Tech Lead Journal

Henry Suryawirawan

Great technical leadership requires more than just great coding skills. It requires a variety of other skills that are not well-defined, and they are not something that we can fully learn in any school or book. Hear from experienced technical leaders sharing their journey and philosophy for building great technical teams and achieving technical excellence. Find out what makes them great and how to apply those lessons to your work and team.

  1. #226 - Ex-Google Duplex Eng Lead on Disrupting $2B Clinical Trials with AI - Patrick Leung

    HACE 4 DÍAS

    #226 - Ex-Google Duplex Eng Lead on Disrupting $2B Clinical Trials with AI - Patrick Leung

    Ever wondered how AI is being applied in the world of clinical trials where human lives are at stake? In this episode, Patrick Leung, CTO of Faro Health and former Google Duplex Engineering Lead, reveals how AI is transforming the clinical trial process — a process that can cost up to $2 billion per drug and take over 10 years to complete. Patrick reveals how Faro Health’s AI systems generate complex clinical documentation in minutes instead of months in which hallucinations aren’t acceptable, while navigating the strict regulatory requirements of the healthcare industry. Patrick also reflects on the evolution of AI technologies, the realities of large language models, and offers practical advice on how to thrive in the rapidly changing AI-driven era. Key topics discussed: The evolution of AI from image recognition and Google Duplex to LLMsHow Faro Health uses AI to transform clinical trial processThe challenges of applying AI in highly regulated industriesAI’s potential to save time and millions in clinical trialsHow to tackle AI hallucinations and ensure high-quality outputsPatrick’s thoughts on AGI and the future of AI beyond current capabilitiesThe viability and limitations of vibe codingStrategies and advice for individuals to thrive in the AI eraTimestamps: (00:00) Trailer & Intro(02:09) Career Turning Points(02:46) The Advancements of AI in the Past 10 Years(04:13) Non-LLM Types of AI(05:42) The Google Duplex(07:28) The Use of AI in Faro Health(09:44) Tackling AI Hallucination for Clinical Documents(12:25) Building the Evaluation Process on AI Results(14:28) AI as a Research Assistant(16:40) The Need of Building Custom AI Model(18:50) The Huge Impact of AI in Clinical Trials(21:15) The Regulations on Applying AI Technology(23:28) AI Success Stories in the Life Science Industry(25:16) The Possibility of AGI(28:36) The Path to AGI Using LLM(30:43) Actions People Should Take in the AI Era(35:48) AI Engineers and AI-Enabled Engineers(38:37) The Viability of Vibe Coding(41:03) Hiring AI Engineers(42:26) Important Engineer Attributes in the AI Era(44:23) Important Leader Attributes in the AI Era(46:59) The Room for Juniors in the AI Era(49:04) Inspirational Story of a Successful Junior(51:33) 3 Tech Lead Wisdom_____ Patrick Leung’s BioPatrick Leung is a Chief Technology Officer at Faro Health, a company at the forefront of optimizing clinical trial development through the use of artificial intelligence. In his role, he is instrumental in applying large language models and other AI technologies to enhance protocol design and outcomes for clinical trials. A native of New Zealand, Mr. Leung holds degrees in Computer Science and Finance. His career includes being a foundational member of an early e-commerce software company, where he played a key role in guiding the company from its initial stages to a successful initial public offering. Follow Patrick: LinkedIn – linkedin.com/in/puiwahTwitter – x.com/puiwahWebsite – farohealth.com Like this episode?Show notes & transcript: techleadjournal.dev/episodes/226.Follow @techleadjournal on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram.Buy me a coffee or become a patron.

