FLOWCON 2025

Title: Power Structures and Their Impact on Software
Abstract: Code is literally knowledge made manifest, and therefore offers a history of knowledge; it is a record of how people understood a problem over an extended period of time.

But code is also power, and the ability to write/approve/deploy it can be used for ill or good, (intentionally or unintentionally). In so doing, code solidifies power structures; embedding that which is inevitably unequally distributed (unintentionally or intentionally) but embedded all the same.

Code is therefore also a geology (genealogy?) of power structures. Code forms the landscape where records of our old ways of (dis)organising, and ideas that won, continue to shape everything because this code is where teams live *now*.

We experience this “code-as-knowledge-and-power” every day; our freedom to act restricted or permitted.

In this talk I’ll dissect what is at play here. I’ll consider what is happening with “code-as-knowledge-and-power” and show how to work with it intentionally, instead of suffering/benefitting disproportionately at the hands of it.

Your code, and your life, will be better as a result.

Sum up the session in only 1 sentence
“We live in capitalism. Its power seems inescapable. So did the divine right of kings. Any human power can be resisted and changed by human beings.” Ursula K. Le Guin

What are the 3 top takeaways from your session or workshop?
1) Societal power structures make our code bad - code is structured knowledge and power 2) To see where the power lies, pay attention to who has control - of punishment, information, and who is charismatic 3) Fight uneven power distributions - by protecting everyone's freedom to reorganize, move and disobey.

Beyond agile: Product Innovation at Google, Airbnb, Spotify, Vinted, & Amazon
What truly distinguishes Google, Airbnb, Spotify, Vinted or Amazon as world-class product companies? This talk goes beyond the conventional "agile" framework to explore how these organizations create a seamless flow across discovery, delivery, and innovation, ensuring that impactful products are delivered consistently.
We'll explore how these companies:

• Blur the lines between discovery and delivery: By integrating user research, data analysis, and rapid experimentation into every step of the product lifecycle, creating a constant feedback loop.
• Foster cross-functional synergy: High-performing teams collaborate seamlessly across product, design, engineering, and data science, ensuring that work flows continuously across disciplines and silos are eliminated.
• Embrace a data-driven culture: Data informs every decision, from shaping product strategy and prioritizing the roadmap to development and post-launch optimization, ensuring that each step is based on real insights.
• Prioritize user-centricity: Understanding user needs and behaviors deeply, translating these insights into intuitive, delightful experiences that evolve with real-time feedback.
• Master the art of experimentation: Using A/B testing, multivariate testing, feature flags, and gradual rollouts to experiment quickly, validate assumptions, and minimize risk—ensuring that the product evolves without disrupting flow.

We’ll also dive into the key enablers behind their success:

• Clear alignment on business objectives: Empowering teams to flow autonomously while staying aligned with overall company goals, ensuring strategic focus without bottlenecks.
• Robust technical foundations: Microservices, cloud-first architectures, and CI/CD pipelines are leveraged to support continuous, scalable delivery, enabling smooth transitions between development phases.
• Design systems that ensure consistency at speed: Reusable design components and patterns enable rapid development while maintaining a high-quality user experience, ensuring flow without compromise.

This session provides a behind-the-scenes look at how these companies create a continuous, harmonious flow between product discovery, delivery, and innovation. Whether you’re a product manager, engineer, designer, or anyone involved in product development, you'll leave with actionable insights to optimize your own processes and foster a smoother, more effective flow within your team and organization.