Daniel Walters
@greatcto.me
Experienced leader of technology organisations entrusted with creating and sustaining profitable products customers love.
All things being equal, where can leaders exert their effort and have the most significant impact? Here's a simple model I call Walters' Lever of Improvement.
How leaders should invest their time: Walters' Lever of Improvement
All things being equal, where can leaders exert their effort and have the most significant impact? Here's a simple model I call Walters' Lever of Improvement.
wioota.substack.com
December 2, 2025 at 12:02 AM
All things being equal, where can leaders exert their effort and have the most significant impact? Here's a simple model I call Walters' Lever of Improvement.
Recurring observation: teams invest in deployment tools and don’t improve delivery frequency. How can this happen?
Edited: Teams with a shared vision of the future achieve more
Recurring observation: teams invest in deployment tools and don’t improve delivery frequency. How can this happen?
wioota.substack.com
December 1, 2025 at 12:03 AM
Recurring observation: teams invest in deployment tools and don’t improve delivery frequency. How can this happen?
What happens when there are team-level goals but no organisational-level goals? This post looks into some side effects to be aware of.
Edited: The side-effects of only having goals at team-level
What happens when there are team-level goals but no organisational-level goals? This post looks into some side effects to be aware of.
wioota.substack.com
November 30, 2025 at 12:03 AM
What happens when there are team-level goals but no organisational-level goals? This post looks into some side effects to be aware of.
When using your software users don't care why the experience is good or bad, just that it is. This must shape how we think about making software products.
Thinking holistically about customer experience
When using your software users don't care why the experience is good or bad, just that it is. This must shape how we think about making software products.
wioota.substack.com
November 29, 2025 at 12:02 AM
When using your software users don't care why the experience is good or bad, just that it is. This must shape how we think about making software products.
A good use of a leader's effort is to provide their team context. So what is context, and what context is most useful for software development teams?
A leader's prime responsibility is to provide context
A good use of a leader's effort is to provide their team context. So what is context, and what context is most useful for software development teams?
wioota.substack.com
November 27, 2025 at 12:04 AM
A good use of a leader's effort is to provide their team context. So what is context, and what context is most useful for software development teams?
Leaders have an overwhelming amount of information they could monitor about what is happening in an organisation. Here's an alternative.
Edited: The 'soil sample' technique as an alternative to firehose drinking
Leaders have an overwhelming amount of information they could monitor about what is happening in an organisation. Here's an alternative.
wioota.substack.com
November 26, 2025 at 12:04 AM
Leaders have an overwhelming amount of information they could monitor about what is happening in an organisation. Here's an alternative.
Most effort estimating software development is waste. Here's why and where our effort is better spent.
Outcome thinking applied to estimation (TLDR; its mostly waste)
Most effort estimating software development is waste. Here's why and where our effort is better spent.
wioota.substack.com
November 23, 2025 at 12:03 AM
Most effort estimating software development is waste. Here's why and where our effort is better spent.
Just because it can be done should always be balanced with should it be done. Thinking about what you are trying to achieve holistically can help detect when these are in conflict.
The Principle of Least Astonishment and how it relates to outcomes-thinking
Just because it can be done should always be balanced with should it be done. Thinking about what you are trying to achieve holistically can help detect when these are in conflict.
wioota.substack.com
November 22, 2025 at 12:03 AM
Just because it can be done should always be balanced with should it be done. Thinking about what you are trying to achieve holistically can help detect when these are in conflict.
As the date approached for me to become a father I binged parenting advice. This was the most useful piece advice I found.
Don't do anything you don't want to repeat (advice for new parents)
As the date approached for me to become a father I binged parenting advice. This was the most useful piece advice I found.
wioota.substack.com
November 21, 2025 at 12:03 AM
As the date approached for me to become a father I binged parenting advice. This was the most useful piece advice I found.
Here are some of the common ways I've seen organisations get stuck in a rut. Often more than one of these are in effect at once.
6 temptations causing organisations to lose their way
Here are some of the common ways I've seen organisations get stuck in a rut. Often more than one of these are in effect at once.
wioota.substack.com
November 20, 2025 at 12:03 AM
Here are some of the common ways I've seen organisations get stuck in a rut. Often more than one of these are in effect at once.
In 2005 Stephen Colbert coined the word 'Truthiness' to express when statements are deemed true based on intuition rather than evidence and logic. How is this relevant in organisations?
Truthiness in organisations
In 2005 Stephen Colbert coined the word 'Truthiness' to express when statements are deemed true based on intuition rather than evidence and logic. How is this relevant in organisations?
wioota.substack.com
November 19, 2025 at 12:03 AM
In 2005 Stephen Colbert coined the word 'Truthiness' to express when statements are deemed true based on intuition rather than evidence and logic. How is this relevant in organisations?
Individual performance management is often treated like a load-bearing wall i.e. hard to move or change. But what if it actively undermines the collective goals of the organisation?
Individual performance management maybe working against your collective goals
Individual performance management is often treated like a load-bearing wall i.e. hard to move or change. But what if it actively undermines the collective goals of the organisation?
wioota.substack.com
November 18, 2025 at 12:03 AM
Individual performance management is often treated like a load-bearing wall i.e. hard to move or change. But what if it actively undermines the collective goals of the organisation?
When your expertise applies to the qualitative aspects of a product or service, it can be a challenge to articulate the importance of issues. Here's how I approach this.