    54 min
  2. #225 - Driving Engineering Excellence with Platform Engineering and IDP - Ganesh Datta

    21 JUL

    #225 - Driving Engineering Excellence with Platform Engineering and IDP - Ganesh Datta

    Is your engineering team running like the wild, wild west? What does engineering excellence look like in practice? In this episode, Ganesh Datta, co-founder and CTO of Cortex, explores what it takes to achieve engineering excellence. Ganesh shares lessons from his own journey, from early bug-fixing to building a company focused on engineering excellence. We discuss how platform engineering and internal developer platforms (IDPs) can help teams scale, improve reliability, and align with business outcomes. Ganesh also explains why culture, leadership, and clear metrics matter more than any single tool. If you’re looking to make your engineering team a true business driver, this conversation is for you. Key topics discussed: How to define engineering excellence and why it’s tied to business outcomes.The critical role of leadership in connecting engineering initiatives to business values.When to invest in platform engineering and internal developer platforms as your team grows.Common misconceptions about platform engineering.The importance of clear metrics, shared language, and transparency for continuous improvement.Building a culture that supports operational excellence through rituals and repeated messaging.Real-world examples of using generative AI to accelerate platform adoption and incident analysis.Timestamps: (00:00) Trailer & Intro(01:56) Career Turning Points(07:50) The Practice of Finding the Patterns in Issues(11:39) The Definition of Engineering Excellence(17:10) The Leader’s Role in Engineering Excellence(22:31) Aligning Engineering Excellence with the Business Outcomes(26:30) The Importance of Metrics in Engineering Excellence(33:35) The Culture that Drives Engineering Excellence(39:05) Platform Engineering and Internal Developer Platform(45:02) The Biggest Misconception of Platform Engineering or IDP(50:36) Cortex as an Engineering Excellence Platform(52:39) Generative AI Use Case in Platform Engineering(55:26) 3 Tech Lead Wisdom_____ Ganesh Datta’s BioGanesh Datta is a Co-Founder & CTO of Cortex. Before co-founding Cortex, he was a Principal Software Engineer at Mission Lane where he was responsible for driving the development of real-time underwriting infrastructure. At LendUp, Ganesh was a Senior Software Engineer leading the development and optimization of the company’s decisioning infrastructure and financial account management system. Ganesh holds a bachelor of science in computer science from the University of California San Diego. Follow Ganesh: LinkedIn – linkedin.com/in/gsdattaTwitter – x.com/gsdattaWebsite – www.cortex.ioEmail – ganesh@cortex.ioJoin Ganesh & Cortex at IDPCon in NYC – ipdcon.com Like this episode?Show notes & transcript: techleadjournal.dev/episodes/225.Follow @techleadjournal on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram.Buy me a coffee or become a patron.

    1 h y 1 min
  3. #224 - Move Fast, Break Silos: Leadership for Interdisciplinary Teams - Klaus Breyer

    14 JUL

    #224 - Move Fast, Break Silos: Leadership for Interdisciplinary Teams - Klaus Breyer

    Is your software development process stuck on a conveyor belt? Discover how to break free from outdated manufacturing mindsets and build truly high-performing, agile teams that “Move Fast and Break Silos.” In this episode, experienced CPTO, Klaus Breyer, introduces a revolutionary approach to software development. He explains why treating software engineering like a factory assembly line leads to inefficiency, micromanagement, and disempowered teams. Learn how to slice work effectively—from objectives down to delivery—and align small, empowered teams to solve real customer problems and ship value faster. Key topics discussed: Why software development is a design process instead of a manufacturing processHow Agile and Scrum has become micromanagement toolsWhy ticketing systems can create communication silosHow to slice work into objectives, problems, solutions, and deliveryGiving teams problems to solve, not just solutions to buildThe concept of empowered teams that own their outcomesWhy small, dynamic groups of 2-3 people work bestAligning your teams’ work with company goals and business objectives  Timestamps: (00:00) Trailer & Intro(02:10) Career Turning Points(05:26) Critical Key Skills as CPTO(07:40) Juggling Between Being Optimistic vs Pessimistic(09:15) Move Fast and Break Silos(13:08) The Difference Between Manufacturing and Software Development(16:51) The Problems with the Status Quo of Software Development Practices(23:50) Key Practice 1: Slicing Work(25:51) Slicing Objectives(28:30) Slicing Problems(33:25) Slicing Solutions(38:03) Slicing Delivery(41:09) Key Practice 2: Aligning Teams(43:21) The Effective Teams Alignment Practices(48:10) Working in Small Teams at a Time(51:07) Alignment with the Value Streams(53:15) Mapping the Sliced Work to the Organization(56:41) The Importance of Reporting Structure in the Large Organization(58:52) 3 Tech Lead Wisdom_____ Klaus Breyer’s BioKlaus Breyer is an experienced B2B SaaS CPTO who specializes in bridging the gap between technical delivery and agile product strategy, driven by a passion for breaking down silos. His career includes founding and leading the startups Buddybrand (a digital agency) and BuzzBird (a B2B marketplace), as well as building corporate startups and business units for major companies like Voith and edding in the IoT and B2B SaaS sectors. Based in Berlin, he has extensive experience working with diverse and primarily remote teams. In addition to his leadership roles, he sometimes invests in and advises leadership teams on building effective interdisciplinary teams themselves. He is also a speaker, blogger, and book author who champions the philosophy of “Move Fast And Break Silos!” Follow Klaus: LinkedIn – linkedin.com/in/klaus-breyerTwitter – twitter.com/klausbreyerWebsite – v01.ioEmail – kb@v01.io Like this episode?Show notes & transcript: techleadjournal.dev/episodes/224.Follow @techleadjournal on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram.Buy me a coffee or become a patron.

