AEO: Getting Started
By Annie Hedgpeth ·
Everything we changed on hedge-ops.com and people-work.io to be cite-worthy to ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Claude. Check out the AI prompts we used to do it.
Blog Posts
Working Assumptions: Hybrid Professionals
By Annie Hedgpeth ·
Let's explore the value of hybrid professionals, individuals with diverse skill sets, and how companies often fail to leverage their unique talents due to rigid career paths. We'll discuss the need for creativity and flexibility in recognizing and utilizing these versatile professionals' strengths.
Working Assumptions: Performance Reviews
By Annie Hedgpeth ·
Performance reviews are crucial for career growth and development. This blog post tackles common false assumptions and highlights how intentional, consistent documentation can transform your review process and career trajectory.
Working Assumptions: One On Ones
By Annie Hedgpeth ·
One-on-ones are arguably the most effective tool you have to communicate your wins. Let’s discuss some of the unhelpful working assumptions we have about them and learn how to best leverage the one-on-one for your success.
Working Assumptions: The 360
By Annie Hedgpeth ·
What will it take to make 360 reviews more beneficial to the employee? What are the real goals of a 360 review? Let’s rethink what it means to grow and develop employees.
Working Assumptions: Introduction
By Annie Hedgpeth ·
An introduction to the “Working Assumptions” series, where we will tackle some assumptions about career growth that we may be working by that aren't serving us very well.
Networking Rules for Job Hunting
By Michael Hedgpeth ·
Job hunters need to follow these rules to realize their full potential.
When Preparation Meets Opportunity
By Annie Hedgpeth ·
Unlock your career’s full potential! Learn the art of setting and tracking goals for continuous growth.
Recognizing People Who Do the Right Thing
By Michael Hedgpeth ·
We often underestimate the level of sacrifice a leader must make to do the right thing. We want to recognize people who are making those sacrifices.
Career Inflection Points: 10M Hall of Fame
By Annie Hedgpeth ·
In this blog post, Annie gives a shout-out to some amazing colleagues who went the extra mile to help her navigate the challenges of entering the tech world. This post underscores the value of believing in newcomers and investing in their growth.
Career Inflection Points: Chicago and Learning
By Annie Hedgpeth ·
When I tell the story of how I got my first job in tech, it’s always a fun celebratory vibe, but in reality I was so scared and overwhelmed. I had to make new learning goals over and over again. Such is the life of a technologist.
Career Inflection Points: Networking
By Annie Hedgpeth ·
From a fateful dinner decision to networking at conferences, with mentors and passion leading the way. It's a testament to the power of community and mentorship in the tech world.
Career Inflection Points: A Big Dinner
By Annie Hedgpeth ·
Explore the pivotal moment in my career journey that occurred over a dinner conversation. Learn how a shift in perspective led to a new career path and the importance of empathy in the technology.
Career Inflection Points: Casting to Stay-at-Home Parenting
By Annie Hedgpeth ·
Explore the journey from a casting career to stay-at-home parenting. Discover the challenges, trade-offs, and emotional roller-coaster of this major career inflection point.
Career Inflection Points: From Film School to Casting
By Annie Hedgpeth ·
Explore the journey from film school to a career in casting by seizing opportunities and making connections.
Hedge-Ops: Going Strong for 20 Years
By Annie Hedgpeth ·
Join Annie and Michael as they celebrate 20 years of Hedge-Ops, sharing their journey into tech and offering insights to help others in their careers.
Managing Performance With Your Manager: It Goes Both Ways
By Michael Hedgpeth ·
Learn how to manage your manager’s performance, set clear expectations, and drive your career growth. Get actionable tips for effective 1:1s and feedback.
Ten Ways to Have a Successful Early Software Career
By Michael Hedgpeth ·
Kickstart your software career with our top 10 tips. Learn how to focus on technology, manage your manager, and avoid pitfalls to set yourself up for success.
Career Inflection Points: An Introduction
By Annie Hedgpeth ·
Explore career inflection points and how they shape our professional journeys. Learn from personal experiences and gain insights on your own career.
Finding Alignment—3 Levels To Grow To The Next Level
By Michael Hedgpeth ·
Explore the three levels of alignment in management - immediate execution, understanding but disagreeing, and understanding and agreeing.
The Hidden Key of Great Managers—Calendar Control
By Michael Hedgpeth ·
Learn how to control your calendar to maximize your time, delegate effectively, and create an ideal schedule for increased productivity and growth.
How to Manage Performance from Low Performers to Superstars
By Michael Hedgpeth ·
Learn the three-step process I use to manage the performance of my team. This creates the right outcome for everyone, from low performers to superstars.
3 Steps for Managers to Discover the Right Roadmap
By Michael Hedgpeth ·
How to discover the right roadmap for your team
My New Friend, Cinc-Auditor
By Annie Hedgpeth ·
My journey with cinc-auditor for CI/CD pipelines, replacing InSpec. Discover how she navigated dependency issues using PackageCloud over RubyGems.
2020 Year in Review
By Michael Hedgpeth ·
Our year in review post talking through how we adapted to the pandemic, migrated to Azure, and helped restaurants stay\ open.
