Software Without Borders

In this episode of Software Without Borders, Andy and Tomás sit down with Justin Bankston, CTO of South by Southwest (SXSW), to explore the remarkable evolution of one of the world’s most influential cultural and technology events. Justin shares his journey from playing in rock bands and reviewing demo CDs to leading the software, IT, and innovation groups that power SXSW’s massive annual footprint. We dig into the behind-the-scenes engineering challenges, the explosive impact of Twitter’s 2007 debut at SXSW, and the technical coordination required to support tens of thousands of attendees across multiple venues. Justin reflects on leadership, scaling teams, and what it takes to deliver a flawless experience when failure becomes instantly public. If you’ve ever wondered how innovation, culture, and infrastructure collide at global scale, this episode pulls the curtain back.
 
Guest Introduction:
Justin Bankston is the Chief Technology Officer at South by Southwest, where he has spent nearly 20 years shaping the technical backbone of one of the world’s premier events in music, film, and technology. From his early days as a full-stack developer to leading SXSW’s software, IT, and innovation teams, Justin has guided the organization through explosive growth, digital transformation, and cultural shifts — all while ensuring the attendee experience remains seamless and world-class.
 
Key Takeaways:
SXSW’s uniqueness creates massive technical complexity. Three industries, three conferences, one seamless attendee experience.
Justin’s journey was entirely organic. From musician → volunteer reviewer → contractor → leader → CTO.
Twitter’s 2007 debut changed SXSW forever. Attendance spiked, expectations shifted, and technical resilience became paramount.
Custom software was born from necessity. When SXSW started, no event platform could handle its hybrid creative/tech experience.
Invisible infrastructure is intentional. If the Wi-Fi isn’t perfect, attendees notice — and complain loudly.
Remote and global teams helped SXSW scale sustainably. Nearshore partners expanded engineering capacity without sacrificing collaboration.
 
Chapter Markers:
00:00 — Andy welcomes listeners to Software Without Borders
01:12 — Guest introduction: Justin Bankston, CTO of SXSW
03:18 — Justin’s backstory: bands, demo CDs, and first touchpoints with SXSW
04:16 — Contracting beginnings and early software challenges
07:58 — The unique blend of artist, audience, corporate, and technical needs
08:35 — How SXSW grew organically — and fast
10:32 — Leadership lessons from early career mentors
11:32 — The uniqueness of SXSW vs. other global festivals
13:13 — Stakeholder alignment and balancing competing priorities
14:57 — Inside SXSW’s custom software ecosystem
15:49 — The complexity of event IT & multi-venue Wi-Fi at scale
17:57 — The stakes of real-time attendee experience
18:58 — PanelPicker: the origin story
22:16 — Twitter’s SXSW launch and the ripple effects
24:14 — Strengthening infrastructure amid explosive growth
26:34 — Beginning remote/global engineering partnerships
29:26 — Process, communication, and the reality of global development
31:00 — How remote teams support SXSW’s “lights-on” needs
 
Keywords:
Software Without Borders, SXSW, Justin Bankston, Andy Hilliard, Tomás Hilliard, Accelerance, event technology, global engineering teams, festival tech infrastructure, Twitter SXSW launch, custom software development, nearshore engineering, CTO insights, large-scale event operations.

In this episode of Software Without Borders, Andy and Tomás sit down with Justin Bankston, CTO of South by Southwest (SXSW), to explore the remarkable evolution of one of the world’s most influential cultural and technology events. Justin shares his journey from playing in rock bands and reviewing demo CDs to leading the software, IT, and innovation groups that power SXSW’s massive annual footprint. We dig into the behind-the-scenes engineering challenges, the explosive impact of Twitter’s 2007 debut at SXSW, and the technical coordination required to support tens of thousands of attendees across multiple venues. Justin reflects on leadership, scaling teams, and what it takes to deliver a flawless experience when failure becomes instantly public. If you’ve ever wondered how innovation, culture, and infrastructure collide at global scale, this episode pulls the curtain back.
 
