Scott Hunter: AI-driven development - Episode 351

Today’s guest is a true heavyweight in the .NET open-source world — someone whose work has quietly but profoundly shaped the way countless developers build software. Jimmy Bogard is the creator and maintainer of two of the most widely used OSS libraries in the .NET ecosystem: AutoMapper and MediatR. If you've ever tried to simplify object mapping or decouple application logic, chances are you've used his tools. Based in Austin, Texas, Jimmy is an independent software consultant and a perennial recipient of the Microsoft Most Valuable Professional award every single year since 2009. That’s more than a decade and a half of consistent, community-driven excellence. AutoMapper alone has been around for 17 years and has racked up hundreds of millions of downloads. It started as a personal tool to streamline development for client projects and grew into a global standard for object mapping.   Topics of Discussion: [3:15] What keeps Jimmy passionate about coding? [5:19] The decision to commercialize both libraries. [6:33] What dual licensing means in practice. [12:11] Which version of each library will include the license change? [16:26] Current major versions of AutoMapper (v14) and MediatR (v12). [17:28] MediatR: the problem it solves and how it structures code. [20:45] Organizing code by use case. [26:00] AutoMapper: what it is and why it helps. [33:28] API design strategy and tailoring endpoints to use cases. [37:25] OpenAPI vs asyncAPI for message-based systems. [41:49] Blazor WebAssembly and remote handlers.   Mentioned in this Episode: Clear Measure Way Architect Forum Software Engineer Forum Programming with Palermo — New Video Podcast! Email us at [email protected]. Clear Measure, Inc. (Sponsor) “Jimmy Bogard: .NET 7 and Azure Modernization - Episode 264” GitHub — Jimmy Bogard eShop GitHub — Jimmy Bogard GitHub — Automapper NuGet Gallery NuGet Gallery — MediatR Releases — J. Bogard Jimmy Bogard AutoMapper and MediatR Licensing Update   Want to Learn More? Visit AzureDevOps.Show for show notes and additional episodes.

Steven Smith, also known in the developer community as Ardalis, is an entrepreneur, author, and software architect with a deep passion for building effective, maintainable software. Through his company, NimblePros, Steve helps organizations — ranging from household names like Microsoft and Quicken Loans to growing teams across industries — maximize their development potential. His clients frequently describe him as a “force multiplier,” amplifying the productivity and impact of the teams he supports.   Steve has been recognized as a Microsoft MVP for over two decades and continues to lead through education and mentorship. He’s published numerous courses on Pluralsight and Dometrain, focusing on topics like domain-driven design, software architecture, and design patterns. He also empowers developers through his mentorship platform, DevBetter.com, helping the next generation of professionals grow their careers with intention and clarity.   Topics of Discussion: [2:28] What keeps Steve excited about computer programming and software architecture? [4:42] What is software architecture? [6:18] The importance of understanding the logical components of a software system and how they interact. [7:06] Artifacts for architecture decisions. [8:52] How lightweight documentation and diagrams, like those in the C4 Model, can clarify system design without overburdening the team. [10:53] The modern architecture books that have caught Steve’s eye. [12:57] The KISS principle and keeping software architecture simple. [19:38] Clean architecture and domain-driven design principles. [22:52] Managing out-of-process dependencies and service integrations. [26:07] Adapter pattern and interface abstractions. [28:33] Decorator pattern for adding functionality. [33:14] Pipeline Architecture. [40:35] What Steve thinks the future holds for AI-driven development, what he uses it for, and the challenges of AI currently.   Mentioned in this Episode: Clear Measure Way Architect Forum Software Engineer Forum Programming with Palermo — New Video Podcast! Email us at [email protected]. Clear Measure, Inc. (Sponsor) “Steve Smith: .NET 8 and Architecture” - Episode 276 NimblePros  Architect Modern Web Applications with ASP.NET Core and Azure  C4 Model  “Simon Brown on Architecture for Developers - Episode 96” Fundamentals of Software Architecture, by Mark Richards & Neal Ford, summarized as a platform-agnostic, principle-driven guide   .NET Rocks! “Architecture vs. Code with Steve Smith”  .NET Rocks! “Vertical Slice Architecture with Jeremy Miller”  GoF Adapter pattern .NET API interface estimate  Decorator patternBus Vs. Pipeline patterns   Want to Learn More? Visit AzureDevOps.Show for show notes and additional episodes.

