From the Archive: A Brief History of the Agile Manifesto with Uncle Bob Martin appeared first on Retro Time.
This week our heroes talk with Jesper Boeg, author of the "Agile Bullshit" series about his thoughts on the state of Agile today. Jesper explains why he thinks the industry is suffering from too much Agile bullshit.
The post 68. Agile Bull$#!% With Jesper Boeg appeared first on Retro Time.
This week, our heros talk with Neil Thompson author and host of Teach the Geek. Neil gives advice on how to be a better public speaker, and offers some tips on things to do to avoid becoming a sweaty mess.
The post 67. Teach the Geek To Speak With Neil Thompson appeared first on Retro Time.
This week, our heroes dig into the interview archives to present Tom Greever, author of "Articulating Design Decisions." They'll talk about working with stakeholders and reveal how O'Reily picks cover animals.
The post From the Archives: Tom Greever, Author of Articulating Design Decisions appeared first on Retro Time.
This week, our heroes share a story of poor Wilcox Mudhoney, server administrator and walking disaster who never seemed to do anything right. His whole being existed in a purgatory of incompetence.
The post In the Dark: A Purgatory of Incompetence appeared first on Retro Time.
This week, our heros discuss the tricky situation of not figuring out what your co-workers do until it's too late, waiting until a week or two before they quit. You better not screw this up!
The post 66. Don’t Wait Until You Quit To Document appeared first on Retro Time.
This week, our heroes share a frightening tale of UX dark patterns. Some evil UX designers will use nasty tricks to get you to do their bidding. Don't fall for their traps. Pay attention to this cautionary tale.
The post In the Dark: A Cautionary Tale of UX Dark Patterns appeared first on Retro Time.
This week our heroes discuss the recent acquisition of Figma by Adobe for an obscene amount of USD. There may be lots of reasons to be weary of these developments, but losing a tool shouldn't be one of them.
The post 65. A Figma of Your Imagination appeared first on Retro Time.
This week, our heroes get ready for Halloween with a new series, In the Dark. Join Ronald as he goes on an adventure in the IBM server room late one night, in search of his best friend Peter.
The post In the Dark: The Frightful Tale of Lost Lenny appeared first on Retro Time.
This week our heroes discuss the five phases of a teams development from forming all the way until the bitter end. These stages are normal and most every team goes through them.
The post 64. Formin’ Stormin’ Normin’ Performin’ Mournin’ Dawlin’ appeared first on Retro Time.
This week, our heroes discuss the difficulties and nuances of changing the way our teams have always done things. There are some techniques we can use that work better than others.
The post 63. How to Influence Change or The Three Joys of Work appeared first on Retro Time.
This week Derek dives deep into the ever popular, yet utterly troublesome Spotify Squad Model. Why won't this idea die and is there any way to salvage the concept?
The post After Hours: The Spotify Model appeared first on Retro Time.
This week, our heroes discuss a recent Doc Norton tweet where he contemplates the definition of quality software. They dive right in to what truly makes quality software, and discuss when enough is enough.
The post 62. Indicator of Quality vs Measure of Quality appeared first on Retro Time.
This week, our heroes are a team of one. This time, Jeremy takes over to discuss User Experience and why it should matter to the entire software team, not just UX Professionals.
The post 62. What Is UX Design? Why Does It Matter? appeared first on Retro Time.
This week, our heros contemplate what life after software might look like for them. If you're in Kentucky, there is some good news. You might be in for a tasty treat if Jeremy loses his job.
The post 61. We hope for the best, but we plan for the worst appeared first on Retro Time.
This week our heroes are down to one. Derek rants all by himself about following a straightforward process for solving problems. Unfortunately, there's no solution for getting stuck with a Franz Wagner card.
The post RetroByte: Solving Problems appeared first on Retro Time.
This week, our heroes hung out in Kentucky at Jeremy's house and took the opportunity to record a quick check in together for the first time in a very very long time.
The post RetroByte: The one where Derek comes to visit appeared first on Retro Time.
This week our heroes discuss their experience working for large and small organizations, and they offer some insights into potential pitfalls that your team may be able to avoid as you scale.
The post 60. It’s not the size of the team, it’s how you use it appeared first on Retro Time.
This week, our heroes discuss what you should do when joining a new team goes wrong. It might feel like you're stepping back in time. Sometimes you need to look backward to go forward.
The post 59. Looking backward to move forward appeared first on Retro Time.
