The science of developer experience with Kristen Foster-Marks from Depot

In today’s episode, Rebecca chats with Kristen Foster-Marks, Head of Developer Experience at Depot. They discuss questionable “ghost engineer” research, why ethical, rigorous studies matter, and how developer experience makes a difference—even in a tough economy. Find the transcript at: https://www.unblocked.fm/episodes/kristen-foster-marks-depot/ Timestamps (0:00) Introductions(0:56) Kristen’s role at Depot(3:44) Defining science in developer experience(8:56) The “ghost engineers” controversy(16:02) Balancing peer review with research(19:17) What Kristen wants from quality research(22:09) Why developer experience matters(25:46) Developer experience in the modern world(29:58) The need for empirical studies(34:23) How sample sizes affect research validity(37:18) Replicating qualitative research(39:18) Applying research in practice Follow Kristen on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristenfostermarks/ Follow Rebecca on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rmurphey/

Om Podcasten

Keeping software engineers in flow and unblocked is one of the key responsibilities of software development leaders. In each episode of the Engineering Unblocked podcast, Rebecca Murphey interviews leaders who have navigated challenges of scale, complexity, and growth. You’ll hear from people with lived experience across the software development ecosystem, from CTOs and VPEs to directors and line managers to product managers, program managers, tech leads, and more.