End of the First Chapter
By Annie Hedgpeth ·
Annie reflects on her transformative journey at 10th Magnitude to HashiCorp. A heartfelt farewell to one chapter and an eager welcome to the next.
Terraform + Kitchen + InSpec
By Annie Hedgpeth ·
Explore the integration of Terraform, Kitchen, and InSpec for efficient testing of Terraform deployments for a smoother development workflow.
Terraform + Azure + WinRM
By Annie Hedgpeth ·
How to set up a Windows VM in Terraform that joins a domain domain and allows WinRM access. Addresses Strict Group Policy issues.
Azure’s Managed Identity in Test Kitchen
By Annie Hedgpeth ·
Explore how Azure’s Managed Identity enhances security in Test Kitchen by replacing client secrets with identities to your kitchen nodes for easier testing.
InSpec Basics: Day 11 - Validating Azure Resources with InSpec Azure
By Annie Hedgpeth ·
Discover how to use InSpec to scan and validate your Azure resources. A step-by-step guide on how to use the InSpec Azure resource pack to ensure compliance.
Terraform Changes The World
By Annie Hedgpeth ·
Discover how Terraform, a tool for building, changing, and versioning infrastructure, is making a significant impact on in the 2018 US Elections.
Packer and Azure Managed Images
By Annie Hedgpeth ·
Explore the process of creating managed images in Azure using Packer and Chef. Learn how to use these images across multiple subscriptions and regions.
What My Bike Accident Taught Me About DevOps
By Annie Hedgpeth ·
Discover how a bike accident taught me valuable lessons about DevOps: the importance of safety, practice, vulnerability, and teamwork in IT.
The ‘I Was Told’ Trap
By Michael Hedgpeth ·
Explore the dangers of doing what you’re told in IT and how it affects productivity and responsibility. How to avoid this trap and take charge in your career.
The Power of Context
By Michael Hedgpeth ·
Explore how deep context in technology careers, particularly for those transitioning from other fields allows for a solid foundation of technical skills.
Chef Certification Tests
By Annie Hedgpeth ·
Discover the journey to becoming a Certified Chef Developer. This demystifies the Chef Certification tests and provides useful study materials and tips.
2017 Year in Review
By Michael Hedgpeth ·
The highlights and achievements of 2017 from career advancements to personal growth, leading to an exciting future in Boulder, Colorado.
Your First DevOps Project to Automate Infrastructure
By Michael Hedgpeth ·
Start your journey into DevOps with this comprehensive guide. Learn to automate infrastructure by doing with this simple project.
VM from Custom Image with Terraform and Azure
By Annie Hedgpeth ·
Learn how to create virtual machines from custom images using Terraform and Azure with this step-by-step guide.
Terraform and Azure
By Annie Hedgpeth ·
Explore the powerful combination of Terraform and Azure in this comprehensive guide. How to create, change, and improve production infrastructure using Terraform’s open-source tool with Azure.
Study Guide for the Basic Chef Fluency Badge Exam
By Annie Hedgpeth ·
Prepare for the Basic Chef Fluency Badge Exam with our comprehensive study guide. Gain insights from my personal experience and access a community-driven study resource. Get ready to ace the test!
Chef is a Community Before It’s a Vendor
By Michael Hedgpeth ·
Explore how Chef Software Inc. values its community, encouraging collaboration and innovation. Learn how this open-source community’s approach led to the adoption of a new feature.
Chef Artifacts with Artifactory
By Michael Hedgpeth ·
Explore how Artifactory is an excellent tool for managing Chef artifacts for deployments. Learn how to install, upload, control access and integrate with Chef. Discover the benefits of Artifactory over other alternatives.
Chef Rollback with Policyfiles
By Michael Hedgpeth ·
Explore the benefits of using Chef Policyfiles for rollback mechanisms in application release automation. Learn how to safely undo changes, simplify deployments, and plan for potential rollbacks.
Policyfile Pipeline with Jenkinsfile
By Michael Hedgpeth ·
Discover how to manage Chef changes in all environments using policyfiles. Learn how to create a Jenkins pipeline for your policyfiles, ensuring secure and efficient deployment.
Cookbook Pipeline with Jenkinsfile
By Michael Hedgpeth ·
Discover how to create a cookbook pipeline using Jenkinsfile for your CI environment. This blog post provides a detailed guide on setting up Jenkins as your tool of choice for managing deployment pipelines.
Cookbook Development with Rakefiles
By Michael Hedgpeth ·
Explore the process of cookbook development with Rakefiles. Learn how to standardize cookbook quality, implement automated testing, and release cookbooks efficiently. Ideal for Ruby developers.
DevOps Leadership Summit in Dallas
By Michael Hedgpeth ·
Join us at the DevOps Leadership Summit in Dallas on August 28, 2017. Network with industry leaders and learn how to facilitate a DevOps transformation in your company.
Which Line?
By Michael Hedgpeth ·
Explore the impact of software development on a company’s bottom line versus top line. How I navigated from a cost-saving role to a revenue-generating position.
