Greater Than Code

The Human Side of Technology

About the show

For a long time, tech culture has focused too narrowly on technical skills; this has resulted in a tech community that too often puts companies and code over people. Greater Than Code is a podcast that invites the voices of people who are not heard from enough in tech: women, people of color, trans and/or queer folks, to talk about the human side of software development and technology. Greater Than Code is providing a vital platform for these conversations, and developing new ideas of what it means to be a technologist beyond just the code.

Featuring an ongoing panel of racially and gender diverse tech panelists, the majority of podcast guests so far have been women in tech! We’ve covered topics including imposter syndrome, mental illness, sexuality, unconscious bias and social justice. We also have a major focus on skill sets that tech too often devalues, like team-building, hiring, community organizing, mentorship and empathy. Each episode also includes a transcript.

We have an active Slack community that members can join by pledging as little as $1 per month via Patreon.

Greater Than Code on social media

Episodes

  • 091: Solving Puzzles and Productive Failure with Kim Vanderspek

    August 1st, 2018  |  47 mins 44 secs

    In this episode, Kim Vanderspek talks about solving puzzles and teaching others to do the same by using technology to visualize math by quilting, sewing, Playdough, and other mediums. She also explains why failure is an important part of success, and why perseverance matters over content.

  • 090: The Journey with Chelsea Troy

    July 25th, 2018  |  58 mins 43 secs

    In this episode, Chelsea Troy joins the show to talk about measuring participation in meetings, cultivating questions kindly without assumption or judgement, and the problem with claiming to be “self-taught”.

  • 089: Something Something Agile with Noel Rappin

    July 18th, 2018  |  57 mins 31 secs

    In this episode, Noel Rappin is back to talk about tech consequences, cultural patterns of how organizations develop software, the pros and cons of Agile, and metaphors for software engineering.

  • 088: The Safety 2 Dance with Steven Shorrock

    July 11th, 2018  |  1 hr 3 mins

    In this episode, Chartered Psychologist, Ergonomist and Human Factors Specialist, Steven Shorrock talks about system performance and human wellbeing, asset-based community development, and Safety-I & Safety-II, which defines safety as the ability to succeed under varying conditions.

  • 087: The Jazz of Empathy with Chad Fowler

    July 3rd, 2018  |  1 hr 5 mins

    In this episode, we are joined by Chad Fowler, who talks a lot about mental health, and specifically bipolar disorder. Practicing empathy and compassion is also discussed, as well as merit-based rewards systems, management, and leadership.

  • 086: Culture Is A Community Growing Together with Jesse Oliver Sanford

    June 27th, 2018  |  1 hr 9 mins

    In this episode, we are joined by Jesse Oliver Sanford, who talks about cognitive science, the importance of cultural capital, flow, and the way people think when they write code.

  • 085: BOOK CLUB! Technically Wrong with Sara Wachter-Boettcher

    June 20th, 2018  |  48 mins 21 secs

    For our second Book Club episode, Sara Wachter-Boettcher joins us to talk about her book, Technically Wrong: Sexist Apps, Biased Algorithms, and Other Threats of Toxic Tech.

  • 084: Federation Is Bad with Aurynn Shaw

    June 13th, 2018  |  53 mins 55 secs

    After a particularly compelling conversation after Auyrnn Shaw’s last episode, we invited her back on the show to talk about why federation is problematic in Internet society.

  • 083: Programming As An Identity with Tim Chevalier

    June 6th, 2018  |  1 hr 1 min

    Tim Chevalier talks about the collision of values within the programming industry and the meaning and measurement of intelligence, using programming to satisfy emotional needs and form identity, and merit and identity as a zero-sum game.

  • 082: Effective Change in Communities and Cultures with Aurynn Shaw

    May 30th, 2018  |  58 mins 9 secs

    Aurynn Shaw joins the show to talk about contempt culture, as well as why technology is political, and the cultural impact of DevOps.

  • 081: Your Emotional API with John K. Sawers

    May 23rd, 2018  |  53 mins 41 secs

    Our newest panelist, John K. Sawers, talks about his Emotional API project, and why it’s important for developers to be in touch with and process feelings.

  • 080: Crafting A Community with Kris Howard

    May 16th, 2018  |  1 hr 6 mins

    In this episode, Kris Howard talks about the similarities (and differences) between software and knitting communities. She also dives into her tweet about gender differences in “crafting” and why using the terms “craftsman” and “guys” to include all genders makes women uncomfortable.

  • 079: Respect As Currency with Richard Schneeman

    May 9th, 2018  |  1 hr 11 mins

    In this episode, Richard Schneeman talks about the skill and art of troubleshooting bugs, interviewing and evaluating job candidates, empathy in open source, and bringing open source values into company culture.

  • 078: Caring About Healthcare with Kenzi Connor and Laurie Voss

    May 2nd, 2018  |  55 mins 37 secs

    In this episode, Kenzi Connor and Laurie Voss talk about trans-inclusive healthcare.

  • 077: Creating Space to Shine with Anjuan Simmons

    April 25th, 2018  |  59 mins 11 secs

    In this episode, Anjuan Simmons talks about empowering others, creating space to allow people to be the best versions of themselves, and building authentic and constructive relationships.

  • Special Edition: Code Is Social! LIVE from RailsConf 2018

    April 23rd, 2018  |  54 mins 19 secs

    In this special episode of Greater Than Code, the panelists and guest panelists talk to an audience live from RailsConf 2018 about our relationship with our code, and the ways we have emotional ties with what we do, but also how there’s more to it than that.