GOTO - Today, Tomorrow and the Future

GOTO

The GOTO podcast seeks out the brightest and boldest ideas from language creators and the world's leading experts in software development in the form of interviews and conference talks. Tune in to get the inspiration you need to bring in new technologies or gain extra evidence to support your software development plan.

  • 57 minutes 2 seconds
    Why Software Architecture is Mostly Communication • David Whitney, Ian Cooper & Hannes Lowette

    This interview was recorded for GOTO Unscripted.
    https://gotopia.tech

    Check out more here:
    https://gotopia.tech/articles/400

    David Whitney - Director of Architecture at NewDay
    Ian Cooper - A Polyglot Coding Architect at Just Eat
    Hannes Lowette - Principal Consultant at Axxes, Monolith Advocate, Speaker & Whiskey Lover

    RESOURCES
    David
    https://bsky.app/profile/davidwhitney.co.uk
    http://twitter.com/david_whitney
    https://www.instagram.com/davidwhitneycouk
    https://github.com/davidwhitney
    https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidwhitney
    https://davidwhitney.co.uk/blog

    Ian
    https://bsky.app/profile/icooper.bsky.social
    https://hachyderm.io/@ICooper
    https://twitter.com/ICooper
    https://www.linkedin.com/in/ian-cooper-2b059b
    https://github.com/iancooper
    https://ian-cooper.writeas.com

    DESCRIPTION
    Three experienced software engineers - Ian Cooper, David Whitney, and Hannes Lowette - discuss the evolution of software architecture from traditional "ivory tower" approaches to modern, collaborative practices. The conversation explores the tension between emergent and designed architecture, the importance of sustainable versus "slash-and-burn" development approaches, and how architectural decisions scale with organizational growth.
    Key themes include the critical role of communication and coaching in architecture, the dangers of pattern cargo-culting, and the fundamental reality that all architectural challenges are ultimately people problems requiring empathy, shared language, and cultural change.

    RECOMMENDED BOOKS
    Barry O'Reilly • Residues • https://leanpub.com/residuality
    Barry O'Reilly • The Architect's Paradox • https://leanpub.com/architectsparadox
    Diana Montalion • Learning Systems Thinking • https://amzn.to/3ZpycdJ
    Sam Newman • Monolith to Microservices • https://amzn.to/2Nml96E
    Ronnie Mitra & Irakli Nadareishvili • Microservices: Up and Running• https://amzn.to/3c4HmmL
    Jacqui Read • Communication Patterns • https://amzn.to/3E37lvv
    Vaughn Vernon & Tomasz Jaskula • Strategic Monoliths & Microservices • https://amzn.to/3AcUscj

    How Hacks Happen

    Hacks, scams, cyber crimes, and other shenanigans explored and explained. Presented...

    Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify

    Bluesky
    Twitter
    Instagram
    LinkedIn
    Facebook

    CHANNEL MEMBERSHIP BONUS
    Join this channel to get early access to videos & other perks:
    https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCs_tLP3AiwYKwdUHpltJPuA/join

    Looking for a unique learning experience?
    Attend the next GOTO conference near you! Get your ticket: gotopia.tech

    SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL - new videos posted daily!

    19 December 2025, 1:00 pm
  • 34 minutes 8 seconds
    Fundamentals of Data Engineering • Matt Housley & Joe Reis

    This interview was recorded for the GOTO Book Club.
    http://gotopia.tech/bookclub

    Read the full transcription of the interview here:
    https://gotopia.tech/episodes/399

    Matt Housley - Co-Author of "Fundamentals of Data Engineering", Keynote Speaker & Podcaster
    Joe Reis - Co-Author of "Fundamentals of Data Engineering", Keynote Speaker, Professor & Podcaster

    RESOURCES
    Matt
    https://www.linkedin.com/in/housleymatthew

    Joe
    https://www.linkedin.com/in/josephreis
    https://github.com/JoeReis
    https://joereis.substack.com

    Link
    https://mathstodon.xyz/@tao/114915604830689046

    DESCRIPTION
    Joe Reis and Matt Housley, co-authors of "Fundamentals of Data Engineering," discuss the evolution of their field three years after their book's publication. They explore how the rise of AI tools has transformed data engineering practices, the ongoing importance of foundational knowledge, and the challenges facing junior engineers in an AI-dominated landscape. The conversation covers the balance between leveraging AI assistance and maintaining core expertise, the resurgence of classical techniques, and why fundamental principles remain more relevant than ever.