How to Lower the Barrier to Entry
By Annie Hedgpeth ·
Discover how to lower the barrier to entry into technology careers. Learn strategies to support and encourage individuals transitioning into tech and foster diverse, innovative teams.
Why Habitat?
By Michael Hedgpeth ·
Explore the journey of a software engineer discovering the benefits of Habitat for application deployment. Learn about the pros and cons of various application automation approaches, and why Habitat stands out as a game-changer in the field.
Policyfiles Update
By Michael Hedgpeth ·
Discover the latest updates on Policyfiles and its integration with Chef Automate. Learn about the future of automation and how Policyfiles can enhance your operations.
A Chef Custom Resource
By Annie Hedgpeth ·
Explore the process of creating a Chef custom resource for your certification exam preparation. This blog post provides a detailed walkthrough of the process, helping you understand and implement custom resources effectively.
Our Superbowl
By Michael Hedgpeth ·
Discover how NCR revolutionized their delivery process with Chef, enabling customers to grow their businesses beyond traditional boundaries. This is our Superbowl story.
Introducing Cafe
By Michael Hedgpeth ·
Discover Cafe, a new project designed to simplify running Chef in a Windows environment. Learn about its features, installation process, and how it can streamline your Chef operations.
How I’m Learning Docker
By Annie Hedgpeth ·
Explore my journey of learning Docker as a part of my DevOps training. I share my experiences with inverted and relative learning styles, and how they helped me understand complex concepts like virtualization and isolation.
Funnel
By Michael Hedgpeth ·
Explore the concept of the sales funnel through the lens of NCR’s history and its application to technology change initiatives. Learn how to effectively manage and implement change in your organization.
Jenkinsfile
By Annie Hedgpeth ·
The basics of configuring a Jenkinsfile to creating a CI/CD Pipeline in Jenkins. Includes version control, parallel commands, and an audit trail. Discover how to build, test, and publish.
My Devops Training Plan
By Annie Hedgpeth ·
Discover my comprehensive DevOps training plan for the new year. Learn about my projects, tools, and technologies I’ll be using and comparing. Follow my journey on the blog!
7 Options for Implementing Policyfile Attributes in Any Environment
By Michael Hedgpeth ·
Seven ways to move away from Chef node, environment, or role attributes to Chef policyfile attributes. This can be the hardest part of migrating to Policyfiles.
InSpec Basics: Day 10 - Attributes with Environment Variables
By Annie Hedgpeth ·
Explore the final part of our InSpec Basics series, where we delve into using attributes with environment variables for testing different environments in TeamCity. Learn how to create and configure MySQL passwords using these attributes.
Chef Policyfiles—The Preferred Way to Package Chef
By Michael Hedgpeth ·
Discover the benefits of using Policyfiles in Chef for managing dependencies and changes for nodes. Take control over change management, make Chef easier to learn and more secure.
Chef with Windows
By Michael Hedgpeth ·
Explore the challenges and benefits of using Chef in a Windows environment. Learn from our experience at NCR and discover how to make a compelling business case for change.
Migrating from Chef Analytics to Chef Visibility
By Michael Hedgpeth ·
Discover how to smoothly transition from Chef Analytics to Chef Visibility. Migrate your existing Chef Analytics Server to a Chef Visibility Server and to ensure a successful transition.
Margin for Leadership
By Michael Hedgpeth ·
Explore the importance of creating margin in your day for leadership and mentoring. Learn from past mistakes and discover how to effectively manage your time for the benefit of your team.
InSpec Basics: Day 9 - Attributes
By Annie Hedgpeth ·
Discover the basics of InSpec Attributes in this Day 9 tutorial. Learn how to create an InSpec profile, declare attributes, use them in if statements, and run different tests. Ideal for database and webserver roles.
The Goal
By Michael Hedgpeth ·
Explore the journey of a tech newbie transitioning into a new software development style. Learn how clear goals and growth plans can transform careers and lives.
Planning vs. Execution
By Michael Hedgpeth ·
Explore the importance of planning before execution in achieving success. Learn from real-life experiences and understand how to balance excitement with strategic planning in your endeavors.
Internalizing the Plan
By Michael Hedgpeth ·
Explore the importance of creating and internalizing a plan in a technical context. Learn how honesty and understanding are key to growth and efficiency in technology.
Leaning In
By Annie Hedgpeth ·
Explore how Sheryl Sandberg’s ‘Lean In’ inspired a career change into technology. Discover the journey from studying for the GMAT to becoming a Cloud Automation Engineer.
Exposing the Unknown
By Michael Hedgpeth ·
Explore the importance of honesty and open communication in tech teams, especially with new members. Learn effective strategies for building trust and understanding.
Summer of Discovery
By Michael Hedgpeth ·
Explore the journey of a woman re-entering the workforce and discovering her fit in the technology industry. Follow along as she navigates the challenges and rewards of this exciting career shift.
Elasticsearch Network Hosts
By Annie Hedgpeth ·
Explore the process of creating a cookbook to spin up three nodes using Test Kitchen and installing Elasticsearch onto said nodes. Learn how to navigate the complexities of using ohai values, node hashes, and IP addresses in an Elasticsearch cluster.
