Beyond Code: Crafting effective discussions to further technical decision-making
2025-05-20 , Main Stage

Whiteboards. Proof of Concepts. Pairing. Spikes. These are all tools we use every day to have high-level technical conversations about ideas we propose or approaches we think are the “right” way. As someone advances in their career into more experienced levels of software engineering, however, a critical skill becomes how you conduct and lead these conversations. It involves clearly articulating a vision and securing buy-in, while also valuing and integrating the diverse perspectives and feedback from your peers. The goal beyond each individual conversation is to foster an environment where ideas can be exchanged, discussed, enhanced, and decided on. You’ll walk away from this talk with some new, innovative approaches to try out that not only help get your technical ideas across but also solicit additional thoughts and opinions in ways that engage and effectively address different points of view.


Elevator Pitch:

As an experienced software engineer, a critical skill is how you conduct and lead technical conversations. In this talk you’ll learn innovative approaches that not only help get your ideas across but also solicit new ones in an engaging way.

Allison McMillan is a fractional VP of Engineering and Leadership Consultant with over 25 years of design and facilitation experience for gatherings, covering everything from meetings and strategy planning sessions to offsites and conferences. She’s previously held leadership roles at QuotaPath, DEV, and GitHub. Allison has worn many hats in multiple industries as a community builder, managing director, and software engineer.

Allison started a podcast about being a parent in tech, Parent Driven Development, and is an internationally recognized keynote speaker. She is very involved in the Ruby community as a current board member and the former President of Ruby Central.

You can find more writing, speaking, and consulting information on her website: www.allisonmcmillan.com