    RECOMMENDED BOOKS
    Joe Reis & Matt Housley • Fundamentals of Data Engineering • https://amzn.to/4n85049
    Karen Hao • Empire of AI • https://amzn.to/46qeL6B
    Keach Hagey • The Optimist • https://amzn.to/4nlcS20
    Parmy Olson • Supremacy • https://amzn.to/3IpHdgI
    Peter Norvig & Stuart Russel • Artificial Intelligence • https://amzn.to/420ZgR8
    David Foster • Generative Deep Learning • https://amzn.to/48ZgP4x
    Sol Rashidi • Your AI Survival Guide • https://amzn.to/3UFYnKC

    How Hacks Happen

    Hacks, scams, cyber crimes, and other shenanigans explored and explained. Presented...

    Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify

    Bluesky
    Twitter
    Instagram
    LinkedIn
    Facebook

    CHANNEL MEMBERSHIP BONUS
    Join this channel to get early access to videos & other perks:
    https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCs_tLP3AiwYKwdUHpltJPuA/join

    Looking for a unique learning experience?
    Attend the next GOTO conference near you! Get your ticket: gotopia.tech

    SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL - new videos posted daily!

    16 December 2025, 1:00 pm
  • 46 minutes 54 seconds
    The Death of Classical Computer Science • Matt Welsh & Julian Wood

    This interview was recorded for GOTO Unscripted.
    https://gotopia.tech

    Check out more here:
    https://gotopia.tech/articles/398

    Matt Welsh - Head of Al Systems at Palantir
    Julian Wood - Serverless Developer Advocate at AWS

    RESOURCES
    Matt
    https://twitter.com/mdwelsh
    https://www.mdw.la
    https://github.com/mdwelsh
    https://www.linkedin.com/in/welsh-matt
    https://www.ultravox.ai

    Julian
    https://bsky.app/profile/julianwood.com
    https://twitter.com/julian_wood
    https://github.com/julianwood
    http://www.wooditwork.com
    https://www.linkedin.com/in/julianrwood

    DESCRIPTION
    Matt Welsh, former professor at Harvard University and AI researcher, argues to Julian Wood that we're witnessing the death of classical computer science as language models evolve into general-purpose computers capable of direct problem-solving without human-written code.

    He envisions a future where AI eliminates programming barriers, democratizing computing power so anyone can instruct computers through natural language. While acknowledging concerns about job displacement and societal equity, Matt believes this transformation will unleash unprecedented human creativity by putting the full power of computing in everyone's hands, moving beyond the current "programming priesthood" to universal access to computational problem-solving.

    RECOMMENDED BOOKS
    Michael Feathers • AI Assisted Programming • https://leanpub.com/ai-assisted-programming
    Matthias Kalle Dalheimer & Matt Welsh • Running Linux • https://amzn.to/3YSwAIv
    Alex Castrounis • AI for People and Business • https://amzn.to/3NYKKTo
    Phil Winder • Reinforcement Learning • https://amzn.to/3t1S1VZ
    Kelleher & Tierney • Data Science (The MIT Press Essential Knowledge series) • https://amzn.to/3AQmIRg

    How Hacks Happen

    Hacks, scams, cyber crimes, and other shenanigans explored and explained. Presented...

    Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify

    Bluesky
    Twitter
    Instagram
    LinkedIn
    Facebook

    CHANNEL MEMBERSHIP BONUS
    Join this channel to get early access to videos & other perks:
    https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCs_tLP3AiwYKwdUHpltJPuA/join

    Looking for a unique learning experience?
    Attend the next GOTO conference near you! Get your ticket: gotopia.tech

    SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL - new videos posted daily!

    12 December 2025, 1:00 pm
  • 33 minutes 7 seconds
    C++ Memory Management • Patrice Roy & Kevin Carpenter

    This interview was recorded for the GOTO Book Club.
    http://gotopia.tech/bookclub

    Read the full transcription of the interview here:
    https://gotopia.tech/episodes/397

    Patrice Roy - Author of "C++ Memory Management"
    Kevin Carpenter - Software Engineering Manager at EPX

    RESOURCES
    Patrice
    https://bsky.app/profile/patriceroy1.bsky.social
    https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrice-roy-a050b02a4

    Kevin
    https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevinbcarpenter
    https://github.com/kevinbcarpenter

    Link
    https://www.eventbrite.com/e/c-memory-management-masterclass-tickets-1580340644409

    DESCRIPTION
    Kevin Carpenter talked to veteran C++ programmer Patrice Roy. The conversation explores the intricacies of memory management in modern C++. Patrice, who has been programming in C++ for over 30 years and serves on the C++ Standards Committee, shares wisdom from his new book "Memory Management in C++" while discussing everything from the pitfalls of over-allocation to the nuances of smart pointers.

    The conversation reveals how proper memory management isn't just about performance—it's about writing safer, more maintainable code that leverages C++'s powerful abstractions while avoiding common traps that lead seasoned developers astray.

    RECOMMENDED BOOKS
    Patrice Roy • C++ Memory Management • https://amzn.to/3K4gnet
    Sy Brand • Building a Debugger • https://amzn.to/4cWWr84
    Andreas Zeller • The Debugging Book • https://www.debuggingbook.org
    Bjarne Stroustrup • Programming: Principles and Practice Using C++ • https://amzn.to/3I5Q335
    Marius Bancila • Modern C++ Programming Cookbook • https://amzn.to/41ES4Kd

    How Hacks Happen

    Hacks, scams, cyber crimes, and other shenanigans explored and explained. Presented...

    Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify

    Bluesky
    Twitter
    Instagram
    LinkedIn
    Facebook

    CHANNEL MEMBERSHIP BONUS
    Join this channel to get early access to videos & other perks:
    https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCs_tLP3AiwYKwdUHpltJPuA/join

    Looking for a unique learning experience?
    Attend the next GOTO conference near you! Get your ticket: gotopia.tech

    SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL - new videos posted daily!

    9 December 2025, 1:00 pm
  • 50 minutes 4 seconds
    The End of Engineering's Blank Check: Accountability in Software Leadership • Laura Tacho & Charles Humble

    This interview was recorded for GOTO Unscripted.
    https://gotopia.tech

    Laura Tacho - CTO at DX & Executive Coach at Laura Tacho Consulting
    Charles Humble - Freelance Techie, Podcaster, Editor, Author & Consultant

    RESOURCES
    Laura
    https://x.com/rhein_wein
    https://bsky.app/profile/lauratacho.com
    https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauratacho
    https://lauratacho.com

    Charles
    https://bsky.app/profile/charleshumble.bsky.social
    https://linkedin.com/in/charleshumble
    https://mastodon.social/@charleshumble
    https://conissaunce.com

    Links
    https://getdx.com/research/measuring-ai-code-assistants-and-agents
    https://www.conissaunce.com/professional-skills-shortcut.html
    https://getdx.com/research/measuring-developer-productivity-with-the-dx-core-4
    https://dora.dev
    https://getdx.com/blog/understanding-dora-metrics
    https://queue.acm.org/detail.cfm?id=3454124
    https://getdx.com/blog/space-metrics
    https://getdx.com/research/devex-what-actually-drives-productivity
    https://getdx.com/news/introducing-genai-impact-report

    DESCRIPTION
    Laura Tacho, CTO at DX and executive coach, shares her take on the challenging transition from technical contributor to business leader. She discusses the most common leadership skill gaps she sees in CTOs, particularly around setting clear expectations without falling into the "micromanagement spiral of doom".