My Chef Workflow
By Annie Hedgpeth ·
Discover how to streamline your Chef workflow in this comprehensive guide. Learn how to set up a connection, bootstrap nodes, install policies, and more. Perfect for beginners and experienced users alike.
InSpec Basics: Day 8 - Regular Expressions
By Annie Hedgpeth ·
Dive into the basics of InSpec and learn how to write a test to search for regular expressions in this Learning InSpec blog series.
ChefConf 2016: Lessons Learned
By Annie Hedgpeth ·
Explore key takeaways from ChefConf 2016, including the role of security in DevOps, the future of the industry, and personal insights on career development in tech.
InSpec and Me
By Annie Hedgpeth ·
Explore my journey learning Ruby and experimenting with InSpec and Chef. Discover how InSpec bridges the gap between Security and DevOps, and how I aim to fill a new role in this space.
Why and How I’m Learning Ruby
By Annie Hedgpeth ·
Discover the journey of learning Ruby programming from scratch. This blog post shares personal experiences, challenges, and resources used in mastering Ruby.
Finding Alignment
By Michael Hedgpeth ·
Explore the keys to finding alignment in business initiatives. Learn how respect and empathy can help bridge gaps and foster collaboration. Discover how different teams align with DevOps.
Finding Habitat
By Michael Hedgpeth ·
Explore the world of Habitat, a disruptive technology that revolutionizes configuration management. Learn about its integration with Chef’s ecosystem and how it can streamline your workflow.
InSpec Basics: Day 7 - How to Inherit a Profile from Chef Compliance Server
By Annie Hedgpeth ·
Learn how to inherit a profile from Chef Compliance Server with our InSpec Basics tutorial. Modify controls to suit your needs and enhance your Chef Compliance usage.
Disruption is Uncomfortable
By Michael Hedgpeth ·
Explore how disruption can lead to discomfort in a DevOps environment, and learn how to navigate change effectively. Discover the importance of empathy and communication in managing disruptive changes.
InSpec Basics: Day 6 - Ways to Run It and Places to Store It
By Annie Hedgpeth ·
Explore the different ways to run InSpec and the various places to store it in this comprehensive guide. From running and storing InSpec locally to using Chef Compliance, this blog post covers it all.
How I Learned Red, Green, Refactor from Airbnb
By Annie Hedgpeth ·
Discover how I learned the Red, Green, Refactor method from my Airbnb hosting experience. Learn how I improved my hosting skills and translated it into my IT workflow.
Premature Optimization
By Michael Hedgpeth ·
Explore the pitfalls of premature optimization in organizational planning. Learn how focusing on immediate improvement opportunities can lead to transformative change.
MomOps
By Annie Hedgpeth ·
Explore the journey of a mom diving into the world of software development. From learning Linux basics to tackling InSpec, this blog post shares the highs and lows of breaking stereotypes in the tech industry.
InSpec Tutorial: Day 5 - Creating a Profile
By Annie Hedgpeth ·
Master the art of creating a profile in InSpec with our comprehensive tutorial. Learn from the basics to advanced techniques, and take your InSpec skills to the next level. Start now!
InSpec Tutorial: Day 4 - Custom Matchers
By Annie Hedgpeth ·
Master the basics of InSpec with our Day 4 tutorial. Learn how to use custom matchers, understand file resources, and construct a regex in Rubular. Perfect for beginners!
InSpec Tutorial: Day 3 - File Resource
By Annie Hedgpeth ·
Learn how to use the file resource in InSpec in this tutorial. Understand how to write a control that looks for specific text within a file. Perfect for beginners in InSpec.
InSpec Tutorial: Day 2 - Command Resource
By Annie Hedgpeth ·
Deepen your understanding of InSpec with our Day 2 tutorial. Learn how to create a command resource, use Nathen Harvey’s InSpec workshop, set up a CentOS 6 VM, and more. Perfect for beginners.
InSpec Tutorial: Day 1 - Hello World
By Annie Hedgpeth ·
Start your journey with Chef Compliance and InSpec framework through this beginner-friendly tutorial. Learn how to set up and run a simple ‘Hello World’ test, and gain a deeper understanding of Compliance. No prior coding experience required.
Tour of Chef Compliance
By Annie Hedgpeth ·
Explore the basics of Chef Compliance in this easy-to-follow guide. Learn how to add a node, scan your server, fix compliance failures, and more. Get started with Chef Compliance today!
Devops Days Dallas
By Annie Hedgpeth ·
Join me at DevOps Days Dallas this September! Discover how creativity and technology merge in the IT world. Network, learn, and explore sponsorship opportunities.
Tutorial for Setting Up Chef Compliance Server on Azure
By Annie Hedgpeth ·
Learn how to set up a Chef Compliance Server on Azure with our easy-to-follow tutorial. Ideal for beginners, we break down the process into simple steps.
I’m Annie, and I have an art degree.
