In this episode, we debut a new format where engineer-founders discuss key tech topics. Joined by Graham Thompson of Privacy Dynamics and Debo Ray of DevZero, we dive into modern software development. Topics include the role of developer productivity, challenges of new productivity tools and the problems that arise around data access. We also discuss the evolving role of database administrators, the shift to cloud-hosted dev environments and the impact remote development environments have on tech hiring. The episode wraps up with insights on infrastructure as code, the concept of a minimum valuable product and future trends in software development.
Highlights
[0:03] - Meet Graham Thompson, founder of Privacy Dynamics and Debo Ray, founder of DevZero, each working to revolutionize software development by improving developer productivity and experiences.
[3:22] - Unpacking the crucial role of developer productivity in tech companies and the challenges of introducing new productivity tools.
[6:31] - Exploring the evolution of database administration roles to platform engineering and its impact on setting up test environments.
[9:18] - The rise of cloud-hosted development environments: how they're slashing start times for engineers and boosting efficiency.
[10:28] - Navigating the new normal: how remote development environments are reshaping the tech hiring landscape.
[12:03] - Cloud vs. local: weighing the pros and cons of moving development to the cloud.
[16:20] - Leveraging infrastructure as code for efficient cloud management: empowering platform engineers to make more informed adjustments.
[17:37] - The power of minimum valuable product: speed and efficiency in today's market.
[20:43] - Predicting the future of the software development lifecycle and development environments.
--
Mark your calendars for May 12-14, 2026 and join us for Data Council AI, the technical conference built by engineers for engineers. It's the only event where you'll be able to connect with 2,000+ practitioners for 3 full days of technical deep dives, battle-tested architectures and production insights in San Francisco, the heart of the AI world.
Visit us at https://www.datacouncil.ai/ for the latest updates or subscribe to the newsletter as we release more details about the 2026 event!
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
My Favorite Murder with Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark
My Favorite Murder is a true crime comedy podcast hosted by Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark. Each week, Karen and Georgia share compelling true crimes and hometown stories from friends and listeners. Since MFM launched in January of 2016, Karen and Georgia have shared their lifelong interest in true crime and have covered stories of infamous serial killers like the Night Stalker, mysterious cold cases, captivating cults, incredible survivor stories and important events from history like the Tulsa race massacre of 1921. My Favorite Murder is part of the Exactly Right podcast network that provides a platform for bold, creative voices to bring to life provocative, entertaining and relatable stories for audiences everywhere. The Exactly Right roster of podcasts covers a variety of topics including historic true crime, comedic interviews and news, science, pop culture and more. Podcasts on the network include Buried Bones with Kate Winkler Dawson and Paul Holes, That's Messed Up: An SVU Podcast, This Podcast Will Kill You, Bananas and more.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com