    Laura explains the development of the DX Core 4 framework for measuring developer productivity through four balanced dimensions:
    • Speed
    • Effectiveness
    • Quality
    • Impact

    She emphasizes the critical importance of connecting technical work to business outcomes, arguing that the era of engineering having a "blank check" is over and that today's leaders must think like business leaders who speak in terms of ROI and impact. The conversation with Charles Humble also covers emerging trends in AI-assisted development and unconventional approaches to performance management.

    RECOMMENDED BOOKS
    Will Larson • An Elegant Puzzle • https://amzn.to/4gb9VyC
    Will Larson • The Engineering Executive's Primer • https://amzn.to/3UURQuT
    Meri Williams • The Principles of Project Management • https://amzn.to/4lj5B1G
    Daniel H. Pink • Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us • https://amzn.to/3UHx535
    Kathy Sierra • Badass • https://amzn.to/4b9fb2V
    James Stanier • Become an Effective Software Engineering Manager • https://amzn.to/3vHrx1E

    How Hacks Happen

    Hacks, scams, cyber crimes, and other shenanigans explored and explained. Presented...

    Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify

    Bluesky
    Twitter
    Instagram
    LinkedIn
    Facebook

    CHANNEL MEMBERSHIP BONUS
    Join this channel to get early access to videos & other perks:
    https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCs_tLP3AiwYKwdUHpltJPuA/join

    Looking for a unique learning experience?
    Attend the next GOTO conference near you! Get your ticket: gotopia.tech

    SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL - new videos posted daily!

    5 December 2025, 1:00 pm
  • 27 minutes 10 seconds
    Reliability Engineering Mindset • Alex Ewerlöf & Charity Majors

    This interview was recorded for the GOTO Book Club.
    http://gotopia.tech/bookclub

    Alex Ewerlöf - Senior Staff Engineer at Volvo Cars & Author of "Reliability Engineering Mindset"
    Charity Majors - Co-Founder & CTO of honeycomb.io & Co-Author of "Observability Engineering"

    RESOURCES
    Alex
    https://bsky.app/profile/alexewerlof.com
    https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexewerlof
    https://www.alexewerlof.com

    Charity
    https://twitter.com/mipsytipsy
    https://linkedin.com/in/charity-majors
    https://charity.wtf
    https://www.honeycomb.io/blog/slos-are-the-api-for-your-engineering-team

    DESCRIPTION
    Alex Ewerlöf shares his journey from product engineering to reliability engineering and discusses the practical challenges of implementing Google's SRE practices in real-world companies.

    He emphasizes the significant gap between Google's idealized SRE approach — which he links to "a fantastic chef's recipe for Michelin-starred restaurants" — and the reality most companies face with limited resources and infrastructure. The discussion covers key topics including the evolution from traditional operations to where engineers own their code in production, the critical importance of choosing SLIs that align with business impact, and how SLOs help set expectations and help the service consumers prepare non-functional requirements.

    Alex coined the law of 10x per 9 highlighting that reliability isn't free and requires careful cost-benefit analysis.

    RECOMMENDED BOOKS
    Alex Ewerlöf • Reliability Engineering Mindset • https://blog.alexewerlof.com/p/rem
    C. Majors, L. Fong-Jones & G. Miranda • Observability Eng. • https://amzn.to/38scbma
    C. Majors & L. Campbell • Database Reliability Eng. • https://amzn.to/3ujybdS
    Alex Hidalgo • Implementing Service Level Objectives • https://amzn.to/4pbWJxw
    Brian Klaas • Fluke • https://amzn.to/41V1Cko
    Simler & Hanson • The Elephant in the Brain • https://amzn.to/4fYCG1i

    How Hacks Happen

    Hacks, scams, cyber crimes, and other shenanigans explored and explained. Presented...

    Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify

    Bluesky
    Twitter
    Instagram
    LinkedIn
    Facebook

    CHANNEL MEMBERSHIP BONUS
    Join this channel to get early access to videos & other perks:
    https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCs_tLP3AiwYKwdUHpltJPuA/join

    Looking for a unique learning experience?
    Attend the next GOTO conference near you! Get your ticket: gotopia.tech

    SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL - new videos posted daily!

    2 December 2025, 1:00 pm
  • 26 minutes 35 seconds
    How to Discover the Binary System as a Child • Simon Peyton Jones & Chelsea Troy

    This interview was recorded for GOTO Unscripted.
    https://gotopia.tech

    Simon Peyton Jones - Key Contributor of Haskell & Engineering Fellow at Epic Games
    Chelsea Troy - MLOps Tech Lead at Mozilla & Lecturer at University of Chicago

    RESOURCES
    Simon
    https://simon.peytonjones.org
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simon_Peyton_Jones
    https://www.linkedin.com/in/simonpj

    Chelsea
    https://chelseatroy.com
    https://social.clawhammer.net/@HeyChelseaTroy
    https://www.linkedin.com/in/chelseatroy

    Links
    https://www.barefootcomputing.org
    https://www.computingatschool.org.uk/resources/2015/january
    https://www.computingatschool.org.uk/forum-news-blogs/2023/november
    https://chelseatroy.com/2025/05/14
    https://computingeducation.org.uk
    https://www.raspberrypi.org/blog

    DESCRIPTION
    Simon discusses how a simple math problem led him to discover the binary system 55 years ago. He explores how to maintain the essence of computational thinking in an era where AI can instantly solve coding problems, emphasizing concrete, motivated contexts over abstract algorithms.

    The discussion spans from elementary programming to his unique role as a computing fellow at Epic Games, where he works with CEO Tim Sweeney to design the Verse programming language, proving that even big companies can prioritize denotational semantics over quarterly profits.

    RECOMMENDED BOOKS
    Simon Peyton Jones • The Implementation of Functional Programming Languages • https://amzn.to/3HQE0Xn
    Chelsea Troy • Remote Work Sucks • https://heychelseatroy.gumroad.com/l/remoteworksucks

    How Hacks Happen

    Hacks, scams, cyber crimes, and other shenanigans explored and explained. Presented...

    Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify

    Bluesky
    Twitter
    Instagram
    LinkedIn
    Facebook

    CHANNEL MEMBERSHIP BONUS
    Join this channel to get early access to videos & other perks:
    https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCs_tLP3AiwYKwdUHpltJPuA/join

    Looking for a unique learning experience?
    Attend the next GOTO conference near you! Get your ticket: gotopia.tech

    SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL - new videos posted daily!

    28 November 2025, 1:00 pm
  • 40 minutes 41 seconds
    Breaking the Architecture Bottleneck • Andrew Harmel-Law & Marit van Dijk

    This interview was recorded for GOTO Unscripted.
    https://gotopia.tech

    Andrew Harmel-Law - Technical Principal at Thoughtworks & Author of "Facilitating Software Architecture"
    Marit van Dijk - Developer Advocate at JetBrains, Java Champion & Open Source Contributor

    RESOURCES
    Andrew
    https://bsky.app/profile/andrewhl.bsky.social
    https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewharmellaw
    https://andrewharmellaw.github.io

    Marit
    https://bsky.app/profile/maritvandijk.bsky.social
    https://linkedin.com/in/maritvandijk
    https://medium.com/@mlvandijk
    https://maritvandijk.com

    Links
    https://facilitatingsoftwarearchitecture.com
    https://ruthmalan.com
    https://www.linkedin.com/pulse

    DESCRIPTION
    Andrew Harmel-Law discusses their book "Facilitating Software Architecture" and how traditional architecture approaches often become bottlenecks that slow down high-performing development teams.