Guest Introduction:
Justin Bankston is the Chief Technology Officer at South by Southwest, where he has spent nearly 20 years shaping the technical backbone of one of the world’s premier events in music, film, and technology. From his early days as a full-stack developer to leading SXSW’s software, IT, and innovation teams, Justin has guided the organization through explosive growth, digital transformation, and cultural shifts — all while ensuring the attendee experience remains seamless and world-class.
 
Key Takeaways:
SXSW’s uniqueness creates massive technical complexity. Three industries, three conferences, one seamless attendee experience.
Justin’s journey was entirely organic. From musician → volunteer reviewer → contractor → leader → CTO.
Twitter’s 2007 debut changed SXSW forever. Attendance spiked, expectations shifted, and technical resilience became paramount.
Custom software was born from necessity. When SXSW started, no event platform could handle its hybrid creative/tech experience.
Invisible infrastructure is intentional. If the Wi-Fi isn’t perfect, attendees notice — and complain loudly.
Remote and global teams helped SXSW scale sustainably. Nearshore partners expanded engineering capacity without sacrificing collaboration.
 
Chapter Markers:
00:00 — Andy welcomes listeners to Software Without Borders
01:12 — Guest introduction: Justin Bankston, CTO of SXSW
03:18 — Justin’s backstory: bands, demo CDs, and first touchpoints with SXSW
04:16 — Contracting beginnings and early software challenges
07:58 — The unique blend of artist, audience, corporate, and technical needs
08:35 — How SXSW grew organically — and fast
10:32 — Leadership lessons from early career mentors
11:32 — The uniqueness of SXSW vs. other global festivals
13:13 — Stakeholder alignment and balancing competing priorities
14:57 — Inside SXSW’s custom software ecosystem
15:49 — The complexity of event IT & multi-venue Wi-Fi at scale
17:57 — The stakes of real-time attendee experience
18:58 — PanelPicker: the origin story
22:16 — Twitter’s SXSW launch and the ripple effects
24:14 — Strengthening infrastructure amid explosive growth
26:34 — Beginning remote/global engineering partnerships
29:26 — Process, communication, and the reality of global development
31:00 — How remote teams support SXSW’s “lights-on” needs
 
Keywords:
Software Without Borders, SXSW, Justin Bankston, Andy Hilliard, Tomás Hilliard, Accelerance, event technology, global engineering teams, festival tech infrastructure, Twitter SXSW launch, custom software development, nearshore engineering, CTO insights, large-scale event operations.

 
Episode Description:
In this episode of Software Without Borders, Andy and Scott sit down with Steve Petersen, a veteran software architect and engineering leader known for building collaborative, high-trust technical teams across global environments. Steve shares the lessons he’s learned from decades of experience—coding, mentoring, scaling engineering orgs, and navigating the cultural and communication challenges that come with distributed teams.
 
Guest Introduction:
Steve Petersen is a seasoned software architect, engineering leader, and mentor with deep experience designing scalable systems and guiding teams through growth and transformation. Known for his calm leadership style, technical clarity, and focus on people-first engineering cultures, Steve has spent his career helping developers elevate their craft while strengthening communication and trust across globally distributed organizations.
Key Takeaways:
Communication is the real bottleneck, not code. Highly distributed teams succeed when they over-communicate clearly and consistently.
Pairing senior and junior engineers is a force multiplier, accelerating learning for both sides and strengthening team cohesion.
Humility makes great engineers—those willing to ask questions, seek clarity, and challenge assumptions collaboratively.
Technical leadership is not about having all the answers, but about creating a space where the best ideas surface.
Avoiding unnecessary complexity leads to higher velocity and more maintainable systems.
Global engineering teams thrive on structure, predictable rhythms, and clear expectations that support asynchronous work.
 
