Beyond Coding

We are at a unique point in history where there is finally an alternative to human coding. If AI can write the code effectively, what is left for the software engineer?

In this episode, Joris Conijn (AWS CTO at Xebia) argues that the era of "just coding" is over. We discuss why senior developers are safe (for now), why juniors are at risk of never learning the fundamentals, and how "Shadow AI" is forcing companies to change their security strategies.

Most importantly, we break down the difference between a "Programmer" and a "Software Engineer" with the introduction of agentic tools. If you want to future-proof your career and move from writing lines of code to designing systems, this conversation is for you.

In this episode, we cover:
Why banning AI at work actually increases your security risk
How to use AI to automate the boring parts of the SDLC (requirements & user stories)
The critical difference between "Coding" and "System Architecture"
Why you should check your AI Agents into your Git repository
The 20-year problem: what happens when engineers never learn the fundamentals?

Connect with Joris Conijn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jorisconijn

TIMESTAMPS
00:00:00 - Intro
00:01:11 - What Keeps a CTO Excited About Tech?
00:02:58 - Stop Being the "Department of No" in Security
00:05:28 - The Real Risk of Banning AI at Work
00:06:32 - When Developers Hold the Organization Hostage
00:08:14 - The Hidden Dangers of Instant AI Code Fixes
00:09:50 - Will Future Devs Understand Object Oriented Programming?
00:11:36 - Using AI to Accelerate Learning vs Copy-Pasting
00:13:17 - Why Testing Matters More When AI Writes Code
00:16:42 - Automating the Boring Parts of the SDLC
00:19:06 - How to Turn Meeting Transcripts into User Stories
00:21:36 - The Critical Skill of Making Implicit Knowledge Explicit
00:23:10 - Why You Should Stop Obsessing Over Story Points
00:27:46 - The "A-Team" Approach to High-Trust Development
00:29:54 - Running Parallel Workflows with AI Agents
00:33:34 - Pro Tip: Check Your AI Agents into Git
00:35:52 - Balancing Autonomy and Governance in Large Teams
00:39:19 - There Is Finally an Alternative to Human Coders
00:41:07 - Programmer vs Software Engineer: What is the Difference?
00:44:45 - How to Teach Software Engineering in the AI Era

#SoftwareEngineering #SystemDesign #AIAgents

Is your internal developer platform actually improving velocity, or is it a bottleneck? We discuss why platform teams building "cool" abstractions is a red flag, and you should aim to create the best platform for software engineers.

In this episode, we cover:
Why "Golden Paths" can turn into roadblocks for developers.
The danger of Shadow IT and why it’s a symptom of a failed platform.
How to measure if your platform is saving time.

Connect with Adnan Alshar:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/adnanmalshar92

Connect with Jelmer de Jong:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jelmerdejong-xebia

00:00:00 - Intro
00:00:54 - Is DevOps Dead? The Truth About Platform Engineering
00:03:07 - Why Developers Are Drowning in Complexity Today
00:04:37 - Why Having No Platform Is Better Than a Bad Platform
00:07:20 - Treating Software Engineers as Customers of the Platform
00:11:26 - The Exact Moment You Should Start Building a Platform
00:14:18 - Who Should Be on Your First Platform Team?
00:17:33 - Turning Your Angriest Developers Into Platform Evangelists
00:18:57 - Key Metrics: How to Measure Platform Engineering Success
00:21:01 - Why 60% of Companies Don't Measure Platform Success
00:23:35 - Why No Metrics Is the Biggest Red Flag
00:25:23 - The Disconnect Between Executives and AI Readiness
00:31:34 - Integrating AI Tools and Large Language Models Securely
00:34:22 - Shadow IT: The Symptom of a Broken Platform
00:38:03 - How to Scale Without Becoming a Bottleneck
00:41:45 - Don’t Forget the Business Side of Platform Engineering

#PlatformEngineering #DevOps #DeveloperProductivity

Engineering hasn't become easier, writing code has just become faster. Time to stop fighting symptoms and start thinking in systems. In this Q&A, I break down the career advice I'd give to any engineer, from mastering architecture to knowing when to quit a high-paying job.

