Symphony of Automation (with Aji Slater)
11/19/24 • 30 min
In this Dead Code episode, Jared Norman hosts Aji Slater, Development Team Lead at thoughtbot, to discuss “incremental automation,” a concept that advocates for gradually automating tasks by refining them with small steps rather than investing large amounts of time upfront. Aji explains that capturing each step of repetitive tasks enables developers to tweak processes over time, which reduces friction and saves effort without disrupting workflows. Starting with “do-nothing scripts” that print steps or copy commands, developers can progressively automate, building efficiencies that enhance productivity and prevent burnout. Aji also emphasizes sharing these incremental improvements across teams, so everyone benefits from the refined workflows without repeating the same manual work.
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In this Dead Code episode, Jared Norman hosts Aji Slater, Development Team Lead at thoughtbot, to discuss “incremental automation,” a concept that advocates for gradually automating tasks by refining them with small steps rather than investing large amounts of time upfront. Aji explains that capturing each step of repetitive tasks enables developers to tweak processes over time, which reduces friction and saves effort without disrupting workflows. Starting with “do-nothing scripts” that print steps or copy commands, developers can progressively automate, building efficiencies that enhance productivity and prevent burnout. Aji also emphasizes sharing these incremental improvements across teams, so everyone benefits from the refined workflows without repeating the same manual work.
Links:
Dead Code Podcast Links:
Jared’s Links:
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Previous Episode
Everything is an Experiment (with Jessica Kerr)
In this Dead Code episode, Jessica Kerr (Jessitron) joins host Jared Norman to explore the evolving nature of experimentation and learning in software development. Jessica reflects on her shift from valuing software’s determinism to embracing the unpredictability of distributed systems and human factors. She explains that traditional scientific methods, like A/B testing, often fall short in complex, socio-technical environments, where dynamic learning and observing real-world impacts are crucial. At Honeycomb, she practices a holistic approach to experimentation, viewing each system and team as a “symmathesy”—a mutual learning environment where insights flow between developers and the software. Jessica emphasizes that continuous improvement relies on knowledge sharing and storytelling within teams, urging developers to approach retrospectives as genuine feedback loops to refine processes, connect with teammates, and foster growth.
Links:
Jessica's Website – Jessica’s personal website, where she shares her blog and more about her work.
Symmathesy Talk at RubyConf – Jessica's talk about symmathesy from RubyConf
Diana Montalion's Book on Systems Thinking: Learning Systems Thinking
Graceful.Dev – Jessica's platform for short educational videos.
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Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Next Episode
RubyConf Post-Mortem
In this episode of Dead Code, host Jared Norman shares highlights from RubyConf in Chicago, reflecting on its exceptional programming and his personal connection to the venue, dating back to RailsConf 2014. Memorable talks included Matz’s keynote on Ruby's future, Aaron Patterson’s optimization insights, Enrique Mogollan’s exploration of Ruby's boundaries, and Yusuke Endoh’s innovative code-as-art presentation. Jared also discussed standout moments like Tom Enebo’s talk on the Piet programming language and Nick Means’ keynote on AI and aviation. Looking ahead, Jared announced plans for RailsConf 2025 in Philadelphia, the Advent of Code livestreams, and his new newsletter for behind-the-scenes updates.
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Sign up for Jared’s Newsletter
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