Expanding Beyond

Monica and Urban discuss their work life as developers and development managers.

Episodes

Episode 62: The one where we talk about AI

July 21, 2025 • 47 mins

We finally have the in depth discussion about LLMs, how we use them, and what we think they might evolve into. We also touch on starting to pay more and more for stuff.

Ask questions via our anonymous feedback form (https://forms.gle/MW8qZFD7RLYriqKj8) You can reach us via email at hosts@expandingbeyond.it (mailto:hosts@expandingbeyond.it). Where to find Monica on the internet: Website: monicag.me (https://monicag.me/) Blues...

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Episode 61: Keep your database close

February 24, 2025 • 40 mins

It's side project time! Urban talks about moving a project from Heroku to fly.io and Monica starts volunteering her time to stay motivated. Fountain Pen Companion (https://www.fountainpencompanion.com/) FPC Github repository (https://github.com/ujh/fountainpencompanion/) fly.io (fly.io) LiteFS (https://fly.io/docs/litefs/) Pgvector (https://github.com/pgvector/pgvector) Vostel (https://vostel.de/) Freetown Christiania (https://en.w...

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Episode 60: Everyone is sick

December 18, 2024 • 49 mins

Urban gets his AWS certificate and we discuss certifications in general and what they are good for. Especially in a B2B world. We also talk about project management and how no one seems to be in charge in a lot of places, as well as LLM generated code as yet another level of abstraction. Roles and Responsibilities retro (https://retromat.org/en/?id=146) Trillions by Robin Wigglesworth (https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/b554727d-6...

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Episode 59: Asking why

November 7, 2024 • 45 mins

In this episode we discuss meeting in person, thinking about architecture, and most importantly finding out the WHY for things. Fundamentals of Software Architecture (https://www.amazon.de/-/en/Mark-Richards/dp/1492043451) How to think like an architect (https://youtu.be/W7Krz__jJUg) Architectural Katas (https://fundamentalsofsoftwarearchitecture.com/katas/)

Ask questions via our anonymous feedback form (https://forms.gle/...

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Episode 58: We use a spreadsheet for running retros

October 9, 2024 • 51 mins

In this episode we discuss LLMs, writing blog posts, running retros (in spreadsheets!), Shape Up and other processes. We end by asking YOU (the listener) to get back to us with what process you are using and if it works for you or not. Using a LLM to fight spam (https://urbanhafner.com/2024/09/20/using-a-llm-to-fight-spam/) Obie Fernandez: Pioneering AI in Ruby on Rails Development (https://maintainable.fm/episodes/obie-fernandez-p...

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Episode 57: Software adulting

September 19, 2024 • 37 mins

In this episode we talk about certifications and how they are somehow similar to hiring, cheating during interviews, and the pitfalls of employee surveys. Goodhart’s law (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goodhart%27s_law)

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Episode 56: Switching jobs

August 19, 2024 • 48 mins

It's been a hot minute since the last episode and a lot has happened. Urban and Monica discuss their new jobs, getting fired, and of course LLMs! https://www.fountainpencompanion.com/blog/10-new-pen-and-ink-suggestion-widget-now-with-ai (https://www.fountainpencompanion.com/blog/10-new-pen-and-ink-suggestion-widget-now-with-ai) https://cursor.sh/ (https://cursor.sh/)

Ask questions via our anonymous feedback form (https://f...

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Episode 55: Approaching things with curiosity

November 3, 2023 • 52 mins

Urban tells about his new job, and how it's quite different than the previous one. Monica thinks about her future and what kind of job to do next. Martijn Doolaard (https://www.youtube.com/@MartijnDoolaard) (renovating in the Italian Alps)

Ask questions via our anonymous feedback form (https://forms.gle/MW8qZFD7RLYriqKj8) You can reach us via email at hosts@expandingbeyond.it (mailto:hosts@expandingbeyond.it). Where to find ...

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Episode 54: I am YOLO releasing

September 14, 2023 • 45 mins

Urban is just chilling, but Monica is trying to help her team to be less scared about releasing to production and maybe ... maybe go back to being a developer ... at some point. Cypress (https://www.cypress.io/)

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Episode 53: I Am The Mother Of The Team

July 27, 2023 • 42 mins

Urban talks about resigning and what to do for the remaining time and how different notice periods can affect offboarding. Monica is looking for contractors (let her know where to look!) and thinks about the similarities and differences when working for small or big companies.

Ask questions via our anonymous feedback form (https://forms.gle/MW8qZFD7RLYriqKj8) You can reach us via email at hosts@expandingbeyond.it (mailto:hos...

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Episode 52: Even This Guy Is Human

July 10, 2023 • 47 mins

We discuss rubyday 2023, taking care of large applications, testing strategies for startups, and the dearth of practical literature around startups in general. rubyday 2023 (https://2023.rubyday.it/) Metaprogramming Ruby 2 (https://pragprog.com/titles/ppmetr2/metaprogramming-ruby-2/) Programming Ruby (https://pragprog.com/titles/ruby5/programming-ruby-3-2-5th-edition/) (Pickaxe book) Pragmatic Programmer (https://pragprog.com/title...

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Episode 51: We have come out of hibernation

June 12, 2023 • 53 mins

Monica and Urban discuss what they've been up to in the last six months. Why Construction Projects Always Go Over Budget (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dOe_6vuaR_s) Release It! by Michael Nygard (https://pragprog.com/titles/mnee2/release-it-second-edition/) Engineering Management for the Rest of Us by Sarah Drasner (https://www.engmanagement.dev/) An Elegant Puzzle: Systems of Engineering Management by Will Larson (https://press....