By Annie Hedgpeth ·
Join Annie as she embarks on a journey from art to technology, applying her creative skills in a new field. Follow her progress and learn from her experiences in this engaging blog series.
Promoting Cookbooks into a Private Chef Supermarket with TeamCity
By Michael Hedgpeth ·
Discover how to promote cookbooks into a private chef supermarket with TeamCity. Learn to control version dependencies, ensure cookbook availability, and streamline the approval process for external cookbooks.
Orchestration Maturity Model with Chef
By Michael Hedgpeth ·
Explore the orchestration maturity model with Chef, a configuration management tool. Understand the three phases of orchestration, from modeling existing processes to managing state declaratively, and finally, decoupling nodes for scalability.
Chef Cookbook Builds in TeamCity
By Michael Hedgpeth ·
Explore how to standardize your Chef Cookbook builds in TeamCity. Learn how to set up project structure, version control settings, build steps, and more. Ensure quality gates for your infrastructure creation.
chef-vault - Tutorial from Beginner to Expert
By Michael Hedgpeth ·
chef-vault is the build-in secrets management system for Chef. Become an expert with this post, and learn when to use this vs. Hashicorp Vault.
The Power of Precedence
By Michael Hedgpeth ·
Explore the power of precedence in driving change initiatives. Learn how to avoid the trap of the ‘Perfect State’ and instead use real-world examples to address concerns and increase profitability.
The Missing Compiler/Unit Test for Feelings
By Michael Hedgpeth ·
Explore the importance of understanding and influencing how others perceive you in a technical environment. Learn why there’s no compiler or unit test for feelings, and how to navigate this challenge.
The Technical Asshole Curse
By Michael Hedgpeth ·
Explore the ‘Technical Asshole Curse’ in the tech industry, where hard skills overshadow soft skills, leading to a toxic work environment. Learn how to avoid this trap and foster a healthier workspace.
Feelings > Compliance
By Michael Hedgpeth ·
Explore the importance of considering feelings over compliance in leadership. Discover how fostering respect and excitement can lead to more effective collaboration and success.
Tutorial for Test Kitchen with Azure
By Michael Hedgpeth ·
Learn how to run Test Kitchen with Azure in this step-by-step tutorial. Discover the benefits of using Azure, how to set up, and the commands to use. Ideal for those seeking a hassle-free testing environment.
Test Kitchen: Required, not Optional
By Michael Hedgpeth ·
Explore the importance of Test Kitchen in Chef workflow. Learn how it’s not just for testing, but an essential part of coding with Chef. Don’t miss out on this essential tool for your infrastructure.
All or Nothing Changes
By Michael Hedgpeth ·
Discover how Cognitive Behavioral Therapy can help combat all-or-nothing thinking. Learn to balance work, diet, and change initiatives for a healthier mindset.
The Power of Culture in Cross-Discipline Change Initiatives
By Michael Hedgpeth ·
Explore the power of culture in driving cross-discipline change initiatives. Understand the roles of developers, SecOps, and Operations in a business and how to foster cooperation.
The Overdependent Organization
By Michael Hedgpeth ·
Explore the dangers of overdependence in organizations through a personal journey. Learn why successful projects shouldn’t rely on one person and the importance of a strong, self-sustaining foundation.
Proof of Concept
By Michael Hedgpeth ·
Explore the importance of including culture and security in a proof of concept. Learn how these factors can influence the successful implementation of new tools or changes within an organization.
Building Alliances
By Michael Hedgpeth ·
Discover the importance of building alliances to effectively persuade people, especially in challenging situations. Learn from real-life experiences and expert advice on fostering a supportive team.
Technology < Partnership
By Michael Hedgpeth ·
Explore why our organization chose Chef over other configuration management tools. It’s not just about the technology, but the partnership and cultural changes that lead to success.
Why Before What
By Michael Hedgpeth ·
Explore the importance of establishing a shared vision before implementing change in an agile transformation. Learn why understanding the ‘why’ is crucial before jumping to the ‘what’.
Don’t Start with Tools
By Michael Hedgpeth ·
Explore why it’s crucial to start with identifying business problems before choosing the right tools. Learn from real-life experiences and shift your focus for effective problem-solving.
Putting Developers On Call
By Michael Hedgpeth ·
Explore the benefits and challenges of putting developers on call in a DevOps culture. Discover how this approach can foster responsibility, improve product design, and enhance collaboration between teams.
Who is with you?
By Michael Hedgpeth ·
Discover the importance of team alignment in problem-solving. Learn why involving everyone in the solution process leads to better execution and success.
Funding
By Michael Hedgpeth ·
Discover why funding is the litmus test for the viability of an idea in business. Learn how to navigate the funding question and reveal the true priorities of your organization.
Whose Goals?
By Michael Hedgpeth ·
Explore the power of setting personal goals and the potential pitfalls of not doing so in this insightful blog post. Discover how not having clear goals can lead to inadvertently fulfilling others’ objectives.
Surrounded
By Michael Hedgpeth ·
Explore the journey from being a know-it-all to a leader in our latest blog post, Surrounded. Discover the importance of surrounding yourself with knowledgeable people for personal growth and organizational success.
