Most Active Speaker

Dustin Thostenson

Dustin Thostenson

Understand, Be Understood

Des Moines, Iowa, United States

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Dustin Thostenson is an independent consultant, leading Delta3Consulting. He has been a developer, mentor, trainer and agile coach for decades. His passion lies in helping people grow and teams deliver. To keep it interesting he helps lead the Iowa .NET User Group and volunteers in Central Iowa. To keep it real he spends time with his wife and 4 kids. To keep it random he tweets @dustinson

Awards

  • Most Active Speaker 2024

Area of Expertise

  • Information & Communications Technology

Topics

  • Software Development
  • IT Leadership
  • Coaching
  • Agile Coaching
  • Agile Transformation

Sustainable Software

Lean is Green.
Sustainability is a massive subject, moving far beyond Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.
It may feel overwhelming, but there are things software devs can do which are better for your flow, your company's costs, and the environment.
You may be surprised how simple practices can save time, money, sanity and more.

This talk will help you focus on the outcomes you may desire with strategies around the software development process, Product Management, DevOps and Cloud cost containment.

Learn how Lean principles (TIMWOODS) can help you find solutions good for your natural and business environments.

Modeling Better Decisions

Quality decisions need to be made without full analysis and include uncertainty.
Patterns exist. Comparing a new problem to an existing model can help elude analysis paralysis. A 2010 study by LexisNexis showed, “on average, employees spend more than half their workdays receiving and managing information rather than using it to do their jobs!” Recognizing what models we may be using to validate our gut instincts may help us find more models to expand our capabilities

It's the end of Agile as we know it, and I feel fine

"The times, they are a-changing" - Bob Dylan

If you've been a coach or practitioner leading transformations, you know what Bob's talking about.
"Agile" has become a punchline in some circles. Using the "Agile" label like "Smurf" may no longer be helpful.
The market is changing, and we need to change with it.
How do we maintain enthusiasm and foster continuous improvement in this new landscape?

This isn't an "Agile is Dead" rant.
It's a pragmatic discussion , diverging from theoretical and dogmatic practices of recent years.

Let's embark on a journey to understand how we arrived here and explore the opportunities that lie ahead.
Our discussion will cover:
- The evolving timeline and critical inflection points in Agile's journey.
- Foundational concepts that have proven effective.
- Growing resentment stemming from failed practices.
- Tactics to fuel your improvement journey and career.

Positively Influence: Change how you try to change others

Congratulations!
NDC is a great conference and you will learn many wonderful ideas and practices!
When you return home, you'll find many opportunities to share your knowledge.
How great could this be for your team?

It may not be easy though.
Sometimes people don't like change.
Your attempts to inspire and invigorate may not go well.

If you've attempted changing one person, or transforming an enterprise, you've likely experienced this.
I've seen people lose jobs while inflicting help.
Their intent was positive, but the results were not.

Join me to explore what's needed to influence, positively, and avoid common mistakes.

You'll learn:
- How to clarify expectations
- Engagement techniques
- Influence techniques

Techniques to Tackle Tech-debt Today

Between aggressive deadlines and mounting Tech-debt, teams often feel helpless . They struggle to deliver high quality solutions they are proud of which also delight their users.
Sometimes leaders can't help them.
Teams recognize the origins of the mess but often grapple to break free.

Thankfully there are tried and true tactics to tackle the tech-debt troubles, Today! You don't need a dramatic dedicated deconstruction department. You and your team can solve this yourselves!

Learn technical, political, and procedural techniques to create more joy in the new work with less pain from the old.

SLoW: Software Leverage of Workers

Agile methodologies have been aggressively pursued for over a decade, leaving a wake of disgruntled developers, scrum-masters, product and business owners.

The Agile Manifesto proposes to "Build projects around motivated individuals", but what if you don't? What if you aren't?

Many workers have found an approach which works better for them.

In this semi-parody session, field research will reveal how SLOW really works.
- Learn how to influence your leaders through fear with creative risk scenarios. (Butwatabout Route)
- Minimize personal blame exposure and increase compliance appearances (Process Protection)
- Leverage "lack of alignment" to introduce more meetings and then use that as a reason for not having time to complete your duties (Meeting Manipulation)
- Redefine goals and terminology to move the goals closer to preferred working styles (Hockey-puck Cricket)
- Maximize ROI while minimizing effort extended (Conway Capitalism)

Audience members will be left to decide which optimizations they will embrace.

Real-life strategies and examples will be provided.
For example:

Cherish? Challenge? The choice is yours.

This has been developed to directly challenge (in a fun and snarky way) my friend's work with FaST Agile, and other methodologies strongly touted (often on false presumptions on core motivations).