Bob Ward is a Principal Architect for the Microsoft Azure Data team, which owns the development for Microsoft SQL Edge to Cloud. Bob has worked for Microsoft for 31-plus years on every version of SQL Server shipped, from OS/2 1.1 to SQL Server 2025, including Azure SQL. Bob is a well-known speaker on SQL Server, Azure SQL, AI, and Microsoft Fabric, often presenting talks on new releases, internals, and specialized topics at events such as SQLBits, Microsoft Build, Microsoft Ignite, PASS Summit, DevIntersection, and VS Live. You can also learn Azure SQL from him on the popular series https://aka.ms/azuresql4beginners. You can follow him on X at @bobwardms or linkedin.com/in/bobwardms. Bob is the author of the books Pro SQL Server on Linux, SQL Server 2019 Revealed, Azure SQL Revealed with a 2nd edition, and SQL Server 2022 Revealed available from Apress Media.   Topics of Discussion: [1:38] Bob reflects on nearly 30 years at Microsoft, growing alongside SQL Server since 1993. [4:16] Transitioning from engineering to advocacy: why Bob now focuses on helping developers unlock the power of SQL Server. [6:12] Debunking myths about SQL Server — yes, it’s cloud-ready, developer-friendly, and supports containers and Linux. [10:15] Key tools and features for developers using SQL: containers, Bicep templates, SQLCMD, and DevOps pipelines. [16:23] SQL projects and source control: how modern database DevOps practices improve reliability and testing. [19:32] Common challenges in database development: fear of breaking production, limited test data, and cultural silos. [22:55] Bob’s perspective on responsible database change management and the importance of a good rollback plan. [26:02] The evolution of developer tooling in SQL Server, and how Microsoft is making the CLI and APIs first-class citizens. [30:47] Advice for new developers: SQL isn’t going anywhere, and it’s easier than ever to get started. [34:00] Resources and community support: Bob highlights docs, GitHub samples, training courses, and his book.   Mentioned in this Episode: Clear Measure Way Architect Forum Software Engineer Forum Programming with Palermo — New Video Podcast! Email us at [email protected]. Clear Measure, Inc. (Sponsor) Bob Ward: SQL Server - Episode 321 Bob Ward LinkedIn Bob Ward MBob Ward — Microsoft | LinkedInicrosoft Azure SQL Revealed: The Next-Generation Cloud Database with AI and Microsoft Fabric   Want to Learn More? Visit AzureDevOps.Show for show notes and additional episodes.  

Michael is an ASP.NET and C# programmer who has extensive knowledge in process improvement, AI and Large Language Models, and student information systems. He is also the founder of the following websites, BlazorData.net, AIStoryBuilders.com, and BlazorHelpWebsite.com — fantastic resources that help empower developers. Michael resides in Los Angeles, California, with his son Zachary and wife, Valerie.   Topics of Discussion: [2:09] Michael shares his background, starting with his first applications created for his uncle’s company using Access 2.0. [3:08] Michael mentions his new project, Personal Data Warehouse, which is an open-source, free tool for managing data. [5:20] He explains the inspiration behind the Personal Data Warehouse, focusing on the importance of data for making human decisions. [7:48] Michael’s finding: the reason we collect data is so that a human being can use that data to make decisions. [9:42] The three phases of data: collection, transformation, and reporting, and the significance of the transformation phase, where data is processed to make it useful for decision-making. [12:45] Data warehousing techniques and tools, and the use of Parquet files. [13:14] Michael talks about the use of SQL Server Reporting Services for generating reports, which can be accessed through the application. He encourages developers to explore the Personal Data Warehouse and its open-source code on GitHub. [22:33] Scenarios and use cases for Personal Data Warehouse. [32:09] AI and Language Models in Data Management. [36:17] The need to be responsible with AI and not use it to harm people. [37:07] Michael shares his experience with various AI tools, including CoPilot, OpenAI, and Google Notebooks.   Mentioned in this Episode: Clear Measure Way Architect Forum Software Engineer Forum Programming with Palermo — New Video Podcast! Email us at [email protected]. Clear Measure, Inc. (Sponsor) .NET DevOps for Azure: A Developer’s Guide to DevOps Architecture the Right Way, by Jeffrey Palermo Ep 286 with Michael Washington [email protected] AI Snake Oil AIStoryBuilders Blazor — Blogs Blazor Help Website BlazorData-Net / PersonalDataWarehouse GitHub Copilot Google NotebooksLM   Want to Learn More? Visit AzureDevOps.Show for show notes and additional episodes.

