Jono Herrington

🚀 I'm excited to share this week's edition of Fabric Digest! If you're passionate about Microsoft Fabric, you won't want to miss the deep dive into Optimized Writes in a Spark Notebook that we’re featuring. Plus, I’ve included a step-by-step tutorial on using configuration files for dynamic Data Pipelines, a Reddit JSON API challenge, and much more. Whether you're already working with Microsoft's Fabric data platform or eager to learn, this issue is packed with insights to elevate your expertise. Don’t forget to subscribe to stay ahead in the world of data. #MicrosoftFabric #DataScience #BusinessIntelligence #PowerBI https://lnkd.in/eZCifyVu

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It’s an intriguing read. I find it hard to grasp the idea of a CIO lacking confidence in their teams. Did I understand that correctly? Is it accurate? I have so many questions about how they would handle this situation. Could this be a reason for layoffs? However, I wonder if that truly drives cultural change within the organization. In today’s fast-paced environment, what strategies are CIOs using to accelerate cultural transformation? Would psychological upskilling of employees be part of that strategy? Is that even considered an approach? Oh by the way, we celebrated Mental Helath day at Gap Inc. today. #CuriousToLearn #CIO #Gapinc #MentalHealthDay

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Another amazing talk at #Config2024 by product leader from Linear. I loved how Nan Yu tackled a fundamental product challenge: the org chart. "An organization that designs a system will produce a design whose structure is a copy of that org's communication structure." - Conway's Law This really hits home. You can’t just copy a team structure that worked for someone else without understanding why it was designed that way and if it fits your org's needs. Your team setup should mirror the product you want to create. Start with the product you want to build: - Define the scope: Set clear boundaries and conditions, like different skill sets. - Share resources: Let people move between teams as needed. - Adapt and evolve: Disband teams when they’re no longer necessary. https://lnkd.in/gXCKqqyB

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We had to make a quick architectural change when we got a new requirement out of the blue for our project. Here's a run down: We had an hourly-job scheduled through AWS EventBridge. Essentially, a Lambda function is invoked every hour. We set up a step function so that we can pass a list of objects and have it mapped across multiple invocations. Now the new requirement was to allow users to update this payload/list. My solution (which is currently in prod), was to create a new table in our database (RDS/Postgres) and store the payload items there. The step function was then altered to invoke another Lambda to query the table and parse the items into a json array > Said array is then mapped and used to invoke the main lambda function. Could this be improved? Scaling is not an issue here as the payload array will never have more than 20-25 items. If you've worked with these services before, do suggest if there's a better way.

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Want to think more strategically? 👇 Ask questions from multiple perspectives. Here's an example from actual conversations I've had... Things a typical software engineer considers when contemplating a new technology: 👉 Do I like it? 👉 Will it help me get things done faster or better? 👉 Is it marketable for my future? There's nothing wrong with these questions, but they are very one-dimensional. Now consider what a CTO thinks about for the same new technology: 👉 Will it help us solve customer problems better, faster, or attract new customers? 👉 Does it fit into our current technology ecosystem? 👉 Can we measure the return on investment (ROI) for this change? 👉 What is the total cost of the change, including upfront and ongoing expenses? 👉 Does it pose risks (privacy, security, legal, compliance), and if so, can we mitigate them? 👉 Are there any critical third-party dependencies, and what risks do they pose? 👉 Is it supported by a company that will be out of business next week? 👉 Does our existing team have the ability to manage it, or will we need additional training or hiring? 👉 Will it positively impact the morale of the team? 👉 How will we communicate the rationale and benefits of this change to stakeholders, employees, and customers? See the difference?

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As the era of tech hypergrowth comes to a close, technology companies will continue to cut costs in order to maintain their rate of return. We can look forward to more draconian RTO mandates, new emphasis on off-shoring, layoffs and a return of wage suppression cartels. The answer to this problem was the same answer in the era of the railroads and the era of telecoms: organized labor. Happy Labor Day.