    1 h y 4 min
  4. #223 - The Software Engineer Identity Crisis in the AI-Driven Future - Annie Vella

    7 JUL

    #223 - The Software Engineer Identity Crisis in the AI-Driven Future - Annie Vella

    Is AI taking over the craft of coding? Many engineers now face an identity crisis. In the episode, Distinguished Engineer Annie Vella discusses her research on AI’s impact on software development. She explores the “software engineering identity crisis” as the craft of coding becomes automated. Annie warns that the seductive speed of AI tools can lead to lower quality and delivery instability, a trend supported by reports from DORA and GitClear. She also cautions that over-reliance on AI prevents engineers from gaining the hands-on experience needed for deep skill acquisition. Key topics discussed: How AI is reshaping the software development lifecycleThe software engineer’s professional identity crisisThe real danger of over-relying on AI toolsHow to balance the seduction of speed with long-term qualityCrucial advice for junior engineers entering the industryWhy leaders must shift focus from speed to qualityThe idea of treating AI as a team member instead of just a tool  Timestamps: (00:00:00) Trailer & Intro(00:02:32) AI Impact on Career and Software Engineering(00:07:00) The Future of AI-Driven Software Engineering(00:14:29) The Shift in the Role of Software Engineer(00:22:13) When Writing Code is Not the Bottleneck Anymore(00:32:04) The Danger of Over-Reliance on AI(00:38:51) The Software Engineering Identity Crisis(00:48:09) Advice for Junior Engineers in This Challenging Time(00:53:34) The Shift in the Role of Engineering Management(00:59:46) You Are Not Alone(01:00:50) 3 Tech Lead Wisdom_____ Annie Vella’s BioAnnie Vella is a Distinguished Engineer at Westpac NZ with two decades of experience in software engineering and technical leadership across various industries and countries. Vella has returned to an engineering role after a period in management and is also a part-time Master’s student at the University of Auckland, researching the impact of AI on software engineering. She believes that technologies like Generative AI, LLMs, and Agentic AI will revolutionize the field and problem-solving in general. Follow Annie: LinkedIn – linkedin.com/in/annievellaX – x.com/codefrenzyWebsite – annievella.com/ Like this episode?Show notes & transcript: techleadjournal.dev/episodes/223.Follow @techleadjournal on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram.Buy me a coffee or become a patron.

    1 h y 7 min
  5. #222 - Closing the Knowledge Gap in Your Legacy Code with AI - Omer Rosenbaum

