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RailsConf 2019 - Growing internal tooling from the console up by Nathan L  Walls
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Your site was built for your external customers first. Data or workflow problems are solved on the Rails console.

But, two years in, your app has grown. Identifying, researching, and fixing those data and workflow problems takes more of your time and attention. It frustrates your business stakeholders, your customers and, of course, you.

This talk will look at a Rails-based web store–including inventory, payment processing, fraud mitigation and customer notifications–and explore how we can build tools into our apps to discover when things go sideways and then help get things back on track.

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In the talk "Growing Internal Tooling from the Console Up" presented by Nathan L. Walls at RailsConf 2019, the focus is on the importance of creating and enhancing internal tools in Rails applications as they scale. Nathan shares insights from his experience in developing an education-focused ebook store, emphasizing the shift from solely attending to external customer needs to addressing internal workflow efficiency.

Key points discussed include: 
- **Assessment of Codebase Age**: Understanding when to shift focus from external solutions to internal tooling as applications evolve over time. 
- **Identifying Pain Points**: Common internal issues faced, such as troubleshooting transactions and data management, which can create bottlenecks in productivity due to limited access and knowledge. 
- **Iterative Approaches**: A step-by-step method for improving internal processes, which includes establishing visibility of issues, automation of tasks, and creating effective notifications. 
- **Command Line and Console Utilization**: Using the Rails console for ad-hoc problem solving but recognizing its limitations in collaboration and documentation. 
- **Improving Automation**: Implementing automation to reduce manual processes and free up team members for mentorship and development.  
- **Utilizing Frameworks**: Exploring existing frameworks like ActiveAdmin to enhance data management, while also considering the benefits of building customized admin interfaces tailored to specific business needs.  
- **Team Collaboration**: The importance of involving the entire team in advocating for and developing internal tools to alleviate the burden on key holders.

Nathan uses his own company's experience as a case study, detailing how the administrative processes were improved through better reporting and reduced reliance on production key holders, thus enhancing overall team efficiency. He emphasizes that everyone in the organization should be involved in advocating for better tooling, not just a select few, and suggests regular reviews of processes to continue improvement.

The talk concludes with a strong call to action: organizations should start prioritizing and developing internal tools now to increase visibility, streamline operations, and enhance team productivity. By removing unnecessary bottlenecks and enabling self-sufficiency within teams, companies can significantly improve both internal and external processes.

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