This week, our heroes discuss the ultimate question: should I stay or should I go? Is it time to quit, or is it time to suck it up and stick it out? Ask yourself "why, who, what, how, when, where, and how much?"
The post 58. Should I stay or should I go? appeared first on Retro Time.
This week, our heroes talk with Ryan Boddy, author of Conquering CSS about his new book and finally decide once and for all if knowing CSS makes you a true Front End Developer.
The post 57. Conquering CSS with Ryan Boddy appeared first on Retro Time.
This week our heroes discuss waiting until final production release to validate your hard work, or treating your users like lab rats. There are lots of opportunities to validate before releasing it to everyone.
The post 56. Don’t Treat Your Users Like Lab Rats appeared first on Retro Time.
This week, our heroes discuss the real and imaginary barriers we face while building software every day. They also offer some practical advice on how to get through those barriers.
The post 55. Software Team, Tear Down This Wall! appeared first on Retro Time.
Every once in a while, our heroes need a break from talking about software. This week Derek reviews Weezer's newest EP, SZNZ: Spring live on the air. Spoiler alert it's still no Pinkerton.
The post RetroByte: Derek Reviews SZNZ: Spring, and it’s still no Pinkerton appeared first on Retro Time.
This week, our heroes interview Trevor Alexander about his new book, "An Ugly Design Career." Trevor argues your opportunities should come from your network, not endless interviews and portfolio revamps
The post 54. An Ugly Design Career with Trevor Alexander appeared first on Retro Time.
This week our heroes chat with Doc Norton, consultant, author, and speaker, about life before Agile, team culture, the state of agile today, how he really feels about best practices, and kiddie pools.
The post 53. Great Scott!!! An interview with Doc Norton appeared first on Retro Time.
6327853585 do you know what time it is? 6327853585 that is who this is for. 6327853585 that is who we're singing to. 6327853585 you might be anonymous but you know who you are. You can't hide forever.
The post Review Jam: 6327853585, that’s who this is for appeared first on Retro Time.
This week our heroes discuss transformation of all kinds: cultural, digital, agile, et al. Get some tips on how to spot bad cultures before you join, and tips on how to right the ship if you've already joined.
The post 52. Culture Crusaders appeared first on Retro Time.
This week, our heroes reflect on learning anxiety and what might keep us from learning something new. How might we avoid focusing on all the things we don't know and just start our learning journey?
The post 51. Володимир Путін гігантський хуй. Слава Україні! or How to Get Over Learning Anxiety appeared first on Retro Time.
This week our heroes talk with Tyler Hawkins, Sr Software Engineer at Adobe and popular author, about some lessons learned from being a tech lead and common pitfalls to avoid if you're new to the role.
The post 50. Lessons From a Tech Lead with Tyler Hawkins appeared first on Retro Time.
This week, our heroes discuss joining a new team. Whether joining a new company or transitioning internally, it can be stressful. It doesn't have to be if you know how to play the game.
The post 49. Playing the Long Game or How To Join a New Team appeared first on Retro Time.
This week our heroes interview the one and only Danielle Meadows-Stinnett, owner of Lexington, KY based Octane Design Studios, podcast host, and founder of Kentucky Creatives about the freelance hustle life.
The post 48. The Freelance Hustle with Danielle Meadows-Stinnett appeared first on Retro Time.
This week our heroes take a break from the stress of real-life to discuss science fiction technology. Derek and Jeremy play sci-fi draft and pick their favorite sci-fi tech teams.
The post 47. The Mother Flippin’ Sci-Fi Guys appeared first on Retro Time.
This week our heroes discuss the frustration and disappointment we often feel when things at work don't go according to plan. How do we keep those feelings from taking over?
The post 46. Frustration Desperation appeared first on Retro Time.
This week our heroes get ready to set career goals for the new year with Dagna Bieda of The Mindful Dev. Dagna shares some tips on how to avoid burnout and helpkeep us from running our careers on autopilot.
The post 45. The Mindful Developer with Dagna Bieda appeared first on Retro Time.
This week our heroes discuss red flags related to feature requests. We're often asked to focus on releasing the shiny new feature over code cleanup. How might we influence our teams to build quality software?
The post 44. Feature (RED) Flags appeared first on Retro Time.
This week our heroes ask why software teams are often treated like they're working on a manufacturing shop floor. They also ponder if replicators might make manufacturing more like software.
The post 43. Manufacturing an estimate: Manufacturing vs Software Engineering appeared first on Retro Time.
This week our heroes discuss the dreaded end of the year reviews, everyone's favorite time of the year. It may be too late for this year, but how do you set yourself up for success next time?