Influencing tip: Help others see what you see
When your expertise applies to the qualitative aspects of a product or service, it can be a challenge to articulate the importance of issues. Here's how I approach this.
wioota.substack.com
November 17, 2025 at 12:03 AM
When your expertise applies to the qualitative aspects of a product or service, it can be a challenge to articulate the importance of issues. Here's how I approach this.
I've been asked a few times how I've maintained my posting frequency. It's something I struggled with when I started blogging so here's what I've learned.
8 tips that help me write this publication
I've been asked a few times how I've maintained my posting frequency. It's something I struggled with when I started blogging so here's what I've learned.
wioota.substack.com
November 16, 2025 at 12:02 AM
I've been asked a few times how I've maintained my posting frequency. It's something I struggled with when I started blogging so here's what I've learned.
If I distill what might be almost universally useful advice into principles one would be along the lines of 'Make the implicit, explicit'
Make the implicit, explicit
If I distill what might be almost universally useful advice into principles one would be along the lines of 'Make the implicit, explicit'
wioota.substack.com
November 15, 2025 at 12:03 AM
If I distill what might be almost universally useful advice into principles one would be along the lines of 'Make the implicit, explicit'
Organisations have long tracked progress through the completion of tasks and projects. When we are outcome-oriented progress is best understood with evidence.
Finding different ways to understand progress
Organisations have long tracked progress through the completion of tasks and projects. When we are outcome-oriented progress is best understood with evidence.
wioota.substack.com
November 14, 2025 at 12:05 AM
Organisations have long tracked progress through the completion of tasks and projects. When we are outcome-oriented progress is best understood with evidence.
In the desire to lift things up to a high enough level for executives the temptation can be to aggregate up all detail. Here's where that can go wrong.
Don't be afraid to provide detail when communicating to leaders
In the desire to lift things up to a high enough level for executives the temptation can be to aggregate up all detail. Here's where that can go wrong.
wioota.substack.com
November 13, 2025 at 12:04 AM
In the desire to lift things up to a high enough level for executives the temptation can be to aggregate up all detail. Here's where that can go wrong.
In teamwork there are often one or more members with ideas of making a significant change. Sometimes most or all of the team might be up for it and the change still fails to take. Why?
Timing and starting together is important for successful change
In teamwork there are often one or more members with ideas of making a significant change. Sometimes most or all of the team might be up for it and the change still fails to take. Why?
wioota.substack.com
November 12, 2025 at 12:03 AM
In teamwork there are often one or more members with ideas of making a significant change. Sometimes most or all of the team might be up for it and the change still fails to take. Why?
What to prioritise early in the journey towards achieving an ambitious goal
Early on a journey prioritise learning for greater impact over the long-term
What to prioritise early in the journey towards achieving an ambitious goal
wioota.substack.com
November 11, 2025 at 12:03 AM
What to prioritise early in the journey towards achieving an ambitious goal
It's important to reflect on both the value we create and the harm we do. In order to improve we must scrutinise what isn't working or what may reduce the safety in organisations.
Are we the baddies?
It's important to reflect on both the value we create and the harm we do. In order to improve we must scrutinise what isn't working or what may reduce the safety in organisations.
wioota.substack.com
November 10, 2025 at 12:03 AM
It's important to reflect on both the value we create and the harm we do. In order to improve we must scrutinise what isn't working or what may reduce the safety in organisations.
In situations of change or stagnation it can be helpful to have a safe way to enter into discussions on the areas where there is ambiguity or disagreement. Here's a workshop which may help.
Using a game to foster safe and engaging conversations about responsibilities within teams.
In situations of change or stagnation it can be helpful to have a safe way to enter into discussions on the areas where there is ambiguity or disagreement. Here's a workshop which may help.
wioota.substack.com
November 9, 2025 at 12:03 AM
In situations of change or stagnation it can be helpful to have a safe way to enter into discussions on the areas where there is ambiguity or disagreement. Here's a workshop which may help.
It's easy to unwittingly bias our choices towards our own convenience. It may be easier to do something one way but at the detriment to the intended outcome.
Are you optimising for your own convenience?
It's easy to unwittingly bias our choices towards our own convenience. It may be easier to do something one way but at the detriment to the intended outcome.
wioota.substack.com
November 8, 2025 at 12:03 AM
It's easy to unwittingly bias our choices towards our own convenience. It may be easier to do something one way but at the detriment to the intended outcome.
There's a number of common ways leading practitioners of OKRs improve upon the most common form of OKRs
Improving OKRs
There's a number of common ways leading practitioners of OKRs improve upon the most common form of OKRs
wioota.substack.com
November 7, 2025 at 12:03 AM
There's a number of common ways leading practitioners of OKRs improve upon the most common form of OKRs
To produce valuable software, you must address user needs and expectations. If you rely only on easily available information, you will get the balance wrong. Here's why.
Easily obtainable information can skew how you invest your time and effort.
To produce valuable software, you must address user needs and expectations. If you rely only on easily available information, you will get the balance wrong. Here's why.
wioota.substack.com
November 6, 2025 at 12:04 AM
To produce valuable software, you must address user needs and expectations. If you rely only on easily available information, you will get the balance wrong. Here's why.
Leaders coach teams to focus on users and test ideas to achieve the intended effects. When strategic choices suggest some users needs are prioritised over others it can feel like dissonance.
Examples of strategic choices in product development
Leaders coach teams to focus on users and test ideas to achieve the intended effects. When strategic choices suggest some users needs are prioritised over others it can feel like dissonance.
wioota.substack.com
November 5, 2025 at 12:05 AM
Leaders coach teams to focus on users and test ideas to achieve the intended effects. When strategic choices suggest some users needs are prioritised over others it can feel like dissonance.