Writing
My writings, across a wide variety of topics. For a more scan-friendly experience, use the Posts page.
Recent Posts
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Agents, Paradigms and Strange Loops: Toward Emergent Digital Intelligence in AI Agents
in professional
An Engineering Leaders Guide to Recalibrating for the Agentic Era
in professional on ai, leadership, software-teams, future-of-work
As experienced engineering leaders, we need to recalibrate our understanding of how software will be built in the age of AI. Here’s my current perspective on where to start and what to recalibrate. Subject to change as the landscape shifts underneath us.
Data as a Strategic Asset; Beyond Technology to Sociotechnical Design
in professional on data-strategy, organisational-design, sociotechnical-systems
AI and agentic agents run on data and context. Most organisations treat data as a technical problem to be solved by IT. The real challenge—and opportunity—lies in understanding it as a sociotechnical system that requires intentional organisational design.
From Silos to Systems; How Agentic AI Challenges Traditional Organisational Design
in professional on organisational-design, ai, software-teams, future-of-work
Agentic AI will force a rethink of how we structure work and teams. This post explores what organisational design principles will endure—and which will need to change as AI becomes more embedded in our daily workflows.
Beyond T-shaped people; The Invisible Cost of Functional Specialisation in Organisations
in professional on team-dynamics, organisational-design, software-development
Exploring how functional specialisation creates hidden organisational debt that compounds over time, impacting both team agility and organisational adaptability
Using the Observer-Dependent Emergent Time Model to Explain the Wave-Particle Duality of Light
in professional on physics, time, relativity, quantum mechanics
In the context of the observer-dependent emergent time model, we can provide a novel explanation for the wave-particle duality of light by considering how the observer’s interactions with photons influence the emergent perception of light’s behavior.
Authors: OpenAI o1-preview, Kevin Trethewey
Observer-Dependent Emergent Time: A Relational Framework for Fundamental Physics
in professional on physics, time, relativity, quantum mechanics
A new theoretical framework where time is not a universal constant or a shared parameter within a system but is instead an emergent property arising from interactions at all scales, contextualized by the observer’s reference frame.
Authors: OpenAI o1-preview, Kevin Trethewey, OpenAI 4o
Hypothetical Business Plan for JHB Zoo
in professional on business, ideation, systems thinking
After visiting the Johannesburg Zoo with my kids, I thought about how it could be improved and came up with a business plan that shows how I think it could be turned into an amazing vehicle for education and skills development.
This is a thought exercise, not a real business plan. It could be used as a starting point for a real plan.
Interviewed for Devjourney podcast
in professional on podcasts, spine model, extreme programming
I chatted with Tim Bourguignon (@timothep) about my developer journey and some of the steps along the way.
Episode #232 - Kevin Trethewey on his extreme programming journey
Teams do not exist
in professional on thought experiments, teamwork
As a leader in an organisation, thinking of teams as a single concrete entity leads to cognitive biases and blind spots that can prevent us choosing options that get the results we and the people in our teams would like to achieve
Teams do not exist.
10 Structure Tips For Effective Technical Documents
in professional on technical writing, software
When communicating technical ideas, writing and language skills are important, but structure can be importanter.
These are 10 suggestions on how to structure your technical documentation in a way that will make it easier for others to follow and to remember…
Using the Spine Model to inform your path to guide your learning
in professional on spine model, dreyfus model, model synthesis, systemic thinking
Combining the Spine Model and the Dreyfus Model of Skills Acquisition can provide some useful insights into how to learn new skills
This post assumes you are already familiar with the Spine Model
When creating software, what really matters? @ DevConf Johannesburg 2019
in professional on talks, community, software
There’s no shortage of guidance around the internet on how to become a competent software developer. It’s an exciting road to travel. But, what comes after you’ve reached a level of competence? What’s beyond that horizon?
As a programmer in the late ’90s and 2000s, I focused on growing my competence in a pragmatic “what works?” sort of way, and readily adopted ideas that were useful. For a decade or so after that, as a coach and consultant, I frequently provided context-free general advice that was aligned to innovative ideas that had worked for me in the past but didn’t always have a lasting impact for the people and teams I was coaching. Today, as a technical leader working with teams of developers across the world, I’m growing a deepening understanding of what really matters when creating software.
Agile for Humans ep90 Walking the Spine Model
in professional on podcasts, community, spine model
Danie Roux (@danieroux) and I joined Ryan Ripley (@ryanripley) to discuss the Spine Model and how to use it effectively with agile and scrum teams.
In this episode of Agile For Humans we discussed:
I'm joining Jemstep by Invesco as Director of Engineering
in professional on jemstep, driven
In January 2018 I’ll be taking up an exciting new position outside of Driven Alliance
I started Driven in 2008. Almost 10 years and 15 full time employees on and it’s been a wonderful journey and experience. I’ve learned so much from all those that I had the privileged of collaborating with, inside Driven, at our clients, and within the wider software development community.
Collaborative Programming
in professional on programming, knowledge management
What is the fundamental reason for producing production code together with others, rather than alone?
Pair and Mob programming practices are far more effective approaches to writing production software than individuals working alone.
ZADevChat Podcast Episode 29 - The Spine Model
in professional on podcasts, community, spine model
Kevin McKelvin and Kenneth Kalmer from ZADevChat interviewed and Danie Roux and I about the Spine Model.
You can find and listen to the episode on the spine model on soundscloud.
Agile2015 Talk - Spine Model, A systemic approach to effective leadership
in professional on talks, community, software
Danie Roux (@danieroux) and I travelled to Washington DC to talk about the Spine Model and how to use it effectively as a technical leader.
The talk was extremely well received, getting an overall rating score of 4.7 out of 5 (conference avg was 4.1).
Getting tired of dealing with problems?
in professional on systemic thinking
If you think you can get rid of all your problems, take a look at what Ichak Adizes had to say about that…
What is the one thing in life you can be guaranteed of?