The post 42. Avoid the Naughty List: It’s end-of-year review season! appeared first on Retro Time.
This week, our heroes talk with Anand Safi, Engineering Leader at Mark43, about the value of finding a mentor and being a mentor to others. Discover tips and tricks to get the most out of mentoring.
The post 41. Level up your career via mentoring with Anand Safi appeared first on Retro Time.
This week our heroes talk with content governance expert Chris Willis, CMO @ Acrolinx. Chris offers some tips on how to keep your brand's tone and voice consistent throughout the product lifecycle.
The post 40. Content Governance: This ain’t no democracy! with Chris Willis appeared first on Retro Time.
This week our heroes discuss changes in the workplace. Change can be good or bad. Sometimes it can be traumatic. It's on us to embrace it when it comes and let change be a catalyst for the right kind of change.
The post 39. Let Change Be a Catalyst For Change appeared first on Retro Time.
This week our heroes close out the Get Hired series with Aimee Miller, Product Manager at GE Aviation. Aimee discusses how to work with product managers and be a solid team player.
The post Get Hired: The Three-Legged Stool with Aimee Miller appeared first on Retro Time.
This week our heroes discuss a recent blog post by Tyler Hawkins about how software is a loser's game. The reason we fail is often because of unforced errors on our part. How do we play the game so we always win?
The post 37. Is software a loser’s game? appeared first on Retro Time.
Every day, teams are just trying to get by. But there's a way. Just ask yourself why. Culture is the key, baby. Talk to Brittany and she'll tell you all about it.
The post Review Jam: Culture is the Key, Baby #FreeBritney appeared first on Retro Time.
Jay Casteel is a man of steel. He's a friend for real. He's a Sagemaker. He's a dream taker. He's a dream shaker. He's a man. Last but certainly not least, he's our fearless leader.
The post Review Jam: SageMaker- The legend of Jay Casteel appeared first on Retro Time.
A big "thank you" goes out to our number one fan and first five star reviewer, BigBrother82. We don't know a thing about you, but we wish we did! Thanks for all the support.
The post Review Jam: BigBrother82 they’re watching you! appeared first on Retro Time.
This week our heroes talk with Ardi Karaj, Agile Coach and President of Industrial Logic Canada, about Modern Agile-- Extending the agile framework to include everyone on the team, not just engineers.
The post 36. Modern Agile: It starts and ends with the people with Ardi Karaj appeared first on Retro Time.
This week our heroes discuss the "Five Whys" for better problem solving, a proven root-cause-analysis method created by Toyota in the 1930s. BONUS: Listen through the end for a new five-star review jam.
The post 35. Five whys are better than one appeared first on Retro Time.
This week our heroes reminisce with their former colleague and current Digital Product Owner at Carrier, Brittany Summitt about how to build a solid team culture and make sure it sticks.
The post 34. Not just team building, dream building with Brittany Summitt appeared first on Retro Time.
This week Jeremy is joined by Ray Lemon, Sr Staff Experience Architect at GE Aviation to demystify the whiteboard challenge. We'll review some tips and tricks so this step of the interview process is less intimidating.
The post Get Hired: Demystifying the Whiteboard Design Challenge with Ray Lemon appeared first on Retro Time.
This week Jeremy continues the Get Hired series with guest Jay Casteel, Senior UX Designer at Amazon Web Services. Jay offers a ton of insights and tips to ace your next job interview.
The post Get Hired: Acing your next job interview with Jay Casteel appeared first on Retro Time.
This week our heroes discuss Derek's recent camping adventure at Mammoth Cave National Park, and we learn how Mother Nature can inspire us to build more scalable enterprise software.
The post 31. Derek goes camping appeared first on Retro Time.
Derek invites a special after hours guest on to the show to talk about technology, video games, and other struggles every eight-year-old endures post pandemic.
The post After Hours: An Evening with Derek’s First Born appeared first on Retro Time.
This week Jeremy goes solo and talks with Kristine Yuen, a design manager at LinkedIn, about how to make a great first impression with your portfolio and resume.
The post Get Hired: Craft a killer resume and portfolio with Kristine Yuen appeared first on Retro Time.
This week our heroes discuss the paths to becoming a work Nihilist. Work Nihilists are the folks that have given up all hope for change. They show up, do the bare minimum, then go home. Don't be a work nihilist.
The post 29. We believe in nothing, Lebowski! appeared first on Retro Time.
