1.
THE BUSINESS OF
LIVING ONTHE
EDGE
Rajiv Pant
Managing Partner, Solutions at Scale
Former CTO,The NewYorkTimes
7/25/2016 https://rajiv.com @rajivpant 1

2.
The Problem
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3.
Cloud and server-side engineering work
is exciting to us technologists
■ To us, it is intellectually satisfying, complex and challenging work. It is not only critical
to the business, but also enables innovation in product development
■ However, to a lot of business colleagues, it is “back end” work of which the benefits to
the bottom line are unclear
– Often, this work is perceived as competing with resources for “real” consumer facing
product development
– We distrust and fear what we do not understand
■ How do we solve this problem?
7/25/2016 https://rajiv.com @rajivpant 3

4.
Story of the successful implementation of
Continuous Delivery atThe NewYorkTimes
■ We asked the company to allow us put most consumer facing business projects on
pause for 4 months while we implemented and migrated to CD
■ The results after this project was successful exceeded most expectations:
– Dramatic improvements in the number of releases we put into production
– Significantly faster speed of release and delivery.One team reduced its release time from
seven days to 35 minutes
– Higher quality of code in terms of lower errors in production.We cut the number of errors
in production by more than half
■ However, to achieve these results, we had to persuade everyone to agree to slow
down for 4 months. How did we do it?
7/25/2016 https://rajiv.com @rajivpant 4

5.
The Solution
■ To succeed as a CTO or head of engineering, you need to work with the APIs of your
fellow human beings
– Actually, you need to go beyond APIs
■ 5 Lessons I learned as a CTO in major media companies
7/25/2016 https://rajiv.com @rajivpant 5

6.
Instead of trying to be salesperson, be a
friend
■ It is better to win people over, than to sell them your idea
– Don’t push your solution. Draw others to your solution
– Don’t pander either.Win over
■ Don’t make B.S. claims about future benefits of the project. Instead, emphasize the
purpose and passion
■ Don’t try to falsely attach your infrastructure project to a product development the
business has asked for. Present it on its own merit
■ Don’t spend your time as a technologist writing a business justification. Partner with a
finance or business analyst to do that
■ Empathize with your business colleagues and help them empathize with you
7/25/2016 https://rajiv.com @rajivpant 6

7.
Speak to the heart, not just to the brain
■ Go beyond making a rational business case.Generate excitement about the
engineering work
– Getting true buy-in requires evoking emotion and passion
– Identify an external enemy
■ Share your genuine fears about potential losses resulting from getting hacked or
systems crashing.
– We are all averse to losses
■ Make it “our” project instead of “my” project. Request business stakeholders to talk
about the project to their colleagues stakeholders, and bosses. Encourage them to
include it in their presentations.
– By doing this, they make a public commitment to it
7/25/2016 https://rajiv.com @rajivpant 7

8.
Leverage reciprocity
■ Deliver successes to the business to build credibility first
– Before you pitch a major infrastructure project
– As a new employee, don’t use up your honeymoon credits on a project whose benefits to
your stakeholders aren’t as clear
■ When your colleagues ask for something that you don’t value as much, be open
minded to them
– Your colleagues will reciprocate by embracing your ideas if you embrace theirs
7/25/2016 https://rajiv.com @rajivpant 8

9.
Don’t be a “middleman.” Be a connector
■ If you are a CTO or senior manager, it is in your interest that your business colleagues
know, appreciate, and have direct connections with your teammates
– Their expertise supports and complements yours
– They bring additional credibility
– You make a stronger case as a team
■ Invite business colleagues to select gatherings of the product engineering teams
7/25/2016 https://rajiv.com @rajivpant 9

10.
Regularly discuss your projects and their
value with your colleagues
■ Never assume that your business colleagues won’t understand or appreciate technical
stuff. Be a translator
■ A critical part of your job as a technologist is to regularly describe what you do and its
value to your colleagues
■ …and vice versa.Take an interest in what they do
7/25/2016 https://rajiv.com @rajivpant 10

11.
Solution: Summary
1. Instead of trying to be salesperson, be a friend
2. Speak to the heart, not just to the brain
3. Leverage reciprocity
4. Don’t be a “middleman.” Be a connector
5. Regularly discuss your projects and their value with your colleagues
7/25/2016 https://rajiv.com @rajivpant 11

12.
Thank you for listening
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