Chapter Markers:
0:00 Welcome to Software Without Borders
0:21 Introducing Steve Petersen
1:13 Steve’s Background & Early Career Path
2:46 Technical Leadership vs. Individual Contribution
4:05 How Engineering Teams Break Down Communication
5:32 The Power of Pairing Senior & Junior Engineers
7:01 What Makes an Engineer Truly Great
8:44 Curiosity, Humility & Asking the Right Questions
10:12 Reducing Complexity for Better Outcomes
12:09 Leading Distributed Engineering Teams
14:03 Building Predictable Rhythms & Expectations
15:58 Technical Debt vs. Necessary Complexity
17:30 Creating a Culture Where Engineers Feel Safe Speaking Up
19:03 What Steve Looks for When Hiring Developers
21:18 Why Mentorship Accelerates Team Growth
22:40 When to Step Back as a Technical Leader
24:11 Coaching Engineers Through Hard Problems
26:05 Final Thoughts & What Steve Wishes He Knew Earlier
End: Closing Remarks
Keywords:
Software Without Borders, Andy Hilliard, Scott Pollov, Steve Petersen, engineering leadership, software architecture, distributed engineering teams, global teams, technical mentorship, engineering culture, communication in engineering, technical debt, software development leadership, scaling teams

 
Episode Description:
In this episode of Software Without Borders, Andy and Scott sit down with Steve Petersen, a veteran software architect and engineering leader known for building collaborative, high-trust technical teams across global environments. Steve shares the lessons he’s learned from decades of experience—coding, mentoring, scaling engineering orgs, and navigating the cultural and communication challenges that come with distributed teams.
 
Guest Introduction:
Steve Petersen is a seasoned software architect, engineering leader, and mentor with deep experience designing scalable systems and guiding teams through growth and transformation. Known for his calm leadership style, technical clarity, and focus on people-first engineering cultures, Steve has spent his career helping developers elevate their craft while strengthening communication and trust across globally distributed organizations.
Key Takeaways:
Communication is the real bottleneck, not code. Highly distributed teams succeed when they over-communicate clearly and consistently.
Pairing senior and junior engineers is a force multiplier, accelerating learning for both sides and strengthening team cohesion.
Humility makes great engineers—those willing to ask questions, seek clarity, and challenge assumptions collaboratively.
Technical leadership is not about having all the answers, but about creating a space where the best ideas surface.
Avoiding unnecessary complexity leads to higher velocity and more maintainable systems.
Global engineering teams thrive on structure, predictable rhythms, and clear expectations that support asynchronous work.
 
Chapter Markers:
0:00 Welcome to Software Without Borders
0:21 Introducing Steve Petersen
1:13 Steve’s Background & Early Career Path
2:46 Technical Leadership vs. Individual Contribution
4:05 How Engineering Teams Break Down Communication
5:32 The Power of Pairing Senior & Junior Engineers
7:01 What Makes an Engineer Truly Great
8:44 Curiosity, Humility & Asking the Right Questions
10:12 Reducing Complexity for Better Outcomes
12:09 Leading Distributed Engineering Teams
14:03 Building Predictable Rhythms & Expectations
15:58 Technical Debt vs. Necessary Complexity
17:30 Creating a Culture Where Engineers Feel Safe Speaking Up
19:03 What Steve Looks for When Hiring Developers
21:18 Why Mentorship Accelerates Team Growth
22:40 When to Step Back as a Technical Leader
24:11 Coaching Engineers Through Hard Problems
26:05 Final Thoughts & What Steve Wishes He Knew Earlier
End: Closing Remarks
Keywords:
Software Without Borders, Andy Hilliard, Scott Pollov, Steve Petersen, engineering leadership, software architecture, distributed engineering teams, global teams, technical mentorship, engineering culture, communication in engineering, technical debt, software development leadership, scaling teams