This week our heroes kick off the "Get Hired" Deep Dive series with Kasey Randall, Senior Interaction Designer at SiriusXM. Kasey has some tips and tricks on how to network and build your tribe.
The post Get Hired: Networking and building your tribe with Kasey Randall appeared first on Retro Time.
Introducing the "Get Hired" Deep Dive series. We'll give you tips on networking, resume writing, portfolios, help with interviewing, whiteboard challenges, and cross-functional collaboration.
The post Deep Dives: Introducing The “Get Hired” Series appeared first on Retro Time.
This week, our heroes talk with Dan North: Viking, elk hunter, coach, consultant, author, and father of Behavior Driven Development. Dan discusses CUPID, a new set of software properties he's been working on.
The post 27. CUPID: A Software Love Story with Dan North appeared first on Retro Time.
This week, our heroes dive deeper into Ardi Karaj's recent article, "The Learning Release." They explore her ideas in more detail and provide some practical tips on how to execute these concepts.
The post 26. If you can’t convince ’em, rebrand! appeared first on Retro Time.
This week Derek reads a Blog post by Ardi Karaj called “The Learning Release." Ardi offers a new way to look at the MVP. Stay for a little surprise at the end. We think you’ll dig it.
The post After Hours: “The Learning Release” by Ardi Karaj appeared first on Retro Time.
This week, our heroes get back to it with the classic Derek/Jeremy format and dive into an important, all too common topic-- Burnout and stress. What causes this and how do we avoid it?
The post 25. Don’t get burnt out y’all, “It’s not even goose season.” appeared first on Retro Time.
In this episode, we're trying something a little different. We're calling this series "After Hours" and we'll be doing some experimenting in this space, trying something new and seeing what works. We hope you dig it.
The post After Hours: Derek’s Parable of Stability appeared first on Retro Time.
This week, our heroes interview David O'Malley, a software veteran and agile practitioner, on his experience helping large and small companies with their agile transformation efforts.
The post 24. Agile Execution: Wisdom from a Learned Agile Practitioner with David O’Malley appeared first on Retro Time.
This week, our heroes interview the legendary "Uncle Bob," Robert C. Martin. We learn about the history of the Agile Manifesto and if Bob thinks any of the Agile principles need updating in 2021.
The post 23. A Brief History of the Agile Manifesto with Uncle Bob Martin appeared first on Retro Time.
This week, our heroes discuss software etiquette, and possibly some of the things that might be making your team hate working with you. Today, we discuss some tips for being an effective teammate.
The post 22. Software Etiquette: Or How to Stop Being a Jerk and Love Building Software appeared first on Retro Time.
Our heroes get back to their roots with a quick chit chat between friends. This time, Derek and Jeremy go back in time to 2001 and review a little document known as "The Agile Manifesto."
The post 21. Gettin’ Real Agile Up in Here appeared first on Retro Time.
This week, our heroes talk with former consultant and author of "For the Love of Go," John Arundel. We discuss the importance of British accents while consulting and discover how accurate Office Space is.
The post 20. For the love of Go, Don’t be a “Bob!” with John Arundel appeared first on Retro Time.
This week, our heroes talk to VMware Architect Brian Friedman about his philosophy on software architecture. We also learn to be careful doing whiteboard interviews for sneaky companies in Silicon Valley.
The post 19. Make it “Thump” with Brian Friedman appeared first on Retro Time.
This week, our heroes talk with speaker, author, and software engineer Gojko Adzic about how software can go horribly wrong. When it does it can affect our lives in troubling, frustrating, and unexpected ways.
The post 18. Peak Software $#!% with Gojko Adzic appeared first on Retro Time.
Every once in a while, our heroes need a break from talking about software. This week Derek reviews Weezer's newest album, OK Human live on the air. Spoiler alert it's no Pinkerton.
The post RetroByte: Derek Reviews OK Human, and it’s no Pinkerton appeared first on Retro Time.
This week our heroes talk with Kevin Winchester, Software Engineering Director at GE Aviation and long time Dungeon Master. It seems D&D can teach us a lot about how to build an agile software team.
The post 17. Developers & Dragons: D&D Lessons for Software Teams appeared first on Retro Time.
This week our heroes discuss joining a new team. There's a good chance you were forced to look for a new job last year. Hopefully you've landed on your feet, and with these handy tips you'll onboard like a boss.
The post 16. Onboarding Like a Boss appeared first on Retro Time.
