Mike Challis

Episode 58: Feature Verification

October 30th, 2024  |  58 mins 28 secs

Episode 56: Team Sizes

October 2nd, 2024  |  56 mins 19 secs

Episode 55: How to Estimate Badly

September 18th, 2024  |  52 mins 30 secs

Episode 54: Monoliths vs Microservices

September 4th, 2024  |  55 mins 59 secs

Episode 53: Velocity vs Thoroughness

August 21st, 2024  |  1 hr 2 mins

Episode 52: Scary Code

August 7th, 2024  |  45 mins 39 secs

Episode 51: Changing Languages

July 24th, 2024  |  49 mins 3 secs

Episode 50: Onboarding

July 10th, 2024  |  40 mins 9 secs

Episode 49: Breaking Down Work

June 26th, 2024  |  38 mins 2 secs

Episode 48: Strategies and Pitfalls of Estimation

June 13th, 2024  |  42 mins 38 secs

Episode 47: Onboarding New Employees

May 29th, 2024  |  46 mins 19 secs

The panel delves into the challenges and strategies of onboarding new employees to discuss the importance of communication, mentorship, and understanding context. Mike shares a story from his construction days in New Orleans, where he learned the value of being paired with an experienced team member. This buddy system helped him overcome communication barriers and adapt more quickly to his new environment.

Effective onboarding involves more than just providing documentation. While documentation is valuable, it must be up-to-date and supplemented with hands-on guidance and practical experience. The panel advocates for giving new employees context about their tasks and the organization. This can include having them use the software as end-users or working directly with customers to understand the system and its impact better. Regular check-ins and skills clinics are also recommended to help employees stay updated and improve their skills.

Additionally, the podcast highlights the importance of continuous learning and mentorship for all employees, not just new hires. Regular mentor-mentee interactions and collaborative updates to documentation ensure that onboarding remains practical and relevant. Panelists note the pitfalls to avoid, such as not following through on commitments and assigning unsuitable onboarding buddies. Ensuring psychological safety and fostering a supportive culture are crucial to a successful onboarding process.

Episode 45: Promoting Innovation and Collaboration

May 8th, 2024  |  34 mins 18 secs

Episode 41: Code Reviews

March 13th, 2024  |  50 mins 48 secs

Episode 40: Git

February 28th, 2024  |  47 mins 5 secs

Episode 39: Software Development and Music

February 14th, 2024  |  34 mins 52 secs

Episode 38: Burnout and Work-Life Balance

January 31st, 2024  |  41 mins 58 secs