In this episode of Software Without Borders, we sit down with Joe Forgét—founder of Igniting Momentum and a leader who has lived through mergers, global team integrations, and the uncomfortable-but-necessary transitions that define high-growth companies. Joe breaks down what really happens when organizations hit those inflection points: culture drift, misalignment, operational chaos, and the quiet pressure founders and leaders carry while trying to scale.
Guest Introduction:
Joe Forgét is the founder of Igniting Momentum, a leadership and operations coach who helps growing companies rebuild clarity, alignment, and execution discipline. With deep experience leading global teams through mergers, restructures, and rapid scale, Joe blends operating system rigor with human-centered leadership. His work centers on creating momentum through intentional rhythms, strategic alignment, and practical accountability structures.
Key Takeaways:
Companies often realize they need help when they hit the moment Joe calls: “The business owns me now.”
Momentum comes from structured operating rhythms — not heroic effort.
Frameworks like EOS, Pinnacle, and System & Soul provide scaffolding, but must be tailored to each organization.
Early-stage founders may not need full frameworks yet, but scale-ups absolutely do.
Mergers & acquisitions create cultural collisions; alignment must come before acceleration.
Empowerment only works when role clarity and accountability structures are in place.
Progress must be viewed through “the gap and the gain,” recognizing wins instead of only missing pieces.
Chapter Markers:
0:00 Welcome back to Software Without Borders
0:23 Introducing guest Joe Forgét
2:17 Joe’s discovery of coaching
4:11 The Ignition Framework (Align → Activate → Accelerate)
6:22 EOS, Pinnacle, System & Soul explained
8:04 Coaching in fast-growth organizations
9:47 The moment leaders realize the business owns them
11:35 Measuring early momentum
15:51 The Gap and the Gain mindset
17:02 People-first additions in newer operating frameworks
20:03 Why implementation must be customized
23:35 Cultural blending in mergers
26:58 Choosing between scale, exit, or reinvention
30:25 Post-inflection indicators that help is needed
33:12 Role clarity as empowerment
35:05 Why coaches need their own coaches
End: Closing insights and wrap-up
Keywords:
Software Without Borders, Andy Hilliard, Scott Pollov, Joe Forget, Igniting Momentum, leadership coaching, operating rhythms, EOS, System and Soul, business scaling, mergers and acquisitions, organizational alignment, executive coaching, leadership frameworks, global team leadership

In this episode of Software Without Borders, we sit down with Joe Forgét—founder of Igniting Momentum and a leader who has lived through mergers, global team integrations, and the uncomfortable-but-necessary transitions that define high-growth companies. Joe breaks down what really happens when organizations hit those inflection points: culture drift, misalignment, operational chaos, and the quiet pressure founders and leaders carry while trying to scale.
Guest Introduction:
Joe Forgét is the founder of Igniting Momentum, a leadership and operations coach who helps growing companies rebuild clarity, alignment, and execution discipline. With deep experience leading global teams through mergers, restructures, and rapid scale, Joe blends operating system rigor with human-centered leadership. His work centers on creating momentum through intentional rhythms, strategic alignment, and practical accountability structures.
Key Takeaways:
Companies often realize they need help when they hit the moment Joe calls: “The business owns me now.”
Momentum comes from structured operating rhythms — not heroic effort.
Frameworks like EOS, Pinnacle, and System & Soul provide scaffolding, but must be tailored to each organization.
Early-stage founders may not need full frameworks yet, but scale-ups absolutely do.
Mergers & acquisitions create cultural collisions; alignment must come before acceleration.
Empowerment only works when role clarity and accountability structures are in place.
Progress must be viewed through “the gap and the gain,” recognizing wins instead of only missing pieces.
Chapter Markers:
0:00 Welcome back to Software Without Borders
0:23 Introducing guest Joe Forgét
2:17 Joe’s discovery of coaching
4:11 The Ignition Framework (Align → Activate → Accelerate)
6:22 EOS, Pinnacle, System & Soul explained
8:04 Coaching in fast-growth organizations
9:47 The moment leaders realize the business owns them
11:35 Measuring early momentum
15:51 The Gap and the Gain mindset
17:02 People-first additions in newer operating frameworks
20:03 Why implementation must be customized
23:35 Cultural blending in mergers
26:58 Choosing between scale, exit, or reinvention
30:25 Post-inflection indicators that help is needed
33:12 Role clarity as empowerment
35:05 Why coaches need their own coaches
End: Closing insights and wrap-up
Keywords:
Software Without Borders, Andy Hilliard, Scott Pollov, Joe Forget, Igniting Momentum, leadership coaching, operating rhythms, EOS, System and Soul, business scaling, mergers and acquisitions, organizational alignment, executive coaching, leadership frameworks, global team leadership

In this episode of Software Without Borders, Andy and Scott sit down with Kristina Crane, transformational executive, fractional COO/CSO, and CEO of The Canyons Group, to unpack what it really takes to lead organizations through AI-driven change. Kristina draws on 25+ years across SaaS, government tech, and operational transformation to explain how companies can embrace AI without losing their people, culture, or strategic focus. From building a “culture of curiosity” to using proven software-industry frameworks for prioritization, Kristina brings a grounded, practical perspective on how leaders can move fast and smart.
 
