This talk examines two critical elements to software-based organizations – people and code, including the complexities they present: people having complexities of backgrounds, interpretations and personalities, and code having complexities of running time and structure. The motivation of this talk is to present ideas that could add value to the teams of the audience through real-world experience and examples.

Every time I cook with my mom I am amazed at how a simple recipe on paper can turn into a medley of substitutions, time-sensitive adjustments, and opportunities informed by the occasion, the taste of the dish and her experience with thousands of breakfasts, dinners, and parties.

Just like cooking, we have an assortment of methods that are supposed to help us build fast and dependable teams; but going from the recipe to the actual dish is not as straightforward. Why are these processes not living up to our expectations?

Creating a great team is all about balancing the process we have, the process we want and the process we do; through observation, context and best praxis, we might just be able to find the process we need.