    30 JUN

    #222 - Closing the Knowledge Gap in Your Legacy Code with AI - Omer Rosenbaum

    What if your most critical systems run on code that no one fully understands? In this episode, Omer Rosenbaum, CTO and co-founder of Swimm, explains how to use AI to close the knowledge gap in your legacy codebase. Discover the limitations of AI in understanding legacy code and learn novel approaches to automatically document complex systems, ensuring their critical business logic is preserved and understood within the organization. Beyond legacy systems, Omer also shares practical advice for how junior developers can thrive in the AI era and how teams and organizations can conduct more effective research. Key topics discussed: How junior developers can thrive in the age of AIThe danger of shipping code you don’t fully understandWhy AI can’t deduce everything from your code aloneHow writing documentation becomes more critical now with AIHow to analyze code that even LLMs struggle to read, like COBOLHow to keep your organization’s knowledge base trustworthy and up to dateThe real danger of letting AI agents run uncheckedA practical approach to conducting more effective research  Timestamps: (00:00) Trailer & Intro(02:10) Career Turning Points(05:24) What Juniors Should Do in the Age of AI(11:05) Junior Developer’s Responsbility When Using AI(14:50) AI and Critical Thinking(16:20) Understanding & Preserving Domain Knowledge(18:11) The Importance of Written Knowledge for AI Usage(21:51) Limitations of AI in Understanding Knowledge Base(26:34) The Limitations of LLM in Navigating Legacy Codebases (e.g. COBOL)(32:38) Effective Knowledge Sharing Culture in the Age of AI(34:54) Keeping Knowledge Base Up-to-Date(36:55) Keeping the Organization Knowledge Base Accurate(39:08) Fact Checking and Preventing AI Hallucination(41:24) The Potential of MCP(43:24) The Danger of AI Agents Hallucinating with Each Other(45:00) How to Get Better at Research(53:41) The Importance of Investing in Research(57:18) 3 Tech Lead Wisdom_____ Omer Rosenbaum’s BioOmer Rosenbaum is the CTO and co-founder of Swimm, a platform reinventing the way engineering organizations manage internal knowledge about their code base. Omer founded the Check Point Security Academy and was the Cyber Security Lead at ITC, an educational organization that trains talented professionals to develop careers in technology. Omer has a MA in Linguistics from Tel Aviv University and is the creator behind the Brief YouTube Channel. Follow Omer: LinkedIn – linkedin.com/in/omer-rosenbaum-034a08b9Twitter – x.com/Omer_RosSwimm – swimm.ioEmail – omer@swimm.io📚 Gitting Things Done – buymeacoffee.com/omerr/extras▶️ Brief – youtube.com/@BriefVid Like this episode?Show notes & transcript: techleadjournal.dev/episodes/222.Follow @techleadjournal on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram.Buy me a coffee or become a patron.

    1 h y 1 min
  6. #221 - Writing for Developers: How to Create Content People Read and Share - Piotr Sarna

    23 JUN

    #221 - Writing for Developers: How to Create Content People Read and Share - Piotr Sarna

    Feeling like you have valuable technical insights to share but struggle to put them into words? You’re not alone. In this episode, Piotr Sarna, author of “Writing for Developers” and an experienced open-source maintainer, shares the common hurdles developers face in writing and provides practical tips to get started. Discover how cultivating a writing habit can not only boost your personal brand but also improve your technical skills and create new career opportunities. Key topics discussed: The Writing Challenge: Why many developers who have interesting things to say don’t write and the importance of writing culture in a company.Finding Your First Topic: How to identify valuable topics from your daily work, even if you think they’re not interesting enough or have already been written about.Overcoming Writer’s Block: Practical tips to overcome the fear of writing, including dealing with imposter syndrome and language concerns.Leveraging AI for Writing: How to effectively use AI as a reviewer to find logical fallacies, get feedback, and improve your writing without sacrificing authenticity.Proven Blog Post Patterns: Learn about effective patterns like the “Bug Hunt” to create engaging and educational content.Promoting Your Writing: Strategies to get your work in front of a larger audience, from company blogs to social media and content aggregators.Beyond the Blog Post: Discover how writing can open doors to speaking at conferences and even writing a book.  Timestamps: (00:00) Trailer & Intro(02:06) Career Turning Points(04:30) The Challenge of Writing for Developers(06:08) The Importance of Writing Culture(08:36) Piotr’s Journey to Writing Books(11:19) The Impact of Writing on Engineering Culture(13:39) How to Overcome Common Excuses for Not Writing(16:32) Finding The First Blog Post Topic(20:32) Tips on How to Start Writing(22:19) The Importance of Goal and Perspective in Writing a Draft(24:55) The Use of AI in Writing(29:01) AI Prompts to Improve Your Writing(30:14) The Best LLM Model for Writing(31:53) The Best Workflow Working with AI(33:41) Blog Post Pattern: Bug Hunt(37:16) Blog Post Pattern: Thoughts on Trends(40:13) The Importance of Promoting Our Writing(42:47) How to Promote Your Writing Independently(45:00) Future Opportunities of Writing(47:55) Writing as a Developer(49:02) 3 Tech Lead Wisdom_____ Piotr Sarna’s BioPiotr Sarna is a software engineer who is keen on open source projects and the Rust and C++ languages. He previously developed an open source distributed file system and had a brief adventure with the Linux kernel. He’s also a long-time contributor and maintainer of ScyllaDB, as well as libSQL and Turso. Piotr graduated from University of Warsaw with a Master’s degree in computer science. Follow Piotr: LinkedIn – linkedin.com/in/sarna-devTwitter – x.com/sarna_devGitHub – github.com/psarnaWebsite – bio.sarna.devWrite That Blog! – writethat.blogInterview with Tech Bloggers – writethatblog.substack.com📚 Writing for Developers – https://www.manning.com/books/writing-for-developers Like this episode?Show notes & transcript: techleadjournal.dev/episodes/221.Follow @techleadjournal on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram.Buy me a coffee or become a patron.