Women In Agile Columbus

Modeling Better Decisions

January 2025 Columbus, Ohio, United States

Iowa Code Camp Fall 2024 Sessionize Event

October 2024 Ankeny, Iowa, United States

NDC Porto 2024 Sessionize Event

October 2024 Porto, Portugal

Agile + DevOpsDays Des Moines 2024 Sessionize Event

October 2024 Des Moines, Iowa, United States

InfoQ Podcast - Tech-debt

Dustin and host Shane Hastie have a empathetic discussion around the technical and inter-personal aspects surrounding the challenges teams face when dealing with their Tech-debt.

September 2024

Iowa .NET User Group

Techniques To Tackle Tech-debt Today

September 2024 Des Moines, Iowa, United States

Agile2024 Sessionize Event

July 2024 Dallas, Texas, United States

Agile & Beyond 2024 Sessionize Event

May 2024 Detroit, Michigan, United States

PhillyXP

Sphere Of Control: Techniques To Tackle Tech-debt Today

March 2024 Des Moines, Iowa, United States

Virtual Agile Meetup

Positively Consult: Change how you try to change others

February 2024

The SCSU Computer Science Club

Career Expectations presentation at St. Cloud State Univ, Mn

February 2024 Saint Cloud, Minnesota, United States

DevOpsDaysDsm

Sphere Of Control: Techniques To Tackle Tech-debt Today

September 2023 Des Moines, Iowa, United States

Mob Mentality Podcast

MobMentality-Turn The Tables

July 2023

Agile2023

5 Techniques To Tackle Tech-debt Today

July 2023 Orlando, Florida, United States

Agile & Beyond 2023 Sessionize Event

June 2023 Detroit, Michigan, United States

IBADD - Iowa Business Analyst Development Day

Positively Consult: Change how you try to change others

May 2023 Altoona, Iowa, United States

ScrumMaster's Toolbox Podcast

Embracing Self-Awareness and Empathy in the Agile Change Process

February 2023

DevOpsDays Des Moines

If You're Fighting You're Failing

October 2022 Des Moines, Iowa, United States

THAT Conference

(Virtual) If You're Fighting, You're Failing

September 2022 Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin, United States

Mob Mentality Podcast

'Clear & Simple'

September 2022

Agile2022

Modeling Better Decisions

July 2022 Nashville, Tennessee, United States

The SCSU Computer Science Club

TDD Code Katas

April 2022 Saint Cloud, Minnesota, United States

Agile Online Summit

Track Lead

January 2022

Iowa .NET User Group

Failure to Launch: Common Consulting Crashes

November 2021 West Des Moines, Iowa, United States

Iowa .NET User Group

Monoliths to Babyliths

November 2020 Des Moines, Iowa, United States

Iowa .NET User Group

Coding with COVID

March 2020 Des Moines, Iowa, United States

Tech Career Talk Podcast

'Career Talk' podcast with Tom Henricsen

September 2019

Agile & Beyond 2019 Sessionize Event

May 2019 Detroit, Michigan, United States

Big Apple Scrum Day

Coaching Clinic

May 2019 New York City, New York, United States

DevOps Days Des Moines

Modeling Better Decisions

May 2019 Des Moines, Iowa, United States

Iowa .NET User Group

Modeling Better Decisions

March 2019

Iowa Org Camp

So, Who's Gonna Tell 'Em?

September 2018 Des Moines, Iowa, United States

Iowa .NET User Group

So, Who's Gonna Tell 'Em?

November 2017 Des Moines, Iowa, United States

dsmAgile

So, Who’s Gonna Tell ‘Em? (interpersonal feedback)

October 2017 Des Moines, Iowa, United States

Central Iowa Java User Group

DevOps Panel

July 2016 Des Moines, Iowa, United States

KCDC

Failure Driven Development

May 2015 Kansas City, Missouri, United States

Iowa Code Camp

Failure Driven Development

May 2015 Cedar Rapids, Iowa, United States

.NET Rocks Podcast

Failure Driven Development

April 2015

Nebraska Code Camp

Failure Driven Development

March 2015 Lincoln, Nebraska, United States

Iowa Code Camp

October 2014 Des Moines, Iowa, United States

Nebraska Code Camp

March 2014 Lincoln, Nebraska, United States

University Of Iowa College Of Business BTA group

5Years6Digits

September 2013 Iowa City, Iowa, United States

Iowa Code Camp

LINQtroduction

October 2011 Iowa City, Iowa, United States

Cedar Rapids .NET User Group

LINQ

June 2011 Cedar Rapids, Iowa, United States

Iowa Code Camp

LINQtroduction

May 2011 Cedar Rapids, Iowa, United States

Nebraska Code Camp

5Years6Digits

February 2011 Lincoln, Nebraska, United States

Iowa .NET User Group

LINQtroduction

October 2010 Des Moines, Iowa, United States

Iowa .NET User Group

VS2010 launch

July 2010 Des Moines, Iowa, United States

Heartland Develop Conference

October 2009 Omaha, Nebraska, United States

Iowa .NET User Group

Introduction to Code Generation using T4

September 2009 Des Moines, Iowa, United States

Dustin Thostenson

Understand, Be Understood

Des Moines, Iowa, United States

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