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Episode 50: Make It As Easy As Possible

December 20, 2022 • 41 mins

We are reminiscing about doing 49 episodes, as well as answer listener questions!

Ask questions via our anonymous feedback form (https://forms.gle/MW8qZFD7RLYriqKj8) You can reach us via email at hosts@expandingbeyond.it (mailto:hosts@expandingbeyond.it). You can follow us on Twitter at @podcast_eb (https://twitter.com/podcast_eb). Where to find Monica on the internet: Website: monicag.me (https://monicag.me/) Mastodon: @ni...

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Episode 49: I quit!

November 29, 2022 • 36 mins

Urban's company got acquired and Monica quits her job!

You can reach us via email at hosts@expandingbeyond.it (mailto:hosts@expandingbeyond.it). You can follow us on Twitter at @podcast_eb (https://twitter.com/podcast_eb). Where to find Monica on the internet: Website: monicag.me (https://monicag.me/) Mastodon: @nirnaeth@mastodon.online (https://mastodon.social/@nirnaeth@mastodon.online) Github: @nirnaeth (https://github.com...

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Episode 48: User stories are supposed to burn in hell

October 24, 2022 • 39 mins

Monica gets on her soapbox to complain about (the misuse of) user stories, rethinking processes in JIRA. We also discuss making decisions in big groups. Job Stories Offer a Viable Alternative to User Stories (https://www.mountaingoatsoftware.com/blog/job-stories-offer-a-viable-alternative-to-user-stories)

You can reach us via email at hosts@expandingbeyond.it (mailto:hosts@expandingbeyond.it). You can follow us on Twitter at...

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Episode 47: This is better than having a surprise

October 7, 2022 • 50 mins

We discuss OKRs, release testing, and Urban's side project. Urban’s side project https://fpc.ink (https://fpc.ink) Github project for future development (https://github.com/users/ujh/projects/2)

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Episode 46: You have to feel the pain

August 10, 2022 • 47 mins

We discuss how successful side projects require the same to scale than actual companies, but on a smaller scale, what to do as a manager when your team suddenly has a project manager, as well as release testing. Fountain Pen Companion (https://www.fountainpencompanion.com/) Xray (https://www.getxray.app/test-management)

You can reach us via email at hosts@expandingbeyond.it (mailto:hosts@expandingbeyond.it). You can follow u...

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Episode 45: The chances of you being 80% right are very slim

July 27, 2022 • 37 mins

We discuss Urban's appearances on other podcasts (that you should listen to!) as well as Monica handling layoffs from the point of view of a manager. On the maintainable podcast with Robby Russel: https://www.maintainable.fm/episodes/urban-hafner-management-isnt-for-everyone On the Code With Jason podcast: https://www.codewithjason.com/podcast/10785120-150-urban-hafner/

You can reach us via email at hosts@expandingbeyond.it ...

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Episode 44: Everybody is doing architecture!

June 1, 2022 • 45 mins

You can reach us via email at hosts@expandingbeyond.it (mailto:hosts@expandingbeyond.it). You can follow us on Twitter at @podcast_eb (https://twitter.com/podcast_eb). Where to find Monica on the internet: Website: monicag.me (https://monicag.me/) Twitter: @KFMolli (https://twitter.com/KFMolli) Github: @nirnaeth (https://github.com/nirnaeth) Blog: dev.to/nirnaeth (https://dev.to/nirnaeth) Where to find Urban on the internet:...

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Episode 43: We cannot wait anymore - we have to do something!

May 4, 2022 • 47 mins

We discuss introducing OKRs and working on tech debt.

You can reach us via email at hosts@expandingbeyond.it (mailto:hosts@expandingbeyond.it). You can follow us on Twitter at @podcast_eb (https://twitter.com/podcast_eb). Where to find Monica on the internet: Website: monicag.me (https://monicag.me/) Twitter: @KFMolli (https://twitter.com/KFMolli) Github: @nirnaeth (https://github.com/nirnaeth) Blog: dev.to/nirnaeth (https:/...

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Expanding Beyond

Episodes

.css-14f5ked{margin:0;word-break:break-word;display:-webkit-box;-webkit-box-orient:vertical;box-orient:vertical;-webkit-line-clamp:2;overflow:hidden;}Episode 62: The one where we talk about AI

.css-r6mb8g{margin:0;word-break:break-word;display:-webkit-box;-webkit-box-orient:vertical;box-orient:vertical;-webkit-line-clamp:1;overflow:hidden;}Episode 61: Keep your database close

Episode 60: Everyone is sick

Episode 59: Asking why

Episode 58: We use a spreadsheet for running retros

Episode 57: Software adulting

Episode 56: Switching jobs

Episode 55: Approaching things with curiosity

Episode 54: I am YOLO releasing

Episode 53: I Am The Mother Of The Team

Episode 52: Even This Guy Is Human

Episode 51: We have come out of hibernation

Episode 50: Make It As Easy As Possible

Episode 49: I quit!

Episode 48: User stories are supposed to burn in hell

Episode 47: This is better than having a surprise

Episode 46: You have to feel the pain

Episode 45: The chances of you being 80% right are very slim

Episode 44: Everybody is doing architecture!

Episode 43: We cannot wait anymore - we have to do something!

Popular Podcasts

Episode 62: The one where we talk about AI

Episode 61: Keep your database close