    51 min
  7. #220 - From Hibernate to Quarkus: Modernizing Java for Cloud-Native - Sanne Grinovero

    16 JUN

    #220 - From Hibernate to Quarkus: Modernizing Java for Cloud-Native - Sanne Grinovero

    In this special in-person episode, Sanne Grinovero shares the story of Java’s evolution from his unique perspective as a long-time open-source contributor. He shares his 16-year career journey at Red Hat, highlighting his amazing work on key projects like Hibernate, Infinispan, and especially the creation of Quarkus. His career trajectory, from a student who initially disliked Java’s complexity to a leading figure in its modernization, shows the transformative power of open source. A key part of the conversation focuses on how technical challenges spark innovation. Sanne explains how the task of making the popular Hibernate framework compatible with GraalVM’s limitations led directly to the birth of Quarkus. This journey tells the bigger story of how Java adapted for cloud-native development, ensuring it continues to be a top choice for developers seeking high performance and a great developer experience.   Timestamps: (00:00:00) Trailer & Intro(00:02:16) Career Turning Points(00:04:52) Winning an Innovation Award(00:06:35) Java Heroes(00:08:04) Working as a Consultant(00:09:56) Taking a Massive Pay Cut to Work on Open Source(00:10:59) Contributing to Big Open Source as a Youngster(00:12:53) State of Hibernate Project(00:15:15) Spring Boot(00:16:54) Making Hibernate Work on GraalVM(00:21:05) GraalVM Limitations for Running Hibernate(00:26:09) Java for Cloud Native Application(00:28:04) Quarkus vs Spring Boot(00:33:21) JRebel & Quarkus(00:34:35) Java vs New Programming Languages(00:39:22) The ORM Dilemma(00:42:38) Some Hibernate Design Pattern Tips(00:46:40) Getting Paid Working on Open Source(00:48:41) Hibernate License Change(00:51:05) Intellectual Property & Meaningful Contributions(00:52:52) AI Usage & Copyright in Open Source(00:55:21) Biggest Challenge Working in a Big Open Source(00:56:08) Politics in Open Source(00:58:32) Security Risks in Open Source(01:02:25) Donating Hibernate to Commonhaus Foundation(01:04:49) The Future of Red Hat(01:06:39) 3 Tech Lead Wisdom_____ Sanne Grinovero’s BioSanne Grinovero has been a member of the Hibernate team for 10 years; today he leads this project in his role of Sr. Principal Software Engineer at Red Hat, while also working on Quarkus as a founding R&D engineer. Deeply interested in solving performance and concurrency challenges around data access, scalability, and exploring integration with new storage technologies, distributed systems and search engines. Working on Hibernate features led him to contribute to related open source technologies; most notably to Apache Lucene and Elasticsearch, Infinispan and JGroups, ANTLR, WildFly, various JDBC drivers, the OpenJDK and more recently getting interested in GraalVM. After being challenged to reduce memory consumption and improve bootstrap times of Hibernate, Sanne worked as part of a small R&D team at Red Hat on some ideas which have evolved into what is known today as Quarkus. Follow Sanne: LinkedIn – linkedin.com/in/sannegrinoveroTwitter – twitter.com/SanneGrinoveroGitHub – github.com/sanne Like this episode?Show notes & transcript: techleadjournal.dev/episodes/220.Follow @techleadjournal on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram.Buy me a coffee or become a patron.

