Beyond "Just Try Harder": Three effective strategies to tackle bugs (LDX3)

“Just try harder” isn’t a strategy. Learn three proven approaches – monitoring bugs, managing legacy systems, and optimising feedback loops – that empower teams to deliver better software.

“Just try harder” doesn’t solve bugs, bottlenecks, or inefficiencies in software delivery. In this talk, you’ll discover three proven strategies that go beyond working harder to help your team deliver high-quality software with less stress. These approaches combine technical practices with leadership insights, offering a holistic way to catch bugs earlier, improve team efficiency, and accelerate delivery timelines.

* 10-minute lightning talk presented at LDX3 London 2025.

Version with speaker notes here: https://speakerdeck.com/andyrlweir/beyond-just-try-harder-three-effective-strategies-to-tackle-bugs-ldx3-speaker-notes

Transcript

1. www.headforwards.com Beyond Just Try Harder Three effective strategies to tackle bugs Andy Weir
2. What the Research Says From Boehm to DORA – creating systems where bugs can’t hide
3. Fast Feedback Get feedback in the time it takes to make a cup of tea
4. Smaller, Safer Changes You can’t inspect a fourth leg onto a three-legged table
5. Smaller, Safer Changes You can’t inspect a fourth leg onto a three-legged table
6. Smaller, Safer Changes You can’t inspect a fourth leg onto a three-legged table
7. Controlled Delivery Find bugs before your customers do
8. Go Beyond Just Try Harder Build systems that make the right thing easy
9. Explore the ideas, tools, and resources behind the talk Illustrations generated with ChatGPT + DALL·E (OpenAI) Go Beyond Just Try Harder