Guest Introduction:
Kristina Crane is a transformational executive and fractional COO/CSO with deep expertise in AI adoption, organizational change, and strategic operations. As CEO of The Canyons Group, she helps government agencies, enterprises, and growth-stage companies navigate complex transitions with a framework centered on “Navigate to Elevate.” Kristina spent 12+ years at STC Health leading a major shift from a dev-shop model to a scaled SaaS organization, driving 10x revenue and 60% efficiency gains through AI.
Key Takeaways:
AI transformation is a people problem first—tech only works when teams understand the “why” and feel empowered. episode-37
Companies must balance curiosity with prioritization to avoid shiny-object chaos.
The software industry provides proven frameworks (like RICE) that non-tech organizations can use to evaluate AI opportunities.
Old-school executive teams need a business-first, tech-translated approach to adopt AI successfully.
Strategic planning cycles must speed up—leaders should revisit their business model, ICP, and value proposition every 12–36 months.
Consultants accelerate outcomes not because of frameworks, but because of pattern recognition and objective accountability.
Chapter Markers:
0:00 Intro
1:07 Welcome to Software Without Borders
1:12 Introducing Guest — Kristina Crane
1:56 Kristina’s Background in Strategy, SaaS & GovTech
3:41 Teaching Roots → Consulting → SaaS Incubation
5:58 Transition to STC Health & Leading SaaS Transformation
6:34 Difference Between Kale Crane & The Canyons Group
8:08 AI FOMO, Human Intelligence & Organizational Change
9:03 Navigating Noise & Extremes Around AI
10:26 What AI Forces Every Organization to Learn
12:30 How Old-School Exec Teams Can Embrace AI
14:14 Culture of Curiosity & Empowering Teams
15:34 Guardrails, Governance & Safe Experimentation
16:57 When to Bring in Technologists
17:12 Prioritization Frameworks (RICE & ICE)
18:54 Governance Policies & Early-Stage Experimentation
19:29 Curiosity Champion Groups & Brown-Bag Cycles
22:22 Training Teams to Think Like Product Organizations
23:19 Overcoming Fear & Starting Small
23:46 Strategy vs. Operations — Big Picture Impacts
24:58 Business Model Iteration in the AI Era
26:51 The SaaS Business Model Shift as an Analogy
28:12 Professional Services & White-Collar AI Disruption
29:37 Innovating Without Breaking the Core Business
30:01 Leading Large-Scale Change Inside Mature Organizations
32:21 Why Consultants Matter in AI Transformation
33:15 Seeing Blind Spots & Reading Culture
34:10 Accountability, Execution & “Skinned Knees”
35:13 The Hardest Transformation Leaders Will Face
End Closing Thoughts
Keywords:
Software Without Borders, Andy Hilliard, Scott Pollov, Kristina Crane, The Canyons Group, AI transformation, organizational change, SaaS transformation, leadership, culture of curiosity, AI adoption, operational strategy, RICE prioritization, business model evolution, enterprise AI, government tech

In this episode of Software Without Borders, Andy and Scott sit down with Kristina Crane, transformational executive, fractional COO/CSO, and CEO of The Canyons Group, to unpack what it really takes to lead organizations through AI-driven change. Kristina draws on 25+ years across SaaS, government tech, and operational transformation to explain how companies can embrace AI without losing their people, culture, or strategic focus. From building a “culture of curiosity” to using proven software-industry frameworks for prioritization, Kristina brings a grounded, practical perspective on how leaders can move fast and smart.
 