As the Vice President of Strategy at Xebia Microsoft Services, Rocky leads the vision and direction of the company’s software development solutions and services. He brings extensive expertise in framework design and implementation, distributed systems architecture, and cloud and container technologies, helping clients achieve their business goals and deliver value to their customers.   He is also the creator of CSLA .NET, an open-source development framework that enables developers to build scalable, maintainable, and secure object-oriented applications. As an accomplished author, he has written multiple books on the subject and frequently shares his insights at major conferences worldwide. He is honored to be a member of the Microsoft Regional Director and MVP programs and serves as co-chair of Visual Studio Live! as well as chair of the Cloud & Containers Live conferences. His passion lies in advancing the software industry and empowering developers to create better software.   Topics of Discussion: [3:30] Rockford shares his first job experience at an independent software vendor (ISV) building software to dispatch and manage the delivery of ready-mix concrete trucks. [8:30] The evolution of software and its connection to real-world processes. [9:53] The impact of technology advancements, such as miniaturization and material science, on modern software applications. [12:40] The influence of AI on software architecture and decision making. [19:15] Rockford about the importance of open-source libraries and personal projects in software development. [21:35] How does one become aware of what’s available these days? [23:14] Rockford suggests using RSS readers, curated feeds, and platforms like Feedly and Mastodon to stay informed about industry developments. [27:06] The upside to blogging and microblogging. [28:25] Importance of sharing knowledge and expertise. [29:19] Expertise through teaching and sharing. [32:19] Impact of Large Language Models (LLMs) on Coding. [38:22] Infrastructure challenges with AI. [40:21] Legacy software modernization. [40:52] Career advice for leaders and recognizing it as its own career path.   Mentioned in this Episode: Clear Measure Way Architect Forum Software Engineer Forum Programming with Palermo — New Video Podcast! Email us at [email protected]. Clear Measure, Inc. (Sponsor) .NET DevOps for Azure: A Developer’s Guide to DevOps Architecture the Right Way, by Jeffrey Palermo Azure & DevOps Podcast: Rocky Lhotka: CSLA - Episode 210 CSLA.NET Rockford on LinkedIn Rockford Lhotka Rockford’s Blog Feedly Morning Dew — Alvin Ashcroft Drive by Daniel Pink  Visual Studio Live! Tunisia DevDays   Want to Learn More? Visit AzureDevOps.Show for show notes and additional episodes.

Scott is the Vice President of Product for Azure Developer Experience. He builds all the .NET tools for Azure.   Topics of Discussion: [1:49] Scott’s Microsoft journey and .NET evolution. [3:39] AI's transformative impact on software development. [6:08] Using ChatGPT and Deep Research. [8:41] Software Engineering Agent (Padawan). [11:20] Model Context Protocol (MCP). [11:51] GitHub workflow for agent-driven development. [15:53] Handling repetitive or non-fun development tasks. [19:41] How AI will bring back the tech for us. [21:15] Azure Spring Apps and modernization tools. [23:39] The Site Reliability Engineering (SRE) Agent, which helps monitor and manage cloud applications, reducing pager hits and automating common tasks. [29:02] Reducing developer toil so there’s more time to do what they want to do. [31:22] The future organizational philosophy shift that may happen, while Scott reminds us that for the time being, you are still the operator and still in control. [33:37] The development of prompt libraries in tools like Visual Studio Code and Visual Studio to help developers create detailed prompts. [38:18] Scott emphasizes the importance of continuous feedback from developers to improve AI tools and make them more effective.   Mentioned in this Episode: Clear Measure Way Architect Forum Software Engineer Forum Programming with Palermo — New Video Podcast! Email us at [email protected]. Clear Measure, Inc. (Sponsor) .NET DevOps for Azure: A Developer’s Guide to DevOps Architecture the Right Way, by Jeffrey Palermo Scott Hunter: Microsoft’s Azure & .NET Strategy- Episode 211 Scott Hunter: .NET8 - Episode 272 [email protected]   Want to Learn More? Visit AzureDevOps.Show for show notes and additional episodes.