    1 h y 15 min
  8. #219 - Why Learning Systems Thinking is Essential in Tech - Diana Montalion

    9 JUN

    #219 - Why Learning Systems Thinking is Essential in Tech - Diana Montalion

    Tired of feeling like your team is stuck in a cycle of frustration and miscommunication? What if the biggest blocker in your tech career isn’t your code, but your thinking? That’s the core premise of Systems Thinking, and in this episode, Diana Montalion (author of “Learning Systems Thinking”) shares the practical insights and mental models to help you make that essential shift. Key topics discussed: What systems thinking is and its core principlesThe difference between linear thinking (which we need) and systems thinking (which we’re missing)Why building a metaphorical “car boat” is a failure of “conceptual integrity” and how to avoid itHow to break free from a “change-my-mind” culture and improve our collaborationThe critical skill of metacognition: why you must understand your own thinking before you can influence othersPractical ways to foster collective systems thinking and bridge the gap between Product and TechUsing modeling and visual tools to create alignment and solve the right problemsHow AI’s inability to handle true inference makes human systems thinking more valuable than everWhether you’re a software engineer, architect, team leader, or anyone tackling complex problems, learn why your technical skills alone are not enough and how a shift in your thinking can revolutionize your work and career.   Timestamps: (00:00:00) Trailer & Intro(00:02:23) Career Turning Points(00:04:35) Writing Learning Systems Thinking(00:08:53) Definition of Systems Thinking(00:13:39) Systems Thinking vs Linear Thinking(00:19:31) Definition of System(O0:24:13) Conceptual Integrity(00:30:02) Practices to Improve Our Systems Thinking(00:36:21) Metacognition and Self-Awareness(00:44:42) Practices to Improve Our Collective Systems Thinking(00:53:04) Collaboration with Consent(00:55:29) The Importance of Modeling(01:02:20) AI Usage and System Thinking(01:11:04) 3 Tech Lead Wisdom_____ Diana Montalion’s Bio Diana Montalion is a systems architect, learning facilitator, and founder of Mentrix Group, with over 20 years of experience delivering transformative software initiatives for organizations like Stanford, The Gates Foundation, The Economist, and The Wikimedia Foundation. As the author of Learning Systems Thinking: Essential Nonlinear Skills & Practices for Software Professionals (O’Reilly), she empowers tech professionals to navigate complex systems through practices like systemic reasoning, metacognition, and collaborative modeling. Follow Diana: LinkedIn – linkedin.com/in/dianamontalionWebsite – montalion.comTwitter – @dianamontalionMastodon - @diana@hachyderm.ioBluesky - @mentrix.bsky.socialMentrix Group – https://mentrixgroup.com/SystemCrafters Collective – https://mentrix.systems/📚 Learning Systems Thinking – oreilly.com/library/view/learning-systems-thinking/9781098151324/ Our Sponsors Manning Publications is a premier publisher of technical books on computer and software development topics for both experienced developers and new learners alike. Manning prides itself on being independently owned and operated, and for paving the way for innovative initiatives, such as early access book content and protection-free PDF formats that are now industry standard. Get a 40% discount for Tech Lead Journal listeners by using the code techlead24 for all products in all formats. Like this episode? Show notes & transcript: techleadjournal.dev/episodes/219. Follow @techleadjournal on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram. Buy me a coffee or become a patron.

    1 h y 16 min
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Great technical leadership requires more than just great coding skills. It requires a variety of other skills that are not well-defined, and they are not something that we can fully learn in any school or book. Hear from experienced technical leaders sharing their journey and philosophy for building great technical teams and achieving technical excellence. Find out what makes them great and how to apply those lessons to your work and team.

Información

  • Creador
    Henry Suryawirawan
  • Años de actividad
    2020 - 2025
  • Episodios
    239
  • Clasificación
    Apto
  • Copyright
    © Henry Suryawirawan
  • Mostrar sitio web
    Tech Lead Journal

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