Guest Introduction:
Kristina Crane is a transformational executive and fractional COO/CSO with deep expertise in AI adoption, organizational change, and strategic operations. As CEO of The Canyons Group, she helps government agencies, enterprises, and growth-stage companies navigate complex transitions with a framework centered on “Navigate to Elevate.” Kristina spent 12+ years at STC Health leading a major shift from a dev-shop model to a scaled SaaS organization, driving 10x revenue and 60% efficiency gains through AI.
Key Takeaways:
AI transformation is a people problem first—tech only works when teams understand the “why” and feel empowered. episode-37
Companies must balance curiosity with prioritization to avoid shiny-object chaos.
The software industry provides proven frameworks (like RICE) that non-tech organizations can use to evaluate AI opportunities.
Old-school executive teams need a business-first, tech-translated approach to adopt AI successfully.
Strategic planning cycles must speed up—leaders should revisit their business model, ICP, and value proposition every 12–36 months.
Consultants accelerate outcomes not because of frameworks, but because of pattern recognition and objective accountability.
Chapter Markers:
0:00 Intro
1:07 Welcome to Software Without Borders
1:12 Introducing Guest — Kristina Crane
1:56 Kristina’s Background in Strategy, SaaS & GovTech
3:41 Teaching Roots → Consulting → SaaS Incubation
5:58 Transition to STC Health & Leading SaaS Transformation
6:34 Difference Between Kale Crane & The Canyons Group
8:08 AI FOMO, Human Intelligence & Organizational Change
9:03 Navigating Noise & Extremes Around AI
10:26 What AI Forces Every Organization to Learn
12:30 How Old-School Exec Teams Can Embrace AI
14:14 Culture of Curiosity & Empowering Teams
15:34 Guardrails, Governance & Safe Experimentation
16:57 When to Bring in Technologists
17:12 Prioritization Frameworks (RICE & ICE)
18:54 Governance Policies & Early-Stage Experimentation
19:29 Curiosity Champion Groups & Brown-Bag Cycles
22:22 Training Teams to Think Like Product Organizations
23:19 Overcoming Fear & Starting Small
23:46 Strategy vs. Operations — Big Picture Impacts
24:58 Business Model Iteration in the AI Era
26:51 The SaaS Business Model Shift as an Analogy
28:12 Professional Services & White-Collar AI Disruption
29:37 Innovating Without Breaking the Core Business
30:01 Leading Large-Scale Change Inside Mature Organizations
32:21 Why Consultants Matter in AI Transformation
33:15 Seeing Blind Spots & Reading Culture
34:10 Accountability, Execution & “Skinned Knees”
35:13 The Hardest Transformation Leaders Will Face
End Closing Thoughts
Keywords:
Software Without Borders, Andy Hilliard, Scott Pollov, Kristina Crane, The Canyons Group, AI transformation, organizational change, SaaS transformation, leadership, culture of curiosity, AI adoption, operational strategy, RICE prioritization, business model evolution, enterprise AI, government tech

In this episode of Software Without Borders Podcast, Andy Hilliard sits down with Olivier Poulard, Accelerance’s Head of Global Software Engineering Strategies, to unpack one of the biggest myths in global software delivery: that adding more people solves delivery problems. Olivier shares what really drives predictability—clear alignment across people, process, technology, and data—and why so many organizations unknowingly “scale chaos.” Together, they dive into recurring SDLC pitfalls, hidden costs, and proven frameworks to turn fragmented delivery into a cohesive, measurable system. If you lead distributed teams or manage offshore partners, this conversation delivers a playbook for building sustainable, high-quality software outcomes.
 
Guest Introduction:
Olivier Poulard leads Global Software Engineering Strategies at Accelerance, bringing decades of experience on both sides of the delivery equation—as a global client managing teams of over 1,000 engineers and as a strategic partner architecting offshore and nearshore delivery systems. His practical, systems-level insights help clients design efficient, scalable, and high-performing software operations built on clarity and alignment rather than chaos.
 