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Incidents aren’t just “bad days” for #softwareengineering. They’re the moments that lay bare the gaps between technical teams and the broader business. They’re the stress tests for culture, processes, and leadership. Yesterday, Pete Hamilton from incident.io and Yujin K. from Justworks didn’t just talk about putting out fires—they broke down how to use those flames to forge something stronger. Pete’s example from Monzo was pure gold. Imagine the stress: cards not working, headlines brewing, and millions of customers on edge. Instead of hiding behind silence, Monzo leaned in, proactively telling customers, “Hey, we’re on it.” That transparency was a game changer. What could’ve been a trust-crushing event became a trust-building masterclass. It’s a lesson that every engineering and business leader should tattoo on their playbook: Communication isn’t a side quest; it’s the main event. On the flip side, Yujin brought it back to the human element—how incidents aren’t just about servers or software, but about people. Whether it’s customers anxious about payroll or engineers burning the midnight oil, incidents reveal cracks in your team’s cohesion. Yujin didn’t sugarcoat it: how you treat your team and partners during a crisis matters. Empathy isn’t a buzzword; it’s the glue that holds the whole operation together when things fall apart. But here’s the kicker—incidents are also the ultimate ROI conversation. Pete nailed this with his take on time. Every hour your team spends firefighting is an hour not spent building, scaling, or innovating. He reframed technical debt not as some abstract engineering problem, but as a business cost. If leaders could see the hours lost to incidents like dollars slipping through their fingers, investments in resilience wouldn’t feel like a “nice-to-have”—they’d be non-negotiable. And let’s talk retrospectives, because this is where the magic happens. Yujin made it clear: post-incident reviews aren’t about pointing fingers; they’re about asking the right questions. Why did this happen? What systems failed us? How can we improve? When done right, retrospectives aren’t just about solving the last problem—they’re about preventing the next ten. It’s not about assigning blame; it’s about assigning better priorities. The big takeaway from this session? Incidents are accelerants—not just for issues, but for growth. If you’re the kind of leader who can step up when everything’s breaking, you’re the kind of leader who earns trust in spades. Pete and Yujin made it clear: success isn’t just fixing what’s broken. It’s about creating systems that make your team, your product, and your business better than they were before the flames hit. Big thanks to the ELC crew for always doing such amazing work and to Patrick Gallagher for keeping the talk on track... Glad to be a part of the ELC community 🙏 #Incidents #IncidentManagement #Adversity #Growth #Communication #Management #Collaboration #SoftwareDevelopment #AreasForImprovement

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It's time to take your use cases from planning to production by leveraging emerging technologies. We help you move from ideation to real-world use, grounded in tangible benefits. https://slalom.ws/461wQXN

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User Experience is vital - check out these enhancements to MyManAlfred.com.

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The 7Cs: The Connection Between One and One’s workplace When I reflect on my all past experiences in managing teams, I've observed that the 7 Cs play a crucial role in one's decision to stay long-term. There's also a discernible order of priority Compensation 💰 It starts with compensation and revisions, which define the value of a one's contributions. It is foundational, demonstrating that efforts are recognized and appreciated, and keep trust intact Company 📈 The growth prospects of the company and it's office location play a crucial role Credible Leaders 🏢 The leader’s credibility matters immensely. One wants to work with a leader who is trustworthy, reliable, mentor, inspire Culture 🌍 Culture is crucial. A positive culture, means an inclusive environment where everyone feels heard and valued. Whether it's a collaborative spirit or a go-getter attitude, a strong culture keeps one engaged and dedicated Career 🚀 One need to see a future within the company Coaching 🎓 Great leaders act as mentors and coaches. When team members receive support and guidance from leaders, they generally like to stay and grow within the organization Customer 🤝 The impact being created attributes to decision making It’s about fostering an environment where one want to stay and grow. As a leader, it stays as top most priority on how to take care of your team so that team take care of customer in the best possible way which is ultimately priority.

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Strategies are specific courses of action, not vague hopes. If your strategy or vision statement includes open-ended statements that don't paint a clear picture of your intent, then you haven't done enough to define your strategy.

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One of the tough human emotions we all experience is anxiety for growth. It's normal as we all aspire for it. However, constantly comparing ourselves to others solely for growth can be detrimental to our mental health and performance. A conversation with two of my leaders was a moment of epiphany for me. They reminded me with a fact that time and situations matter a lot when I struggled to make sense of my career progression at that time. To illustrate this from sporting history, Greame Smith became a captain at the age of 22 for South African Cricket Team; the illustrious captain is one of the youngest captains. On the contrary, Rohit Sharma became a captain at the age of 34 after much struggles and being considered a failure in the early career. One seemingly got it early. Another had to tread through a tough path. Two great batsmen, two great captains but two different stories. So, enjoy the moment, work in silence, bide your time and enjoy the journey. Some time, it is not you but the occasion. Not everyone succeeds the same way at the same time! #success #career #growth #moments Image Credit: cricktracker.com