    Rather than architects making top-down decisions in isolation, they advocate for a facilitation approach centered on the "advice process".

    This collaborative method shifts the architect's role from decision-maker to conversation facilitator. The approach has proven successful even in traditional corporate environments, ultimately creating more maintainable code bases where development teams actually enjoy working and can respond effectively to changing requirements.

    RECOMMENDED BOOK
    Andrew Harmel-Law • Facilitating Software Architecture • https://amzn.eu/d/5kZKVfU

    How Hacks Happen

    Hacks, scams, cyber crimes, and other shenanigans explored and explained. Presented...

    Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify

    Bluesky
    Twitter
    Instagram
    LinkedIn
    Facebook

    CHANNEL MEMBERSHIP BONUS
    Join this channel to get early access to videos & other perks:
    https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCs_tLP3AiwYKwdUHpltJPuA/join

    Looking for a unique learning experience?
    Attend the next GOTO conference near you! Get your ticket: gotopia.tech

    SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL - new videos posted daily!

    25 November 2025, 1:00 pm
  • 38 minutes 53 seconds
    How to Get People Excited about Functional Programming • Russ Olsen & James Lewis

    This interview was recorded at GOTO Copenhagen 2024.
    https://gotocph.com

    Russ Olsen - Author of "Getting Clojure" & "Eloquent Ruby"
    James Lewis - Software Architect & Director at Thoughtworks

    RESOURCES
    Russ
    https://bsky.app/profile/russolsen.bsky.social
    https://hachyderm.io/@russolsen
    https://github.com/russolsen
    https://www.linkedin.com/in/russolsen
    http://russolsen.com

    James
    https://bsky.app/profile/boicy.bovon.org
    https://linkedin.com/in/james-lewis-microservices
    https://github.com/boicy
    https://www.bovon.org

    Read the full abstract here:
    https://gotocph.com/2024/sessions/3522

    RECOMMENDED BOOKS
    Russ Olsen • Getting Clojure • https://amzn.to/3J8zI8s
    Russ Olsen • Eloquent Ruby • https://amzn.to/37gOhcG
    Russ Olsen • Design Patterns in Ruby • https://amzn.to/3r2uBjW
    Barry O'Reilly • Unlearn • https://amzn.to/3O3DQeI
    Jez Humble, Joanne Molesky & Barry O'Reilly • Lean Enterprise • https://amzn.to/3Cpt6ET
    Sarah Wells • Enabling Microservice Success • https://amzn.to/4aa8xrv
    Martin Fowler • Refactoring • https://amzn.to/3EVcHXQ
    Matthew Skelton & Manuel Pais • Team Topologies • http://amzn.to/3sVLyLQ

    How Hacks Happen

    Hacks, scams, cyber crimes, and other shenanigans explored and explained. Presented...

    Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify

    Bluesky
    Twitter
    Instagram
    LinkedIn
    Facebook

    CHANNEL MEMBERSHIP BONUS
    Join this channel to get early access to videos & other perks:
    https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCs_tLP3AiwYKwdUHpltJPuA/join

    Looking for a unique learning experience?
    Attend the next GOTO conference near you! Get your ticket: gotopia.tech

    SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL - new videos posted daily!

    21 November 2025, 1:00 pm
  • 37 minutes 26 seconds
    Beyond the Hype: Real Talk on AI-Assisted Development • Jessica Kerr & Diana Montalion

    This interview was recorded for GOTO Unscripted.
    https://gotopia.tech

    Jessica Kerr - Engineering Manager of Developer Relation at Honeycomb.io & Symmathecist
    Diana Montalion - Systems Architect, Mentrix Founder & Author of "Learning Systems Thinking"

    RESOURCES
    Jessica
    https://bsky.app/profile/jessitron.bsky.social
    https://linkedin.com/in/jessicakerr
    https://www.twitch.tv/jessitronica
    https://jessitron.com

    Diana
    https://bsky.app/profile/dianamontalion.com
    https://www.linkedin.com/in/dianamontalion
    https://montalion.com
    https://learningsystemsthinking.com

    DESCRIPTION
    Systems architect Diana Montalion and engineering manager Jessica Kerr cut through the AI coding hype to explore what these tools actually do well - and where they have room for improvement. Moving beyond the "AI will replace developers" narrative, they reveal how AI assistants excel at the tedious work of typing, scaffolding, and error handling while remaining surprisingly bad at the nuanced thinking that experienced developers bring to complex systems.