In this episode, we cover:
How "Systems Thinking" can be applied in practice
The "Golden Handcuffs": Why high salaries keep engineers in toxic jobs
How to transition into leadership without waiting for a title

Timestamps
00:00:00 - Intro
00:00:58 - How to innovate in stubborn legacy companies
00:04:49 - The "Golden Handcuffs": Money vs. Mental Health
00:07:27 - Stop solving symptoms: Systems Thinking explained
00:13:10 - Transitioning from Senior Engineer to Solutions Architect
00:15:08 - Communicating technical risks to non-technical bosses
00:17:48 - Proving leadership before you have the title
00:22:25 - My strategy for dealing with Imposter Syndrome
00:26:12 - Creating a "Zettelkasten" to retain technical knowledge
00:29:12 - The mindset that makes me stress-proof at work
00:33:10 - Learning to code with a product/design background
00:38:40 - Working with international remote teams
00:40:35 - Career Pivot: Software Engineering to Cyber Security
00:43:20 - Solopreneur opportunities in the "Education Gold Rush"
00:51:50 - Future Predictions: Vibe Coding vs. Vibe Engineering

#SoftwareEngineering #CareerAdvice #SystemsThinking

The software engineering landscape is shifting rapidly. Coding is becoming "cheap" because of tools like Claude Code, Codex, Gemini, Cursor etc. Interviews are evolving to focus on system design over syntax. In this Q&A, I break down exactly which skills matter now, how to negotiate the salary you deserve, and how to deal with difficult personalities on your team.

In this episode:
How juniors can leverage AI tools to reach senior-level output
Real-world salary negotiation tactics from my experience
Why coding skills matter less in modern interviews (and what matters more)
Handling "brilliant jerks" and toxic team culture

Whether you are looking for your first job with no experience or you are a mid-level dev trying to break into a Staff Engineer role, this session is packed with actionable career advice.

Timestamps:
00:00:00 - Intro
00:01:06 - Handling Brilliant Jerks: Toxic Culture vs. High Performance
00:04:13 - How Juniors Can Use AI to Outperform Seniors
00:07:10 - The Future of Coding Interviews: System Design and AI
00:11:20 - The Real Difference Between Good and Great Developers
00:13:00 - One Mistake Mid-Level Developers Make That Stalls Growth
00:15:58 - Salary Negotiation Tactics: How I Got Two Raises in One Year
00:23:44 - Questions You Should Ask to Crush Your Tech Interview
00:27:42 - What Actually Moves the Needle: Side Projects vs. Experience
00:31:05 - Don't Wait for a Perfect Portfolio to Start Applying
00:32:25 - Finding Jobs: Why LinkedIn and Meetups Beat Job Boards
00:35:16 - Should Frontend Developers Worry About Learning Backend Skills?
00:37:39 - Do Tech Certifications Actually Help You Get Hired?
00:39:07 - Mastering Soft Skills: Training Budgets vs. Real Experience

#softwareengineering #careeradvice #techinterviews

"Architects shouldn't try to be the smartest people in the room, they should make everybody else smarter."
In this episode, Gregor Hohpe (ex-Google & AWS, author of "The Software Architect Elevator") breaks down exactly how to transition from software engineer to architect. He shares the mental models used at Big Tech to handle complexity, visualize systems, and navigate office politics without losing your technical edge.

We cover:
- Why "lowering risk" is the architect's real value proposition
- The "Phantom Sketch Artist" technique to visualize unclear requirements
- How to gain "political capital" to push back on bad decisions
- Why simple architectures are often the hardest to build

If you want to move beyond just writing code and start designing systems that scale, this conversation is for you.

Connect with Gregor:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/ghohpe

00:00:00 - Intro
00:01:15 - How to Spot Bad Architects vs. Great Amplifiers
00:03:44 - Why Architects Are Actually Risk Managers in Disguise
00:06:13 - The Truth About Complexity and Simplicity at Scale
00:09:55 - How to Resolve Technical Disagreements Without Arguments
00:13:57 - Why You Should Use Pen and Paper for Architecture
00:17:24 - Mastering the Left-Right Brain Ping Pong Technique
00:20:42 - The "Architect Elevator": Connecting Code to Strategy
00:23:06 - The Rubber Duck Test: Are You a Good Architect?
00:25:41 - The "Phantom Sketch Artist" Method for System Design
00:30:37 - Stop Being a Cartographer, Start Being a Scout
00:34:47 - How to Keep Your Technical Skills Sharp as an Architect
00:44:37 - Navigating Office Politics using the "Court Jester" Strategy
00:48:08 - How to Earn and Spend Political Capital Wisely
00:53:17 - Why the "Big Ball of Mud" Might Be a Good Architecture
00:57:08 - How Executives Spot Gaps in Your Technical Logic
01:00:00 - Why Using AI for Architecture is a Dangerous Trap

#SoftwareArchitecture #SystemDesign #SeniorDeveloper