The Architecture Of Power

This talk addresses one central question:

How can we achieve structural change in software organizations without formal authority or informal charisma?

To answer this question, the talk begins by exploring how power works, how it flows through sociotechnical systems, and how it shapes them. This exploration is guided by a simple mental model: the Power Loop.

During this exploration, the focus lies on the most potent carriers of power — actants — non-human agents such as artifacts, rules, procedures, norms, and other structural elements.
Inspired by design patterns, the talk introduces Power Patterns for engaging with the flow of power across the Power Loop and achieving structural change by leveraging the powerful actants around us.

This workshop is not about influencing people.
It is about influencing the systems that influence people.

Workshop: The Architecture of Power

This full-day workshop offers a practical introduction to power and influence tailored for engineers, architects, tech leads, and product professionals who want to create real change without relying on titles or formal authority.

At the core of the workshop is The Power Loop, a simple but powerful mental model that explains how power flows through organizations and how this flow can be deliberately influenced. Participants will learn to identify actants: non-human power agents such as tools, processes, metrics, and documents that shape our behavior.

Through concrete scenarios, participants will practice mapping power landscapes and engaging them. The workshop emphasizes structural change over leadership and charisma.

This is not a workshop about influencing people.
It is a workshop about influencing the systems that influence people.

Trailer: https://youtu.be/ePG1uvM6YKM?si=gc_s2mTHnvDNhK9S

How will AI reshape Software Engineering?

Ever wondered how software engineering will look once AI evolves and matures? This talk aims to answer that question. It introduces a simple mental model, illustrating how all systems, including sociotechnical ones, are shaped by constraints. The talk further examines which human limitations hinder software engineering today and how AI could relax these constraints in the future. As a result, AI is likely to completely reshape the categories and paradigms of software engineering as we know them.

- No technical know-how required
- Previously delivered at Global Software Architecture Summit 2024 in Barcelona and AI Meetup Frankfurt.
- Slides example: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1erVv_2aqfYp-NuHd-H0DPWU3dSMgtaXd/view?usp=drive_link

Introduction to Sociotechnical Engineering

In software projects, individuals and technical artifacts interact and influence each other, forming complex sociotechnical systems that require a holistic approach. While we cannot design such systems deterministically, we can shape the conditions under which they evolve, applying principles similar to those in classical systems engineering—such as requirements gathering, design, troubleshooting, and testing.

This talk will explore how traditional systems engineering categories can be reinterpreted for sociotechnical systems. It will emphasize the concept of “Roles” as crucial links between people and the artifacts they create. Through various examples of functional and non-functional requirements for sociotechnical systems, the talk will illustrate how to effectively leverage existing technical design patterns to fulfill sociotechnical requirements.

- No technical know-how required
- The talk was already delivered on multiple occasions, see here: https://www.complexitynavigator.rocks/speaking
- Slides example: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1qWtO8xadFhr5-aOD0CL4205_JL7hsQBO/view?usp=sharing
- Recorded session on YouTube: https://youtu.be/zCqfD3Wn9oE?t=3611