This week our heroes discuss bringing your "authentic self" to work, what it really means to be authentic, and when we may want to hold back. We also learn not to order ketchup at Commander's Palace
The post 15. Bring Your Authentic Self to Work Day appeared first on Retro Time.
This week our heroes discuss creativity, or the act of creating something new. Computer science often gets a bad rap for being "too technical." How can the entire software team flex their creative muscles?
The post 14. Software Engineers are Creatives Too! appeared first on Retro Time.
This week our heroes get a bit philosophical. Tune in as Derek and Jeremy ask themselves "Why do we do what we do?" Find out what makes them roll out of bed every morning.
The post 13. What Is Your “Why?” appeared first on Retro Time.
This week our heroes discuss The Butterfly Effect in software. Where seemingly insignificant decisions we make today can greatly impact our products down the road. How can we plan for this inevitability?
The post 12. The Butterfly Effect in Software appeared first on Retro Time.
Over 800 miles and 10,000 boxes later, our heroes have landed in Cincinnati. This week, Jeremy and Derek take a break from unpacking to give a quick update on their cross country trek.
The post RetroByte: Quick Moving Update appeared first on Retro Time.
This week, our heroes revisit the concept of empathy. Finding empathy is not just for UX designers and your users. Empathy truly is "the secret sauce" to great software development. Empathy is for everyone.
The post 11. Empathy for Everyone appeared first on Retro Time.
This week our heroes take a break from 18 weeks of the daily grind of self quarantine, screaming over toddlers during meetings, and eating junk food to catch up and check in.
The post RetroByte: COVID-19 Week 18 Check In appeared first on Retro Time.
This week, our heroes interview the one and only Tom Greever, author of "Articulating Design Decisions." They'll talk about working with stakeholders and might reveal how O'Reily picks their cover animals.
The post 10. Interview: Tom Greever, Author of Articulating Design Decisions appeared first on Retro Time.
This week, our heroes discuss freelance and how you might handle the stress that comes along with doing freelance work. They'll also share some tips to set you up for success on your next freelance gig.
The post 09. Freelancing for Dummies appeared first on Retro Time.
This week our heroes drop some heavy news. But it's not all doom and gloom. Tune in for a fun game called "Guess the Job Title," where Derek and Jeremy try to guess the job title based on the listing requirements.
The post 08. Hunger Games or How I Learned to Love Job Hunting appeared first on Retro Time.
Our heroes have had quite a heavy week, so they needed a little pick-me-up. What better way to give themselves a smile than remembering the fun they've had on all their past work trips.
The post RetroByte: A Work Trip Through Time appeared first on Retro Time.
In this episode our heroes discuss life after COVID19. What will life be like? What will work be like? Will we be able to WFH more often? Will we finally get rid of the open office fad?
The post 07. Coding After COVID appeared first on Retro Time.
In this episode our heroes discuss the term "MVP", how it's really a loaded term, how it can be misinterpreted, what it really means, and why a lot of teams seem to get it so wrong.
The post 06. MVP 2 appeared first on Retro Time.
Back in 2019 our heroes recorded their very first podcast episode, where they discussed the term "MVP." Ultimately it was a little too minimal and was never released.
The post RetroByte: Minimum Viable Podcast appeared first on Retro Time.
This week our heroes take a break from the daily grind to catch up and check in. This is the first in our bonus series, "Retro Bytes." No topic. No script. Just a couple of software folks talking about being stuck at home.
The post RetroByte: COVID-19 Week 2 Check In appeared first on Retro Time.
In this episode our heroes discuss the fallout the Covid 19 pandemic has had on the tech industry. They'll talk with Pam Kocke from Automattic about her experience working with a 100% distributed team.
The post 05. Working from Home: The New Normal appeared first on Retro Time.
In this episode our heroes discuss why some organizations are stuck doing the same old thing over and over again and how to finally wake up from the bad dream. There is also lots of talk about monkeys.
The post 04. Shaking Out of a Bad Dream appeared first on Retro Time.
In this episode our heroes discuss imposter syndrome, how to identify it, how to address it, and if it is even a problem at all. There is also some stunning basic addition.
The post 03. Imposter Syndrome appeared first on Retro Time.
In this episode our heroes discuss how to deal with stressful situations, or coming storms, and how to prepare for and avoid them. We also discuss pickles.
The post 02. The Coming Storm appeared first on Retro Time.
Working for a big company has a lot of benefits. It also has some downsides. Most of these downsides can be mitigated or even used to your advantage.
The post 01. Thriving in a Corporate Environment appeared first on Retro Time.