Scott has spent over 25 years in the IT field, working in disciplines such as systems architecture, software development, team growth, and entrepreneurship. He was a Microsoft MVP for 12 years in ASP.NET and IIS. He’s co-authored two books (IIS 7 and IIS 8 Professional), is a Pluralsight author, and has spoken at various conferences, code camps, and user groups. He's now shifted into the AI space, building AI solutions and supporting others in their AI journey. Scott co-founded a new startup, Kitchen Copilot, using all the new GenAI tech to help people cook more at home and eat healthier.   Topics of Discussion: [1:34] Scott’s career journey and how Kitchen Copilot originated. [7:27] More about Kitchen Copilot’s features. [9:35] How Kitchen helps with meal planning and recipe discovery for all levels of at-home chefs. [13:17] The technical process of importing recipes. [15:58] Using Microsoft Document intelligence to read handwriting and take screenshots of cookbook recipes. [17:13] Deployed pieces of the application. [20:43] E-mail import and queuing system. [23:32] Choice of LLM models including Groq. [29:37] Automated testing approach for LLM-based applications. [31:36] Hosting details.   Mentioned in this Episode: Clear Measure Way Architect Forum Software Engineer Forum Programming with Palermo — New Video Podcast! Email us at [email protected]. Clear Measure, Inc. (Sponsor) .NET DevOps for Azure: A Developer’s Guide to DevOps Architecture the Right Way, by Jeffrey Palermo Flowise Attention is all you need Kitchen Copilot Make Perplexity Claude Groq About Groq Scott on LinkedIn Kitchen Copilot AI Generator   Want to Learn More? Visit AzureDevOps.Show for show notes and additional episodes.

David Lykken, a 51-year veteran of the mortgage industry, is the Founder, President & Chief Transformational Officer of Transformational Mortgage Solutions (TMS). With decades of expertise, Lykken and his team of industry veterans are revolutionizing the way mortgage professionals conduct business through consulting, executive coaching, and strategic communications.     Recognized as a leading voice in the mortgage sector, he has been a frequent guest on FOX Business News, as well as making appearances on CNBC & CBS Evening News, where he shares invaluable insights on market trends and industry developments.     Mr. Lykken is also the host of the widely acclaimed weekly Lykken on Lending podcast, heard every Monday at 1 PM ET. Additionally, he leads the Lykken On Leadership podcast, where he provides leadership strategies tailored to the mortgage and housing industries.   Beyond his work in podcasting, Mr. Lykken extends his reach into television, hosting two TV shows: Your Home Business and Your Home Coast to Coast, both airing on Your Home TV. His multifaceted career reflects a deep commitment to educating and empowering professionals in an ever-evolving industry.   Topics of Discussion: [4:50] David’s early career challenges with dyslexia. [5:55] Learning about virtual assistants. [7:38] Current AI Tools and Usage, including large language models, Blockchain, and private GPT. [9:57] Twin protocol and AI avatars. [13:02] AI in Recruiting and Communication, introducing ELO GPT tool for automated outbound calling and personalized recruitment strategies. [19:27] AI Mistakes and Challenges, discussing the importance of training AI tools and avoiding generic, potentially inaccurate content. [24:10] Evolution of business assistance, comparing current AI tools to previous technological shifts like typewriters and word processors. [26:52] The continued importance of human relationships in business, emphasizing that AI cannot fully replace human empathy and connection. [31:10] The future of AI, predicting increased productivity and scalability for businesses through AI technologies.   Mentioned in this Episode: Clear Measure Way Architect Forum Software Engineer Forum Programming with Palermo — New Video Podcast! Email us at [email protected]. Clear Measure, Inc. (Sponsor) .NET DevOps for Azure: A Developer’s Guide to DevOps Architecture the Right Way, by Jeffrey Palermo David Lykken LinkedIn Transformational Mortgage Solutions Lykken on Lending YHBTV with David Lykken Your Home Coast to Coast TV The Coming Wave: AI, Power, and Our Future, by Mustafa Suleyman and Michael Bhaskar Twin Protocol (AI) tool ELO GPT ElevenLabs Perplexity Vibe Coding Opus Clip   Want to Learn More? Visit AzureDevOps.Show for show notes and additional episodes.