    Their discussion illuminates a more mature relationship with AI tools: one where developers maintain agency over design decisions while leveraging AI's strengths in automation, synthesis, and rapid prototyping. The result is a pragmatic roadmap for using AI to amplify human expertise rather than replace it.

    RECOMMENDED BOOKS
    Diana Montalion • Learning Systems Thinking • https://amzn.to/3ZpycdJ
    Andrew Harmel-Law • Facilitating Software Architecture • https://amzn.eu/d/5kZKVfU
    Donella H. Meadows • Thinking in Systems • https://amzn.to/3XtqYCV
    Yu-kai Chou • Actionable Gamification • https://amzn.to/45D8bHA

    How Hacks Happen

    Hacks, scams, cyber crimes, and other shenanigans explored and explained. Presented...

    Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify

    Bluesky
    Twitter
    Instagram
    LinkedIn
    Facebook

    CHANNEL MEMBERSHIP BONUS
    Join this channel to get early access to videos & other perks:
    https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCs_tLP3AiwYKwdUHpltJPuA/join

    Looking for a unique learning experience?
    Attend the next GOTO conference near you! Get your ticket: gotopia.tech

    SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL - new videos posted daily!

    18 November 2025, 1:00 pm
  • 57 minutes 16 seconds
    From Hardware Hacker to CTO: Building Teams That Scale • Meri Williams & Charles Humble

    This interview was recorded for GOTO Unscripted.
    https://gotopia.tech

    Read the full transcription of this interview here:
    https://gotopia.tech/articles/388

    Meri Williams - CTO at Pleo & Advisor at Skiller Whale & Kindred Capital
    Charles Humble - Freelance Techie, Podcaster, Editor, Author & Consultant

    RESOURCES
    Meri
    https://x.com/Geek_Manager
    https://github.com/geekmanager
    http://blog.geekmanager.co.uk

    Charles
    https://bsky.app/profile/charleshumble.bsky.social
    https://mastodon.social/@charleshumble
    https://conissaunce.com

    Links
    https://blog.container-solutions.com/managing-remote-teams-in-scaling-organisations

    DESCRIPTION
    Join us in a conversation with Meri Williams, an experienced CTO who has led technology teams from 30 to 300 people across organizations.
    In this candid discussion, Meri shares their journey from reluctant manager to seasoned leader, revealing hard-won insights about scaling teams, avoiding the "Google trap" of copying big tech practices inappropriately, and why investing in onboarding can make or break your organization.
    With refreshing honesty about management mistakes and the ongoing importance of diversity in building products that serve everyone, this conversation offers practical wisdom for anyone navigating the world of tech leadership.

    RECOMMENDED BOOKS
    Meri Williams • The Principles of Project Management • https://amzn.to/4lj5B1G
    Tom DeMarco & Tim Lister • Peopleware • https://amzn.to/3KJmFOq
    Marcus Buckingham & Gallup Organization • First, Break All the Rules • https://amzn.to/40xpppI
    Daniel H. Pink • Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us • https://amzn.to/3UHx535
    Kathy Sierra • Badass • https://amzn.to/4b9fb2V
    James Stanier • Become an Effective Software Engineering Manager • https://amzn.to/3vHrx1E

    How Hacks Happen

    Hacks, scams, cyber crimes, and other shenanigans explored and explained. Presented...

    Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify

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    14 November 2025, 1:00 pm
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