Key Takeaways:
You can’t scale chaos—adding people only multiplies inefficiency without fixing underlying issues.
True delivery success requires alignment across people, process, technology, and data.
Clear, complete requirements (including transition and information requirements) prevent rework and estimation failures.
“Definition of Done” is critical for predictability—teams need shared clarity on what completion means.
Leaders must control scope and observe team dynamics to restore stability before scaling again.
Context switching, unclear requirements, and unmanaged change requests are among the costliest hidden inefficiencies.
Chapter Markers:
0:00 Intro
0:09 Guest Introduction: Olivier Poulard
1:16 Evolution of Accelerance’s Consulting Arm
3:03 The Myth of “Adding More People”
5:09 Aligning Clients and Partners for Real Outcomes
8:18 Why You Can’t Scale Chaos
10:46 The Two-to-Tango Rule in Global Delivery
12:28 Top SDLC Bottlenecks: Ambiguous Requirements & Bad Estimation
18:42 Building Predictable Estimation Models
21:19 The Power of a Strong Definition of Done
22:24 Using Checklists to Stabilize Teams
24:00 The Hidden Costs of Context Switching
27:13 Controlling Change Before It Controls You
29:11 Restoring Predictability Without Stalling Delivery
32:37 Measuring Team Health and Stress Indicators
34:03 Final Thoughts on Effective Partner Collaboration
 
Keywords:
Software Without Borders, Andy Hilliard, Olivier Poulard, Accelerance, software delivery, global engineering, software development lifecycle, SDLC bottlenecks, outsourcing strategy, agile transformation, software estimation, offshore teams, nearshore delivery, global software operations, leadership in tech

In this episode of Software Without Borders Podcast, Andy Hilliard sits down with Olivier Poulard, Accelerance’s Head of Global Software Engineering Strategies, to unpack one of the biggest myths in global software delivery: that adding more people solves delivery problems. Olivier shares what really drives predictability—clear alignment across people, process, technology, and data—and why so many organizations unknowingly “scale chaos.” Together, they dive into recurring SDLC pitfalls, hidden costs, and proven frameworks to turn fragmented delivery into a cohesive, measurable system. If you lead distributed teams or manage offshore partners, this conversation delivers a playbook for building sustainable, high-quality software outcomes.
Guest Introduction:
Olivier Poulard leads Global Software Engineering Strategies at Accelerance, bringing decades of experience on both sides of the delivery equation—as a global client managing teams of over 1,000 engineers and as a strategic partner architecting offshore and nearshore delivery systems. His practical, systems-level insights help clients design efficient, scalable, and high-performing software operations built on clarity and alignment rather than chaos.
 
Key Takeaways:
You can’t scale chaos—adding people only multiplies inefficiency without fixing underlying issues.
True delivery success requires alignment across people, process, technology, and data.
Clear, complete requirements (including transition and information requirements) prevent rework and estimation failures.
“Definition of Done” is critical for predictability—teams need shared clarity on what completion means.
Leaders must control scope and observe team dynamics to restore stability before scaling again.
Context switching, unclear requirements, and unmanaged change requests are among the costliest hidden inefficiencies.
Chapter Markers:
0:00 Intro
0:09 Guest Introduction: Olivier Poulard
1:16 Evolution of Accelerance’s Consulting Arm
3:03 The Myth of “Adding More People”
5:09 Aligning Clients and Partners for Real Outcomes
8:18 Why You Can’t Scale Chaos
10:46 The Two-to-Tango Rule in Global Delivery
12:28 Top SDLC Bottlenecks: Ambiguous Requirements & Bad Estimation
18:42 Building Predictable Estimation Models
21:19 The Power of a Strong Definition of Done
22:24 Using Checklists to Stabilize Teams
24:00 The Hidden Costs of Context Switching
27:13 Controlling Change Before It Controls You
29:11 Restoring Predictability Without Stalling Delivery
32:37 Measuring Team Health and Stress Indicators
34:03 Final Thoughts on Effective Partner Collaboration
 
Keywords:
Software Without Borders, Andy Hilliard, Olivier Poulard, Accelerance, software delivery, global engineering, software development lifecycle, SDLC bottlenecks, outsourcing strategy, agile transformation, software estimation, offshore teams, nearshore delivery, global software operations, leadership in tech