Magical thinking: from astrology to code reviews

We don't use astrology in hiring, yet we search for the root cause in our postmortems. We don't hammer screws into wood, yet we bring the same code review process to a new company that we utilized at a previous job. We don’t rely on fortune cookie predictions for new feature success, yet we sometimes treat engineers’ estimates as exact timelines.

These are just a few examples of numerous cognitive biases and mental sets and magical thinking that negatively affect our decision-making and work efficiency.

In this talk, I present a rational approach to work that allows us to recognize where intuition and "common sense" fail us, act more rationally, make optimal decisions, and work happier.

preferred duration: 30 minutes
target audience: IT folks, from managers to engineers

The Power of Trust: An Evolutionary and Game Theory Perspective on Workplace Success

Have you ever been promised a pay rise or promotion that didn't happen? Have you ever felt an unfair comparison in performance reviews? Would you expect your colleagues to quit if you were laid off? Do you trust your manager and colleagues?

In my 23 years in IT, I've felt distrust many times. This led me to explore the principles of evolutionary biology and game theory to find answers that explain the impact of trust on our professional lives and beyond.

I will explore how trust enables teamwork and collaboration, functioning as a powerful driver in a non-zero-sum game that yields better results. I will also explore how certain managerial approaches — such as the implementation of KPIs and performance reviews — negatively affect trust, and offer a replacement.

session duration: 35 minutes
target audience: Engineering managers, CTOs, engineers

Embracing Agile Principles in Hiring

Have you ever regretted a hiring decision that went awry, or found yourself overwhelmed by choosing the "right" candidate? The traditional methods of recruitment leave you and your team stuck in a cycle of inefficiency and dissatisfaction during the endless interviews.

Have you considered PDCA (Plan Do Change Act cycle) for the hiring process?

In this talk, I will share my experience of transforming the hiring process by following Agile principles. I will explore how embracing change and focusing on quality assurance from the sourcing stage can lead to more aligned, efficient, and effective hiring outcomes.

Let's challenge the status quo together!

target audience: anyone interested or participating in hiring

From Finnish educational system to Mob Learning: how to set up proper knowledge sharing at workplace

This presentation explores the commonalities between the Finnish educational system and mob learning in the tech industry, framed through the perspectives of educators John Dewey, Jean Piaget, Célestin Freinet, Mikhail Shchetinin, and Maria Montessori. By bringing together these educational approaches with the Finnish approach and mob learning practices, the talk aims to showcase how progressive pedagogical principles can be effectively applied in modern technology education and knowledge sharing.

The essence of quality and quality assurance

This talk delves into the fundamental understanding of quality in the IT industry, dissecting its essence through the lens of ISO standards, quality assurance (QA), and quality control (QC). It navigates through the intricate relationship between quality, information systems, and effective information flow, while underscoring the pivotal role of each individual, especially developers, in fostering a culture of quality.

Introduction to Quality:
- Definition of quality based on ISO9000 and ISO25000.
- Exploring the concept of quality as the alignment between desired outcomes and actual deliverables.

Quality Assurance vs. Quality Control:
- Clear distinction between QA and QC.
- The maxim "you cannot inspect quality into the system" and its implications.
- The role of QA in minimizing waste and the indication of a need for QA when QC identifies numerous issues.

The Scope of Quality Assurance:
- QA as an inclusive practice that encompasses QC.
- QA's focus on systemic improvement to reduce waste and enhance efficiency.

Information Systems and Quality:
- The role of information systems in processing and managing data.
- The importance of quality in the context of information systems.

Necessity of Effective Information Flow for Quality:
- Principles for managing effective information flow.
- Strategies for minimizing communication barriers and enhancing client engagement.

Strategies for Effective Information Flow:
- Reduction of intermediaries in information exchange.
- Importance of short feedback loops and rapid delivery of valuable deliverables.
- Employee motivation and its impact on understanding client needs.
- Emphasizing human-centric approaches for both clients and employees.
- Continuous learning to foster knowledge sharing and reduce information loss.

Role of Developers in Quality Assurance:
- How developers can contribute beyond coding to QA.
- Activities like constant training, peer assistance, dogfooding, client interaction, pairing/mobbing, and organizing quality circles.
- The impact of these actions on product quality and personal fulfillment.

Conclusion:
The talk will conclude with an emphasis on the collective responsibility towards quality and how individual actions, especially in roles like software development, contribute significantly to the overall quality of the product and processes in an IT environment.

duration: 30 minutes

The ethical firing you wish you experienced

Let's get comfortable with this uncomfortable topic before we have to fire someone.

Besides the usual process, there are two main overlooked aspects to firing: ethical and economical.

Rome wasn't built in a day, and decision-making in firing should also take time and effort. The unhealthy myth of "everyone is replaceable" can cost the company a lot. Most of us are morale-driven humans. You can avoid feeling like a hypocrite if you have an ethical code to support your professional decisions.

Explore with me the data, facts and principles for the beneficial firing. Most of the colleagues I fired would work with me again. That's why if done right, firing could be a win-win for both the company and the employee in question.