The Inferior “Right” Way
By Michael Hedgpeth ·
Explore the pitfalls of blindly following the “right” solution in tech and organizational success. Learn how to align strategies with key stakeholders and find the truly effective tools for your business.
Alignment
By Michael Hedgpeth ·
Discover the power of alignment in business strategy. Learn how to unite leadership, middle management, and ground-level employees for effective problem-solving and value creation. Transform your business today.
Three Essential Components to Compliance at Velocity in the Enterprise
By Michael Hedgpeth ·
Discover the three essential components to achieving compliance at velocity in the enterprise: focusing on the workflow, making it real, and empowering security. Learn from a Chef initiative.
Discriminatory Wind
By Michael Hedgpeth ·
Explore the metaphor of discriminatory winds in the tech industry, highlighting the challenges faced by women and minorities. Learn how to support and respect their tenacity and courage.
My Advice For Chef in Large Corporations
By Michael Hedgpeth ·
Explore practical advice for people in large corporations on how to effectively use configuration management. Learn from real-life examples and implement simple strategies to transform your organization’s ability to react to change.
Intrinsic Motivators Leading to Chef
By Michael Hedgpeth ·
Explore how intrinsic motivators such as autonomy, mastery, and purpose can lead to successful implementation of Chef in an organization. Discover the power of these motivators over traditional bonuses.
Kanban Prioritization with Cost of Delay
By Michael Hedgpeth ·
Learn how to prioritize your Kanban project using the cost of delay method. Avoid unhealthy competition and out-of-touch strategies by focusing on ROI and lifecycle profit.
Four Questions for Product Management
By Michael Hedgpeth ·
Explore four essential questions every product manager should ask for effective requirements analysis. Learn how to understand customer needs, define success, and measure it effectively.
How to Apply Kanban to a Large Project with High Feature Variability
By Michael Hedgpeth ·
Learn how to apply Kanban to large projects with high feature variability. Discover techniques to manage throughput and break down tasks into Minimal Marketable Features or Epics.
Initial Tracked Metrics for Kanban Adoption
By Michael Hedgpeth ·
Explore the initial metrics to track for successful Kanban adoption. Learn about cumulative flow, lead time, throughput, and initial quality. Improve project management with these actionable insights.
Kanban Decoupling Input Cadence from Delivery Cadence
By Michael Hedgpeth ·
Explore how Kanban decouples input cadence from delivery cadence in software development. Understand how this approach can improve team focus, streamline work processes, and enhance product management strategies.
Learning from Ebola Healthcare Workers with Enterprise Problem Solving
By Michael Hedgpeth ·
Explore how enterprise problem solving can learn from Ebola healthcare workers. Discover how hypotheses, testing, and measuring results can lead to meaningful change in large organizations.
Kanban Standup Meetings: A Way Out of Standup Hell?
By Michael Hedgpeth ·
Escape the chaos of daily standup meetings with the Kanban method. Learn how to facilitate effective communication and collective ownership in Agile projects. Turn your standup meetings into a productive group exercise, not a task reporting session.
Defining the Kanban Input Queue
By Michael Hedgpeth ·
Explore the concept of the Kanban input queue and how it can revolutionize your backlog management and prioritization. Learn from David Anderson’s innovative approach at Corbis and how it can be applied to your projects.
Is Continuous Delivery Needed in Our Organization?
By Michael Hedgpeth ·
Explore the need for Continuous Delivery in your organization. Learn how it can help fix defects quickly and deliver features faster, building trust with your customers.
The One Metric that Matters
By Michael Hedgpeth ·
Discover the power of the One Metric That Matters (OMTM) in driving success and innovation in your career or business. Learn how to identify, implement, and measure your OMTM for maximum impact.
Progression of Responsibility
By Michael Hedgpeth ·
Explore the progression of responsibility in personal and professional growth. Learn how mastering lower-level decisions can lead to strategic success. Read more on our blog.
The Phoenix Project Book Review
By Michael Hedgpeth ·
Explore my insights on the transformative power of ‘The Phoenix Project’ in my latest book review. Discover how this book can change your perspective on devops and your career.
My Son’s Choice Between Negativity and Taking Action
By Michael Hedgpeth ·
Explore how my son and I navigate the choice between negativity and taking action. Learn about our unique ability to see problems others don’t and how we use it to lead.
Programming Ruby (Pickaxe) Book Review
By Michael Hedgpeth ·
Discover how the Programming Ruby (Pickaxe) book can help you master Ruby programming. This comprehensive guide demystifies Ruby, making it an essential tool in your coding arsenal. Perfect for beginners and experts alike.
The Lean Startup Cycle
By Michael Hedgpeth ·
Explore the Lean Startup Cycle, a method that encourages innovation through early failure and adaptation. Learn how this approach, used in the creation of the ARM processor, can revolutionize your project management.
Mission Command
By Michael Hedgpeth ·
Explore the concept of Mission Command from the book Lean Enterprise, a military strategy that promotes autonomy and quick decision-making, and its relevance today.
