Developer productivity drivers and detractors with Max Kanat-Alexander from Capital One

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Engineering Unblocked

Swarmia

27 episodes

5 days ago

Keeping software engineers in flow and unblocked is one of the key responsibilities of software development leaders. In each episode of the Engineering Unblocked podcast, Rebecca Murphey interviews leaders who have navigated challenges of scale, complexity, and growth. You’ll hear from people with lived experience across the software development ecosystem, from CTOs and VPEs to directors and line managers to product managers, program managers, tech leads, and more.

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Developer productivity drivers and detractors with Max Kanat-Alexander from Capital One

Engineering Unblocked

49 minutes 6 seconds

5 months ago

Developer productivity drivers and detractors with Max Kanat-Alexander from Capital One

In this episode, Rebecca sits down with Max Kanat-Alexander, Executive Distinguished Engineer for Developer Experience at Capital One, to explore the nuances of developer productivity and experience.

The conversation dives deep into what actually drives — and what kills — productivity in engineering organizations. Max shares hard-won insights about why most developer experience initiatives fail (hint: it’s about not understanding your users), the critical difference between being productive as individuals versus as teams and organizations, and why treating engineers as “ticket takers” destroys software quality.

Find the transcript at: https://www.swarmia.com/podcast/max-kanat-alexander-capital-one/

Timestamps

(0:00) Introductions
(0:48) Max’s journey to Capital One
(2:58) Unsuccessful developer productivity
(5:37) Doing the ‘right’ work
(11:01) Ticket-taker culture
(15:25) Drivers of productivity
(20:32) Performing KTLO work
(25:40) Drivers and detractors of effective software delivery
(33:16) Setting goals
(40:42) The future of coding with AI
(46:36) Max’s advice to junior engineers

Follow Max on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mkanat/

Follow Rebecca on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rmurphey/