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The bigger my team and tech-stack grows, the more I try to identify and improve our curation of Internal Libraries. To.. 🌅 Efficiently and effectively spread the expertise of our devs 💡 Keep development intuitive for smooth cross-pollinating collab 🔐 Protect proprietary algorithms in a dynamic codebase 🛫 Boost code velocity Read more - https://lnkd.in/g86jb2yy Thoughts?! #softwareengineering #code

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DIY Van Build vs Microservices vs Chief Slowdown Officer Building a DIY van is a lot like building a house at first. But one day, once you're on the road, you realize it’s nearly impossible to hire a contractor to fix mistakes on a weekend in the middle of nowhere. The choices you make during the build can have significant consequences, especially when dealing with features involving fuel, water, electrical systems, and safety. In van builds, as in software development, breaking down your needs into smaller, manageable decisions (similar to microservices) allows for simplicity and flexibility. In the video below, I mounted the diesel heater in the engine bay. The decision not to permanently install the diesel heater inside the van and drill holes through the floor had several benefits: diesel fumes out of the van; easy replacement and cleaning; improved safety without running fuel lines inside the van. The onboard air compressor is mounted next to the diesel heater but can be removed for use elsewhere, adding to its versatility. This version of the van is a prototype (1/N). The common belief is that during prototyping or creating a proof of concept (POC), you need to make quick decisions to Get Stuff Done (GSD). While the value of a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) is clear, it's not always the best approach. The alternative? Maximum Viable Options (MVO). MVO doesn’t mean getting bogged down in analysis paralysis or moving too slowly—it means being deliberate. Think of yourself as the Chief Slowdown Officer (https://lnkd.in/gN42uwfN, @ 1 min mark). One of the hardest aspects of a van build is the electrical system. By taking time and delaying this part of the build as long as possible, I was able to visualize the wiring diagram repeatedly and virtually test the wiring and electrical flow. When I finally started building, it went so quickly over a single weekend that I thought I had made a mistake. But, channeling the Chief Slowdown Officer mindset, I didn’t turn the system on immediately. Instead, it went through a review and certification process. This careful, deliberate approach made supporting the system easy. Being a Chief Slowdown Officer is similar to how athletes—like pro basketball players or golfers—slow down and visualize the shot before committing to it. This is a powerful technique for architects and engineers. If you can slow down and visualize the architecture and dependency graph of everything you build, then OpenAI has no chance. At least, not yet. More on that later. Van facts: 400W solar panels, 5kWh battery bank, bi-directional charging with the van’s battery/alternator, 20-gallon fresh water tank, 16-gallon remotely dischargeable grey water tank, a power-assisted bed lift, 8,000 BTU air conditioner, onboard air compressor, heated floor, walk through shower, bio waste disposal...

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Should an event sourcing framework support multiple aggregates at runtime? I.e. multiple calls to the extension with entirely different configurations.

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i have been thinking about the way a solutions design is really a direct mapping of the org that produces it. Thinking of all the unnecessary complexity introduced to reinforce team boundaries and protect rigid reporting structures... I was just introduced to this: https://lnkd.in/e7AMtkdd

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I've noticed a disturbing trend in the Salesforce ecosystem: Salesforce employees being antagonistic with customers. A tale as old as time is that when you're "on top," you will have dissenters. These dissenters fall into two camps: 1️⃣ Folks who don't like your product 2️⃣ Folks who like your product and want to make it better For the sake of this post, we'll put 1️⃣ aside since the antagonism is pointed more towards 2️⃣ . Rather than listening to the content and intent of this group, this group of Salesforce employees is on a mission it seems to disprove. And at the same time, they are missing the point. Customers are experiencing core issues. Customers that are spending A LOT of money on a product with issues. These customers use their voices to educate others, initiate discussion, and suggest a better path forward. Instead, we see ad hominem attacks towards these posters through a quest for silence. If you're building a product, you don't have all the answers, listen to your customers (actively), and open a dialogue rather than seeking to shut them down. #salesforce #businessystems #product * LinkedIn posts aren't the best for nuance. This is not targeted towards _all_ SF employees, but rather the subset doing this. And yes, there is a bit of confirmation bias due to the algorithms. But it is a trend, nonetheless.

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