Customizing Chef Book Review
By Michael Hedgpeth ·
Explore our in-depth review of Customizing Chef by Jon Cowie. Discover how this book can help you understand Chef’s extensibility and tackle complex organizational challenges. Perfect for those with basic Chef knowledge.
Coding for Kids
By Michael Hedgpeth ·
Explore the importance of coding for kids in this blog post, highlighting how programming is a valuable tool for the future. Discover myths about programming and how it can be integrated into everyday learning.
Learning Chef Book Review
By Michael Hedgpeth ·
Discover the world of Chef with the Learning Chef book. Understand and use Chef, including testing techniques and Windows-friendly commands.
Solving SSL Validation failure with knife
By Michael Hedgpeth ·
Solve SSL Validation failure issues with knife after moving to a hosted version of the Chef server. Discover short-term and long-term solutions for your blog or website.
A Look Around
By Michael Hedgpeth ·
Explore the journey of a blogger’s first six months, the challenges faced, and the lessons learned. Discover how the focus shifted from professional to personal topics and the impact it had on readership.
Mornings
By Michael Hedgpeth ·
Explore the contrast between good and bad mornings in this insightful blog post. Learn how being intentional and avoiding phone distractions can transform your morning routine, productivity, and overall well-being.
Right Fit
By Michael Hedgpeth ·
Explore our journey as we navigate a business opportunity, balancing risk and reward, staying true to our values, and seeking the right fit. Inspired by Mark Cuban’s advice.
A European Education
By Michael Hedgpeth ·
Explore the differences between European and American education systems in this blog post. Discover how shorter school days and vocational training could potentially benefit students. A must-read for anyone interested in education reform.
Two Questions You Should Ask About Your Commitments
By Michael Hedgpeth ·
Reevaluate life’s commitments with two questions: How’d you feel without it? Can you freely reject it? Prioritize for a balanced, fulfilling life.
Focus with the Amazon Kindle
By Michael Hedgpeth ·
Boost your reading focus with Amazon Kindle: distraction-free, long battery life, and sleep-friendly lighting. Enhance growth and knowledge effortlessly.
Sanitize Your Smartphone with Republic Wireless
By Michael Hedgpeth ·
Optimize phone usage with Republic Wireless: affordable plans, Wi-Fi data, and reduced distractions. Prioritize real-life connections over screen time.
Facing the Ultimate Distraction and Often Losing
By Michael Hedgpeth ·
Facebook promises social connections but often reduces face-to-face interactions. While it keeps us updated, it might be diminishing genuine conversations.
You Have Time
By Michael Hedgpeth ·
Shift your mindset: Instead of lacking time, prioritize what truly matters. Eliminate time-wasters like excessive news consumption to focus on personal growth.
Rubbernecking with the Locals
By Michael Hedgpeth ·
Explore the phenomenon of rubbernecking in the context of local news consumption. This blog post challenges you to evaluate the value and impact of the news you consume daily.
Sports News: Soap Operas for People Who Make Fun of Soap Operas
By Michael Hedgpeth ·
Explore the parallels between sports news and soap operas in this blog post. Discover how sports news often focuses on drama and intrigue, much like a soap opera, and why it’s important to remember it’s just entertainment.
The Economist Keeps it Real
By Michael Hedgpeth ·
Discover why The Economist is a superior news source in this blog post. Learn about its international focus, lack of distractions, and balanced reporting. Ditch the drama of mainstream media today.
Escaping with the News
By Michael Hedgpeth ·
Explore the impact of news consumption on our lives and emotions. This blog post challenges the relevance of political news and encourages readers to question how news affects their daily lives.
Escaping
By Michael Hedgpeth ·
Discover how to live in the present and escape the distractions of modern life in this insightful blog post. Learn how to focus on what truly matters and stop running from your real life.
The Default Script
By Michael Hedgpeth ·
Explore the concept of ‘The Default Script’ in our society and how it impacts our pursuit of happiness and meaning. Discover why this script may not lead to fulfillment and learn alternative ways to live a meaningful life.
Life is Art
By Michael Hedgpeth ·
Explore the concept of life as a work of art in this blog post. Discover how simplicity, purpose, and tranquility can shape your canvas, and how every life is a unique masterpiece. Inspire and be inspired to create a beautiful life.
Getting Things Done Action Plan
By Michael Hedgpeth ·
Discover how to implement the Getting Things Done (GTD) methodology in your life with our step-by-step action plan. Learn to collect, process, prioritize, delegate, and review tasks effectively. Start your GTD journey today!
Mind Like Water
By Michael Hedgpeth ·
Discover how to achieve a ‘Mind Like Water’ through the Getting Things Done (GTD) system. Learn to react appropriately to life’s challenges and boost your productivity.
Review the Glue
By Michael Hedgpeth ·
Discover the secret to achieving your goals and staying organized with our review of the Checkvist system. Learn how to effectively process and review tasks for improved productivity.
Process and Organize
By Michael Hedgpeth ·
Discover how to effectively process and organize your tasks for better productivity. Learn the steps to transform your ‘stuff’ into actionable tasks, achieve inbox zero daily, and maintain sanity in your life.
