How do relationships shape success in software development?

In this episode of the Distributed podcast, host Jack Hannah talks with Kent Beck, renowned software engineer and signer of the Agile Manifesto, to explore how fostering relationships and psychological safety drives long-term success. Kent shares lessons from his career, including insights from Facebook and Gusto, emphasizing the role of empathy and collaboration in building sustainable practices.

Kent also shares his perspective on strengthening team connections, building effective routines for remote work, and balancing productivity with well-being to help teams thrive.

Highlights:

• Building psychological safety by addressing relationship challenges and fostering trust
• Kent’s experiences at Facebook and Gusto: lessons on balancing technical ambition with human connection
• Establishing team rituals like daily and weekly check-ins to strengthen cohesion in remote settings
• The impact of creating an environment where collaboration and empathy drive better outcomes
• Exploring how relationships and thoughtful communication shape software development practices

In this episode, we cover:

(00:00) – Kicking Things Off with Kent Beck

(04:00) – Software Design as Human Relationships: The Tidy First Approach

(09:00) – Lessons from Facebook: Managing Relationships and Overcoming Resistance

(13:00) – Apprenticeship and Credibility: Building Trust Through Contributions

(18:00) – Remote Work Rituals: Fostering Connection and Collaboration

(22:00) – Balancing Productivity with Teaching: Strategies for Distributed Teams

(27:00) – The Forest vs. The Desert: How Environments Shape Creativity and Output

(32:00) – Mentorship in Remote Work: Passing Knowledge Across Generations

(38:00) – Creating Time to Refactor, Test, and Build Collaborative Teams

(44:00) – Creative Leverage: Big Wins Through Collaboration and Vision

Where to connect further:

Connect with Kent Beck on LinkedIn and his Website

Follow Tuple

Want to hear more? Check out distributed.fm

Connect with Jack Hannah

How do great teams build better software?

In this episode of Distributed, host Jack Hannah speaks with Josh Kerievsky, founder and CEO of Industrial Logic and one of the earliest pioneers of Agile software development. Josh shares insights into the practices that help teams thrive, including sufficient design, pairing, ensembling, and continuous deployment. He also advocates for a balance between in-person and remote collaboration, the evolving role of AI in software development, and why a focused approach is what matters most for success.

Highlights:

• The concept of sufficient design and why perfection isn’t always necessary
• How pairing and ensemble programming improve knowledge transfer and help develop stronger teams
• The role of continuous deployment in elevating software delivery practices
• Balancing in-person and remote collaboration to support team mental health
• The potential and challenges of AI in software development

In this episode, we cover:

(00:00) – Kicking Things Off With Josh Kerievsky

(03:00) – The Origins of Agile Software Development

(07:00) – Sufficient Design: Balancing Perfection and Practicality

(12:00) – Navigating Remote and In-Person Collaboration

(15:00) – Pairing, Ensembling, and Knowledge Transfer Benefits

(20:00) – Lessons From Building High-Performing Teams

(25:00) – AI’s Role in the Future of Software Development

(30:00) – Final Takeaway: Advice for Building Great Teams

Referenced:

Agile Manifesto: https://agilemanifesto.org/

Where to connect further:

Connect with Josh Kerievsky on LinkedIn

More about Industrial Logic

Follow @tuple

Want to hear more? Check out distributed.fm

Connect with Jack Hannah

How do you maintain a balance between deep work and collaboration in a remote-first world?

In this episode of Distributed, Host Jack Hannah sits down with Blake Irvin, Observability Engineering Lead at SumUp, for his insights into how developers and teams thrive remotely. Blake shares how SumUp approaches distributed work, the importance of clear communication, and why protecting focus time is critical. From balancing asynchronous and synchronous collaboration to using tools like Honeycomb, Incident.io, and Tuple, Blake offers a practical look at what makes remote teamwork successful.

Highlights:

• Reducing friction - how to choose between synchronous and asynchronous communication
• Why meaningful connections during work hours can transform team dynamics
• Blake’s strategies to protect focus and unlock deeper, more meaningful work
• How the right tools can create a culture of seamless collaboration even in distributed environments

In this episode, we cover:

(00:00) – Kicking Things Off With Blake Irvin

(05:00) – Balancing Focus and Communication in Remote Teams

(10:00) – Ways to Communicate that Protect Your Team’s Flow

(15:00) – Tools That Help Bridge Communication Gaps

(20:00) – Async vs. Sync: Picking the Right Approach for Your Team

(25:00) – Why Meeting in Person Still Matters for Remote Teams

(30:00) – Scaling from Startup to Millions of Users

(35:00) – Why Pairing Is Transformational for Teams

(38:00) – Building Collaborative Culture with the Right Tools

(40:00) – The importance of experimentation

Referenced:

37signals blog post: Group Chat: The Best Way to Totally Stress Out Your Team

Paul Graham’s essay: Maker’s Schedule, Manager’s Schedule

Honeycomb.io for distributed tracing

Incident.io for collaborating on incident response

Tuple’s Pair Programming Guide

Where to connect further:

Connect with Blake Irvin on LinkedIn and GitHub

More about SumUp

Follow @tuple

Want to hear more? Check out distributed.fm

Connect with Jack Hannah