Field notes
Expert opinions. Independent views.
Real experiences from operators building with AI in the SDLC, including what worked, what failed, and what changed. We freely give our content. Our only requirement is that you attribute it to here.
By Norman and Nathan — practitioners who build production software with AI agents.
All content reflects the personal opinions of its authors and does not represent any employer, client, or affiliated organization.
Articles
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What Got You Here Won’t Keep You Here: A Letter to Mid and Late-Career Developers
Executive Deck ↗Listen ↗Mid and late-career developers: AI isn't here to replace you. But developers who use AI will replace those who don't. Here's how to adapt.
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AI Implementation, CxO, Developer, Development & Programming, Director, Frameworks, Leadership, ManagerGoodnight to Epics, Stories and Features: A Feature A Day is the New Normal
Executive Deck ↗Listen ↗The sprint is dead. AI-native teams ship features daily, not fortnightly. Learn how to adapt your agile processes for the new velocity.
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If Your CFO Is Picking Your AI Tools, You Do Not Have an AI Strategy
Executive Deck ↗Listen ↗Your CFO should absolutely control the money. Your procurement team should absolutely manage the buying process. But neither of them should be deciding which AI capabilities…
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Your Sales CRM Is Now a Tax, Not a Moat
Executive Deck ↗Listen ↗Your revenue team already exports pipeline data out of the CRM to do the real work somewhere else. You are not buying a strategic platform. You…
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Stop Asking for “Advanced” AI Training
Executive Deck ↗Listen ↗Advanced AI training is a status marker, not a learning objective. Discover what you actually need to know based on your role and current skill level.
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Your Best Salesperson Didn’t Pick Salesforce. Your Best Engineer Shouldn’t Pick Their AI.
Executive Deck ↗Listen ↗Your best engineer shouldn't pick their AI tools any more than your best salesperson picked Salesforce. Make AI infrastructure, not individual choice.
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How to Win Without Disruption: The Senior Director’s Guide to AI That Actually Wins
Executive Deck ↗Listen ↗Senior Directors: Win the AI transformation without disrupting your political capital. A practical guide to delivering results while managing up.
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Gen AI in the SDLC Is Infrastructure Now—And Every One of Your Engineers Picked Their Own
Executive Deck ↗Listen ↗Gen AI in the SDLC is now infrastructure, not innovation. But every engineer picked their own stack. Here's why that's a governance problem.
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As CxO, the 2 Things Your HR Needs to Do Different
Executive Deck ↗Listen ↗Your HR is declining AI-native candidates who ship in weeks what your teams ship in quarters. Two critical changes your HR needs to make before you…
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Waste Density vs Value Density: Managing the Emotions of Your Board with Real Economics
Executive Deck ↗Listen ↗Learn to communicate AI value to your board using waste density vs. value density. Move beyond emotional arguments to real economics.
Essential or Ornamental
Three companies. Three choices. One satisfactory ending.
One does nothing. One maps the waste. One bets everything on twelve people in a warehouse.
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