Ruby Video
Talks
Speakers
Events
Topics
Leaderboard
Sign in
Talks
Speakers
Events
Topics
Use
Analytics
Sign in
Suggest modification to this talk
Title
Description
Ever wonder how software is designed and developed at GitHub? Are you curious about how new features are deployed to the site? (Hint: ask the robot.) Want to know why we don't have any managers and don't track vacation days? This talk will explore running your company like an open source project and give some insight into how GitHub continues to leverage ruby and other open source tools to keep up with massive data loads and a growing community of users.
Date
Summarized using AI?
If this talk's summary was generated by AI, please check this box. A "Summarized using AI" badge will be displayed in the summary tab to indicate that the summary was generated using AI.
Show "Summarized using AI" badge on summary page
Summary
Markdown supported
The video titled "Code First, Ask Questions Later," presented by Tim Clem at the Rocky Mountain Ruby 2011 event, provides insights into GitHub's unique approach to software development and company culture. Clem emphasizes the importance of building quickly and iterating effectively, redefining the concept of 'code' beyond just programming to include design and hardware projects. The video outlines GitHub's operational principles, which resemble those of an open source project, focusing on the following key points: - **Ownership and Community:** At GitHub, ownership is crucial. Employees are empowered to take initiative, participate in hack fests, and learn in an environment designed to grant autonomy without overwhelming oversight. - **Flat Organizational Structure:** GitHub operates without managers and formal vacation policies, allowing for flexibility in work hours and reducing bureaucratic friction. Everyone has equal salary, which fosters collaboration and transparency. - **Open Communication:** The company culture encourages openness in sharing information, including financial data and project statuses, which helps maintain transparency and trust within the team. - **Rapid Iteration:** By adopting a fast cycle for development, GitHub enables frequent code deployments (between 20 to 40 times a day), which helps in refining features through continuous improvement. - **Use of Technology:** Tools like Hubot facilitate automation and streamline tasks, such as code deployment and server provisioning. Clem highlights the importance of asynchronous communication for their distributed team, which avoids bottlenecks associated with meetings. - **Pull Requests as Communication:** Clem argues that pull requests are underutilized yet critical for ongoing discussions about code changes and feedback, providing a living documentation tool for collaborative development. - **Culture of Innovation:** By prioritizing intrinsic motivators such as autonomy and purpose, rather than extrinsic rewards, GitHub fosters a creative environment where employees can thrive and contribute meaningfully to projects. The conclusion of Clem's talk encapsulates the essence of GitHub's approach: engaging hands-on with one’s work leads to more valuable insights and contributions. He encourages attendees to embrace challenges and be proactive in their engagements with code and design, ultimately leading to productive solutions that resonate with their passions.
Suggest modifications
Cancel