All of us here have some idea of what we mean when speaking about "Configuration Management". Unfortunately, we are rarely alone in the world carrying out great deeds. There is a massive population on the planet that simply looks with a deadened gaze when we talk about what we do, yet they manage to “manage” configurations all the time. What if it didn't have to be that way? What if we learned how to speak in the different technical "languages" to help others understand the value being provided? Let’s take a look at some different approaches to help coworkers understand (and maybe even participate) in the work that we do.

1. My Parents Configured Their Living
Michael Goetz
Automation Consulting Engineer @ Chef Software, Inc.
mpgoetz@getchef.com

2. Who Am I?

3. Who Am I?
• Sysadmin

4. Who Am I?
• Sysadmin
• Developer

5. Who Am I?
• Sysadmin
• Developer
• Ex-Military Translator

6. Who Am I?
• Sysadmin
• Developer
• Ex-Military Translator
• Ex-Journalist

7. Who Am I?
• Sysadmin
• Developer
• Ex-Military Translator
• Ex-Journalist
• Ex-Project Manager

8. Who Am I?
• Sysadmin
• Developer
• Ex-Military Translator
• Ex-Journalist
• Ex-Project Manager
• Ex-Release Engineer

9. Who Am I?
• Sysadmin
• Developer
• Ex-Military Translator
• Ex-Journalist
• Ex-Project Manager
• Ex-Release Engineer
• Explainer of Things

11. A visit to my father’s house…
“Can you take a look at the TV? I can’t seem to get Netflix working.”

12. A visit to my father’s house…
“Can you take a look at the TV? I can’t seem to get Netflix working.”

13. A visit to my father’s house…
“Can you take a look at the TV? I can’t seem to get Netflix working.”

14. Connect All The Things
• Smart TV
!
• Blu-ray Player
!
• Wifi
!
• Cable

15. Wow, such technology, confusing

16. Wow, such technology, confusing
• Smart TV

17. Wow, such technology, confusing
• Smart TV
• Wifi

18. Wow, such technology, confusing
• Smart TV
• Wifi
• Blu-ray

19. Wow, such technology, confusing
• Smart TV
• Wifi
• Blu-ray
• Cable

20. Wow, such technology, confusing
• Smart TV
• Wifi
• Blu-ray
• Cable
• Netflix

21. Wow, such technology, confusing
• Smart TV
• Wifi
• Blu-ray
• Cable
• Netflix
• Home Security

22. Wow, such technology, confusing
• Smart TV
• Wifi
• Blu-ray
• Cable
• Netflix
• Home Security
• and more…

23. Wow, such technology, confusing - The Sequel

24. Wow, such technology, confusing - The Sequel
• Hardware

25. Wow, such technology, confusing - The Sequel
• Hardware
• Network

26. Wow, such technology, confusing - The Sequel
• Hardware
• Network
• Storage

27. Wow, such technology, confusing - The Sequel
• Hardware
• Network
• Storage
• Services

28. Wow, such technology, confusing - The Sequel
• Hardware
• Network
• Storage
• Services
• Content Delivery

29. Wow, such technology, confusing - The Sequel
• Hardware
• Network
• Storage
• Services
• Content Delivery
• Security

30. Wow, such technology, confusing - The Sequel
• Hardware
• Network
• Storage
• Services
• Content Delivery
• Security
• and more…

31. Situational Awareness
“If you don’t know where you are going, you might end up
someplace else.”
- Yogi Berra

32. Everyone Is Smart

33. Everyone Is Smart
• Find the passion

34. Everyone Is Smart
• Find the passion
• Listen to what they’re saying

35. Everyone Is Smart
• Find the passion
• Listen to what they’re saying
• Respect the experience

36. Talking Down vs. Discussing Up

37. Talking Down vs. Discussing Up
• “OK?”

38. Talking Down vs. Discussing Up
• “OK?”
• Aiming too low

39. Talking Down vs. Discussing Up
• “OK?”
• Aiming too low
• Expertise Bias

40. Just Enough Config For Success

41. Just Enough Config For Success
• The flux capacitor

42. Just Enough Config For Success
• The flux capacitor
• What’s this button do?

43. Just Enough Config For Success
• The flux capacitor
• What’s this button do?
• These are not the droids you’re looking
for

44. Speaking On Their Terms
“Understanding is a two-way street.”
- Eleanor Roosevelt

45. Pick Your Poison

46. Pick Your Poison
• It’s their language, not yours

47. Pick Your Poison
• It’s their language, not yours
• Let me speak

48. Pick Your Poison
• It’s their language, not yours
• Let me speak
• So it’s like…

49. Analogous Analogies
http://www.infocellar.com/software/files-folders.htm

50. Analogous Analogies
• Spinning a tale
http://www.infocellar.com/software/files-folders.htm

51. Analogous Analogies
• Spinning a tale
• Keep it brief
http://www.infocellar.com/software/files-folders.htm

52. Analogous Analogies
• Spinning a tale
• Keep it brief
• If they still look confused, your analogy
sucks
http://www.infocellar.com/software/files-folders.htm

53. Know Everything… Or Enough To Seem Like It

54. Know Everything… Or Enough To Seem Like It
• Do your research

55. Know Everything… Or Enough To Seem Like It
• Do your research
• Ask questions that mean something

56. Know Everything… Or Enough To Seem Like It
• Do your research
• Ask questions that mean something
• Listen and repeat

57. Pacing and Guiding
“The two most powerful warriors are
patience and time.”
- Leo Tolstoy

58. High Speed, Low Drag

59. High Speed, Low Drag
• Where’s the turbo button?

60. High Speed, Low Drag
• Where’s the turbo button?
• No one left behind

61. High Speed, Low Drag
• Where’s the turbo button?
• No one left behind
• Ramming Speed!

62. Frequent Checkups

63. Frequent Checkups
• Where did everybody go?

64. Frequent Checkups
• Where did everybody go?
• And your mouse trap should look like…. what
is that?

65. Infinity Loop
http://www.justsaypictures.com/infinity.html

66. Infinity Loop
• Pete, Pete and Repeat
http://www.justsaypictures.com/infinity.html

67. Infinity Loop
• Pete, Pete and Repeat
• That’s an odd reference
http://www.justsaypictures.com/infinity.html

68. Infinity Loop
• Pete, Pete and Repeat
• That’s an odd reference
• Resolution
http://www.justsaypictures.com/infinity.html

69. Recap
• Trust in the Experience of Others
• Talk with People, Not at People
• Protect Learners from Themselves
• Know Their Language
• Let Them Go Fast
• Check-in and check-out

70. Thanks!
• @michaelpgoetz
• mpgoetz@getchef.com
• https://micgo.net