Collect for Sanity
By Michael Hedgpeth ·
Discover how to declutter your mind and life with our effective collection system. Learn to organize your thoughts, tasks, and worries for later, freeing you to truly focus.
Planned Thinking
By Michael Hedgpeth ·
Discover the power of planned thinking in boosting productivity and reducing stress. Learn how the Getting Things Done (GTD) system and tools like Checkvist can transform your work and life. Follow along for practical tips and insights.
How Growth Got Me Organized and Productive
By Michael Hedgpeth ·
Michael shares how intentional growth transformed his productivity using the GTD method and Checkvist. Emphasizing the power of continuous learning and organization.
July Blog Update
By Michael Hedgpeth ·
Explore the latest July blog update where I share my journey in Taos, New Mexico, my reflections on past blog series, and plans for future content. Join me on my quest for intentional, contented living.
Solve Problems by Isolating Them
By Michael Hedgpeth ·
Combining problems complicates solutions. Simplify by isolating issues, whether it’s project tasks or choosing between Legoland and Six Flags.
Immunity
By Michael Hedgpeth ·
Build problem immunity with systems that prevent recurrence. While not all issues vanish, consistent efforts lead to growth and unexpected solutions.
Ten Takeaways from the Last 10 Years at Radiant/NCR
By Michael Hedgpeth ·
Reflecting on 10 years at Radiant/NCR: Value creation, embracing tools, prioritizing sales, and gratitude have been key. Always focus on delivering real solutions.
Problem Owner is Solution Owner
By Michael Hedgpeth ·
For solutions to be effective, they must be in the hands of those facing the problem. Understand your audience’s needs for true traction and success.
Measure for Reality
By Michael Hedgpeth ·
Success requires tracking and sharing key metrics. Without measurement, even great achievements go unnoticed. Regularly evaluate and communicate progress.
Embrace Difficulty
By Michael Hedgpeth ·
Face challenges head-on for success. Embrace daily routines to overcome difficulties, turning daunting tasks into manageable ones. Confront, don’t avoid.
Engineering Travel
By Michael Hedgpeth ·
Shift from consumerism to contentment by rethinking travel. Opt for walking, biking, and consolidating car trips. Embrace local living for a healthier, happier life.
Increase Income by Negotiating
By Michael Hedgpeth ·
Boost your income by negotiating your salary. Chapman’s book teaches that everything is negotiable, emphasizes intentionality, and the power of silence.
Lowering Expenses with Contentment
By Michael Hedgpeth ·
Discover how adopting a mindset of contentment can help you lower expenses and meet financial goals. Learn from our journey with YNAB and Dave Ramsey.
Move the Needle with Dave Ramsey
By Michael Hedgpeth ·
Dave Ramsey’s extreme approach to debt focuses on psychology over numbers. His method emphasizes short-term sacrifices for long-term financial freedom.
Month Ahead
By Michael Hedgpeth ·
Discover how to break free from living paycheck to paycheck with our guide to getting a month ahead in income. Experience the benefits of financial simplicity, peace, and clarity with our practical steps.
You Need a Budget
By Michael Hedgpeth ·
YNAB, a user-friendly budgeting software, emphasizes goal-setting, real-life adaptability, and planning for surprises. It’s a game-changer for personal finance.
Failure the Catalyst
By Michael Hedgpeth ·
Failure can be a catalyst for positive change. While setbacks sting, they often pave the way for growth and success in various life aspects.
How I Applied Engineering Skills To Laundry
By Michael Hedgpeth ·
Learn how to apply engineering principles to simplify your laundry routine. Discover a new system that reduces sorting, encourages ownership, and brings a sense of completion to this never-ending chore.
Surprise
By Michael Hedgpeth ·
Prioritizing the grand vision can overshadow the power of surprise. In strategy, unexpected moves can be game-changers, leaving competitors scrambling.
The Grand Vision
By Michael Hedgpeth ·
Improving processes requires balance: while having a grand vision is essential, focusing on immediate, impactful solutions is equally crucial.
Safety Net
By Michael Hedgpeth ·
Improving software updates for restaurants is challenging. The key? Before risky changes, build a safety net to ensure quality and desired outcomes.
Generosity with the Unexpected
By Michael Hedgpeth ·
Setting aggressive yearly goals is vital, but unlisted objectives like fostering team efficiency with tools like TeamCity and git and promoting generosity drive true success.
Releasing Control
By Michael Hedgpeth ·
Entering marriage counseling with expectations, I learned from Les Carter that true success isn’t about control but serving and understanding others.
Failure Masquerading as Success
By Michael Hedgpeth ·
Chasing the ideal college experience, I took on debt for a year of fun, only to realize true success impacts all life areas positively.
Achievable Contentment
By Michael Hedgpeth ·
In a quest for career growth, many chase titles like ‘Software Architect’. Yet, true success isn’t about the next promotion but finding contentment.
Christmas with TeamCity
By Michael Hedgpeth ·
In Christmas 2008, amidst global uncertainty, I utilized my vacation to set up Continuous Integration via TeamCity, transforming our product’s development.