January 2020 Summaries

Work is valued differently depending on whether it is structured or unplanned, each offering distinct opportunities and challenges. Structured work, which is planned and predictable, follows a schedule and is measured by outputs such as key performance indicators, offering finite value through established systems and tools designed to amplify efficiency. In contrast, unplanned work emerges unexpectedly, driven by real-time signals, and is measured by outcomes like improved response times, providing greater but ephemeral value due to its time-sensitive nature. This type of work requires unique tools to swiftly capture value before it diminishes, particularly in scenarios like preventing digital service interruptions, which can impact revenue and reputation. PagerDuty collaborated with IDC to assess the business value of managing such time-sensitive work, with findings shared in a white paper and discussed further in a webinar titled "Carpe Momentum: Seizing the Moments that Matter in a Complex World."

Duolingo, a prominent language-learning platform with over 300 million users globally, offers 90 courses in 38 languages and has evolved significantly since its inception in 2011. Originally, learning Mandarin was a slow process for the narrator, who wished for a tool like Duolingo during their college years. To maintain its seamless user experience, Duolingo underwent a digital transformation, breaking down its monolithic architecture into over 100 microservices and revamping its incident management with PagerDuty. This shift allowed Duolingo to manage incidents more efficiently by creating specialized on-call rotations for different services, thus reducing team burnout and improving infrastructure visibility. The transformation parallels how Duolingo aids language learners by continuously improving user engagement and learning efficacy, ensuring business efficiencies and prompt real-time actions are taken when incidents occur.

PagerDuty emphasizes its commitment to security as a company-wide priority by open-sourcing employee security training and adhering to best practices, culminating in the completion of a SOC 2 Type 2 examination. Conducted by an independent auditing firm, this examination assessed PagerDuty's security and availability controls for its on-call management platform and Event Intelligence Services over a six-month period in 2019. SOC 2, developed by the American Institute of CPAs, is a compliance framework for service providers that store customer data in the cloud, requiring ongoing internal practices for data security. The Type 2 report, unlike Type 1, verifies continued adherence to controls over time, demonstrating PagerDuty's dedication to protecting customer data and fostering trust. This report can be utilized by vendors and partners with compliance needs as part of their own strategies, reinforcing PagerDuty's role in the broader security community amid prevalent concerns about data breaches and cybersecurity.

Mass incarceration in the United States has significantly increased since the 1980s, with over 2.3 million people currently incarcerated, creating a demand for innovative solutions to support the incarcerated population. Edovo, a social impact organization founded in 2014, addresses this issue by providing technology-based solutions such as secure tablets that offer free educational services and low-cost communication programs to over 200,000 active users in more than 40 states. These services help incarcerated individuals maintain personal connections and access educational and vocational opportunities, which are often neglected in the prison system. Edovo's platform is designed to enhance user experience by targeting educational challenges and communication needs, and it relies on PagerDuty to ensure its infrastructure remains reliable and resilient, minimizing disruptions in service. This partnership allows Edovo to maintain critical connections and learning opportunities for its users, supporting their personal growth and preparation for re-entry into society.

In a blog post, PagerDuty shares insights from their experiment with team size, illustrating the challenges and lessons learned when deviating from Jeff Bezos' "two-pizza rule," which suggests keeping teams small enough to be fed by two pizzas to enhance efficiency. Initially, two separate Scrum teams were merged into a larger Kanban team to tackle a significant workload, but this resulted in communication difficulties, a lack of consensus, and reduced productivity, known as the Ringelmann Effect. The experiment underscored the importance of smaller teams for effective communication and process improvement, reaffirming the two-pizza rule's validity. Consequently, PagerDuty now forms delivery teams with clear charters, defined customers, ownership of their roadmaps, self-sufficiency, appropriate leadership, and sizes aligned with Scrum guidelines, ensuring teams are optimally structured for focus and consistent product delivery.

PagerDuty University offers a comprehensive course titled "Managing Incident Response Teams" to improve organizational incident response processes. This popular training, initially introduced at the 2019 Summit, is being delivered across regional offices in Toronto, San Francisco, and Atlanta. The session provides an overview of the Incident Commander system, focusing on managing expectations for executive stakeholders, addressing operational challenges, and practical skills for team management. It promotes concepts such as full-service ownership, a blameless culture, and continuous improvement. Participants can practice in an interactive sandbox without the risk of triggering real incidents. The course, ideal for managers, team leads, and responders, includes a catered lunch and networking opportunities, aiming to align responder needs with executive expectations and foster proactive team health monitoring.