Jeff is the co-creator of Scrum and a leading expert on how the Scrum framework has evolved to meet the needs of today’s business. The framework he developed in 1993 and formalized in 1995 with Ken Schwaber has since been adopted by the vast majority of software development companies around the world. However, Jeff realized that the benefits of Scrum are not limited to software and product development. He has adapted this successful strategy for several other industries, including finance, healthcare, higher education, and telecom.   As the CEO of Scrum Inc. Jeff sets the vision for success with Scrum. He continues to share best practices with organizations around the globe and has written extensively on Scrum rules and methods. With a deep understanding of business process — gleaned from years as CTO/CEO of eleven different software companies — Jeff is able to describe the high-level organizational benefits of Scrum and what it takes to create hyperproductive teams.   Topics of Discussion: [:35] Introduction of Jeff Sutherland, co-creator of Scrum. [3:47] Jeff Sutherland’s background: His experience at West Point and lessons in making work visible. [5:19] Fighter pilot experiences that influenced the operational side of Scrum. [6:02] Transition to the Air Force Academy and work in AI at Stanford. [7:38] Learning complex adaptive systems and the origin of Agile from complex systems theory. [8:30] How complex systems theory impacts Scrum and Agile teams today. [9:25] Jeff’s first experiences applying Scrum in the banking industry. [11:25] The development of Scrum and the 2001 Agile Manifesto. [12:57] Making work visible and organizing teams, from West Point to Toyota to the Agile Manifesto. [13:23] Fast forward to 2024: Issues in Scrum and Agile practices, including sprint lengths and backlog grooming. [14:34] Jeff’s new book: First Principles in Scrum and its relation to Scrum technology stacks. [16:23] Building autonomous systems: Lessons from radiation physics, AI, and complex adaptive systems. [19:16] The influence of autonomous robots on the creation of Scrum. [21:14] Discussion of Scrum and AI, leading to “Extreme Agile.” [22:47] Predictions for the future of Scrum and Agile: Teams becoming 30 to 100 times faster by 2030. [23:37] Example of AI in action: Developing a system to handle expense reports using Scrum principles. [29:37] Challenges with AI-generated code and the need for strong software architecture knowledge. [33:24] The importance of following Scrum “by the book” to achieve hyperproductivity. [35:30] Jeff’s closing advice on adapting to extreme agile to stay competitive by 2030.   Mentioned in this Episode: Clear Measure Way Architect Forum Software Engineer Forum Programming with Palermo — New Video Podcast! Email us at [email protected]. Clear Measure, Inc. (Sponsor) .NET DevOps for Azure: A Developer’s Guide to DevOps Architecture the Right Way, by Jeffrey Palermo “How the Agile Manifesto Came To Be” Become a beta tester for Jeff Sutherland's AI software project for expense reports: [email protected]   Want to Learn More? Visit AzureDevOps.Show for show notes and additional episodes.

Adrienne Braganza Tacke is an accomplished author and software engineer with a passion for educating others about software development. Choosing a path distinct from the expected trajectory of nursing, she pursued a degree in management information systems at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Over the course of nearly eight years in the field, she has contributed her expertise across multiple industries, including healthcare and higher education. Currently, she serves as a software development engineer at DebtTrader, where she embraces the challenge of modernizing fintech workflows traditionally dependent on spreadsheets.   Beyond her professional work, Adrienne is an international speaker, instructor, and dedicated advocate for STEM education. Her first book, Coding for Kids: Python, has consistently ranked among the top-selling children's programming books on Amazon. She frequently visits schools to inspire students with insights into software engineering and the transformative power of coding. When she’s not engaging with young aspiring developers, she speaks at tech conferences throughout the U.S. and Europe. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram (@AdrienneTacke) to stay updated on her latest endeavors.   Topics of Discussion: [3:20] Adrienne’s journey and the happy accidents and formative moments that led her to working in this field. [5:46] What does a developer advocate do? [7:04] Adrienne started teaching in 2017, when tech influencers were starting to become more popular. [9:02] There is no one-size-fits-all about the code review process, and what it looks like will be different for every team. [11:19] The price of ineffective communication. [15:30] The power of fixing things during development and before the code review. [19:10] Adrienne gives a few real-life examples of time wasters in code reviews. [22:08] More about Adrienne’s book, Looks Good to Me: Constructive Code Reviews, and how it can help streamline and save time.  [23:44] Like Adrienne’s chapter title, if you can automate it — do it. [26:51] There are still errors that won’t be caught by static analysis. [30:46] Some tips to remember when using AI, like making sure your titles are descriptive. [36:17] Maybe an “auto-polite” button is coming soon? We wish.   Mentioned in this Episode: Clear Measure Way Architect Forum Software Engineer Forum Programming with Palermo — New Video Podcast! Email us at [email protected]. Clear Measure, Inc. (Sponsor) .NET DevOps for Azure: A Developer’s Guide to DevOps Architecture the Right Way, by Jeffrey Palermo Looks Good to Me: Constructive Code Reviews CodeRabbit OFFER: First listener to use the code gets a free copy of the book: "braganza-FBEE"Instructions: 1. Go to book link (https://www.manning.com/books/looks-good-to-me) 2. Follow purchase process 3. Apply coupon (braganza-FBEE) at checkout Want to Learn More? Visit AzureDevOps.Show for show notes and additional episodes.