My Parents Configured Their Living

Michael Goetz Automation Consulting Engineer @ Chef Software, Inc. mpgoetz@getchef.com

Who Am I?

Who Am I?

• Sysadmin

Who Am I?

• Sysadmin

• Developer

Who Am I?

• Sysadmin

• Developer

• Ex-Military Translator

Who Am I?

• Sysadmin

• Developer

• Ex-Military Translator

• Ex-Journalist

Who Am I?

• Sysadmin

• Developer

• Ex-Military Translator

• Ex-Journalist

• Ex-Project Manager

Who Am I?

• Sysadmin

• Developer

• Ex-Military Translator

• Ex-Journalist

• Ex-Project Manager

• Ex-Release Engineer

Who Am I?

• Sysadmin

• Developer

• Ex-Military Translator

• Ex-Journalist

• Ex-Project Manager

• Ex-Release Engineer

• Explainer of Things

A visit to my father’s house…

“Can you take a look at the TV? I can’t seem to get Netflix working.”

A visit to my father’s house…

“Can you take a look at the TV? I can’t seem to get Netflix working.”

A visit to my father’s house…

“Can you take a look at the TV? I can’t seem to get Netflix working.”

Connect All The Things

• Smart TV

!

• Blu-ray Player

!

• Wifi

!

• Cable

Wow, such technology, confusing

Wow, such technology, confusing

• Smart TV

Wow, such technology, confusing

• Smart TV

• Wifi

Wow, such technology, confusing

• Smart TV

• Wifi

• Blu-ray

Wow, such technology, confusing

• Smart TV

• Wifi

• Blu-ray

• Cable

Wow, such technology, confusing

• Smart TV

• Wifi

• Blu-ray

• Cable

• Netflix

Wow, such technology, confusing

• Smart TV

• Wifi

• Blu-ray

• Cable

• Netflix

• Home Security

Wow, such technology, confusing

• Smart TV

• Wifi

• Blu-ray

• Cable

• Netflix

• Home Security

• and more…

Wow, such technology, confusing - The Sequel

Wow, such technology, confusing - The Sequel

• Hardware

Wow, such technology, confusing - The Sequel

• Hardware

• Network

Wow, such technology, confusing - The Sequel

• Hardware

• Network

• Storage

Wow, such technology, confusing - The Sequel

• Hardware

• Network

• Storage

• Services

Wow, such technology, confusing - The Sequel

• Hardware

• Network

• Storage

• Services

• Content Delivery

Wow, such technology, confusing - The Sequel

• Hardware

• Network

• Storage

• Services

• Content Delivery

• Security

Wow, such technology, confusing - The Sequel

• Hardware

• Network

• Storage

• Services

• Content Delivery

• Security

• and more…

Situational Awareness

“If you don’t know where you are going, you might end up someplace else.”

- Yogi Berra

Everyone Is Smart

Everyone Is Smart

• Find the passion

Everyone Is Smart

• Find the passion

• Listen to what they’re saying

Everyone Is Smart

• Find the passion

• Listen to what they’re saying

• Respect the experience

Talking Down vs. Discussing Up

Talking Down vs. Discussing Up

• “OK?”

Talking Down vs. Discussing Up

• “OK?”

• Aiming too low

Talking Down vs. Discussing Up

• “OK?”

• Aiming too low

• Expertise Bias

Just Enough Config For Success

Just Enough Config For Success

• The flux capacitor

Just Enough Config For Success

• The flux capacitor

• What’s this button do?

Just Enough Config For Success

• The flux capacitor

• What’s this button do?

• These are not the droids you’re looking for

Speaking On Their Terms

“Understanding is a two-way street.”- Eleanor Roosevelt

Pick Your Poison

Pick Your Poison

• It’s their language, not yours

Pick Your Poison

• It’s their language, not yours

• Let me speak

Pick Your Poison

• It’s their language, not yours

• Let me speak

• So it’s like…

Analogous Analogies

http://www.infocellar.com/software/files-folders.htm

Analogous Analogies

• Spinning a tale

http://www.infocellar.com/software/files-folders.htm

Analogous Analogies

• Spinning a tale

• Keep it brief

http://www.infocellar.com/software/files-folders.htm

Analogous Analogies

• Spinning a tale

• Keep it brief

• If they still look confused, your analogy sucks

http://www.infocellar.com/software/files-folders.htm

Know Everything… Or Enough To Seem Like It

Know Everything… Or Enough To Seem Like It

• Do your research

Know Everything… Or Enough To Seem Like It

• Do your research

• Ask questions that mean something

Know Everything… Or Enough To Seem Like It

• Do your research

• Ask questions that mean something

• Listen and repeat

Pacing and Guiding

“The two most powerful warriors are patience and time.”

- Leo Tolstoy

High Speed, Low Drag

High Speed, Low Drag

• Where’s the turbo button?

High Speed, Low Drag

• Where’s the turbo button?

• No one left behind

High Speed, Low Drag

• Where’s the turbo button?

• No one left behind

• Ramming Speed!

Frequent Checkups

Frequent Checkups

• Where did everybody go?

Frequent Checkups

• Where did everybody go?

• And your mouse trap should look like…. what is that?

Infinity Loop

http://www.justsaypictures.com/infinity.html

Infinity Loop

• Pete, Pete and Repeat

http://www.justsaypictures.com/infinity.html

Infinity Loop

• Pete, Pete and Repeat

• That’s an odd reference

http://www.justsaypictures.com/infinity.html

Infinity Loop

• Pete, Pete and Repeat

• That’s an odd reference

• Resolution

http://www.justsaypictures.com/infinity.html

Recap

• Trust in the Experience of Others

• Talk with People, Not at People

• Protect Learners from Themselves

• Know Their Language

• Let Them Go Fast

• Check-in and check-out

Thanks!

• @michaelpgoetz

• mpgoetz@getchef.com

• https://micgo.net