Season 1, Episode 19 • 50:00

From DevOps to Novels: Richard Bown on Humane Engineering & Career Loops

Welcome back to I'm a Software Engineer ~ What Next? — the podcast for devs figuring out their next move. Hosted by James Wilson and Matt Sinclair, we talk honestly about what it takes to build a meaningful career in tech.

This week, we're joined by Richard Bown, DevOps engineer and author of Human Software — a novel that captures the messy, human side of engineering work.

In this episode, we cover:

• Richard's winding journey from IC to manager and back — and why that detour made him a better engineer
• Why burnout, bad management, and "culture fit" aren't bugs — they're design flaws
• How writing a novel helped Richard reflect on decades in tech — and why fiction can be a powerful tool for change

🗒️ Show Notes

• Human Software (Richard's book)
• Richard Bown's Website

🗣️ Guest

• Richard Bown — DevOps Engineer & Author: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richard-bown/

🎙 Hosts

• Matt: https://matthewsinclair.com
• James: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-wilson-92170656

🌐 More from us

• https://whatnext.dev/
• https://quantumfaxmachine.com/