Serverless Craic Ep70 Frictionless Developer Experience in the Age of AI

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In this episode Dave Anderson, Mark McCann, and Michael O’Reilly continue their deep dive tackling Chapter 14: The Frictionless Developer Experience.
The crew explore whether the principles of engineering excellence, developer enablement, and team topologies still stand strong in a world increasingly powered by AI and agentic systems. From **managing cognitive load** to **code as a liability**, they unpack how AI changes (and doesn’t change) the fundamentals of building high-quality software.
📌 Topics include:
Does AI really make development frictionless?
Maintaining engineering excellence in an AI-driven world
Enabling constraints and team autonomy
Revisiting the four team types in *Team Topologies*
The enduring importance of DORA metrics and stability
Why code is a liability—and how AI impacts this
The rise of specifications, contracts, and stronger test practices
⏱ Chapters
00:00 – Intro & recent travels
01:20 – Go To Service Bangalore & serverless momentum
02:40 – Frictionless developer experience in an AI world
04:50 – Cognitive load & enabling constraints
06:20 – Engineering excellence: still relevant?
08:10 – Three characteristics of great software creation
10:25 – Principles, context, and best practices in the AI era
12:40 – Goal-driven frameworks & outcome-based leadership
14:00 – Challenging teams with the right questions
15:35 – AI as an enabler for strong engineers
17:20 – Democratising knowledge & rapid learning
18:40 – Team Topologies in the AI landscape
20:45 – Socio-technical changes & enabling teams
22:15 – Will teams be smaller or just better?
23:30 – Autonomy, mastery, and purpose
25:05 – Engineers’ mastery in the age of AI
26:00 – DORA metrics: throughput & stability
28:00 – Code as a liability & maintainability concerns
29:20 – Specifications, contracts, and test-driven approaches
31:00 – Shared outcomes & embracing AI in delivery
🔗 Resources & Links
📚 Team Topologies: https://teamtopologies.com by Matthew Skelton & Manuel Pais
📖 Accelerate by Nicole Forsgren, Jez Humble & Gene Kim
🌐 The Serverless Edge https://theserverlessedge.com)– Blog & resources

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