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	<title>Straker Carryer's Blog</title>
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		<title>Levels of enterprise maturity: how to create observability at scale</title>
		<link>https://strakercarryer.com/posts/levels-of-enterprise-maturity/</link>
					<comments>https://strakercarryer.com/posts/levels-of-enterprise-maturity/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Straker]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sun, 02 Aug 2026 22:12:56 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[AI]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Communication]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Organization]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Process]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://strakercarryer.com/?p=15673</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>When I started at Zillow, one of the first things that was needed was creating a system of observability and accountability at the team level. What's the status of that project? Are we prioritizing correctly? What aren't we doing? These are basic questions that anyone in an organization should be able to answer without needing to ask someone.</p>
<p>I have found three at answers at scale at the company level. This post details these levels of enterprise maturity and gives a starting point to help you grow if you're starting at the beginning like many are!</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://strakercarryer.com/posts/levels-of-enterprise-maturity/">Levels of enterprise maturity: how to create observability at scale</a> first appeared on <a href="https://strakercarryer.com">Straker Carryer's Blog</a>.</p>]]></description>
		
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		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">15673</post-id>	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Managing WordPress: now with Claude!</title>
		<link>https://strakercarryer.com/posts/blogging-with-wordpress-now-with-claude/</link>
					<comments>https://strakercarryer.com/posts/blogging-with-wordpress-now-with-claude/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Straker]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 06 Jul 2026 02:12:15 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[AI]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Blog]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://strakercarryer.com/?p=15460</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Oh Bluehost, how I hate you. I already blogged long ago how I got suckered, but distinguishing my hosting from my blog tech stack is important; they are two separate things!</p>
<p>Recently, my posts weren't notifying subscribers due to the cron not running. So, I installed WP Control for observability into the system to see what was going on. All this did was confirm that my email notifications from MailPoet weren't going out. But why? And how did you know this was a cron issue, Straker? Claude!</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://strakercarryer.com/posts/blogging-with-wordpress-now-with-claude/">Managing WordPress: now with Claude!</a> first appeared on <a href="https://strakercarryer.com">Straker Carryer's Blog</a>.</p>]]></description>
		
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		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">15460</post-id>	</item>
		<item>
		<title>So, you want to be an AI builder? Part 2: Spec-Driven Development (SDD)</title>
		<link>https://strakercarryer.com/posts/so-you-want-to-be-an-ai-builder-part-2-spec-driven-development-sdd/</link>
					<comments>https://strakercarryer.com/posts/so-you-want-to-be-an-ai-builder-part-2-spec-driven-development-sdd/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Straker]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 29 Jun 2026 02:13:17 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[AI]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://strakercarryer.com/?p=15610</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Last week, I blogged about being a builder and getting your computer setup. But before you go off to the races and start agentic coding, we need to be sure you have a collaboration model setup with your team. Your chat history is stored locally and cannot be viewed by your peers to “keep up.” At the same time, while development may be faster now, producing more features that don’t move the needle and are hard to maintain is an anti-goal; that is how you end up with a confusing product like Jira instead of a product grounded in strategy.</p>
<p>If you want to run fast, run alone. If you want to run far, run together.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://strakercarryer.com/posts/so-you-want-to-be-an-ai-builder-part-2-spec-driven-development-sdd/">So, you want to be an AI builder? Part 2: Spec-Driven Development (SDD)</a> first appeared on <a href="https://strakercarryer.com">Straker Carryer's Blog</a>.</p>]]></description>
		
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		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">15610</post-id>	</item>
		<item>
		<title>So, you want to be an AI builder? Part 1: Get your computer setup</title>
		<link>https://strakercarryer.com/posts/so-you-want-to-be-a-builder-part-1/</link>
					<comments>https://strakercarryer.com/posts/so-you-want-to-be-a-builder-part-1/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Straker]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sun, 21 Jun 2026 12:28:31 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[AI]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://strakercarryer.com/?p=15544</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Last week, I blogged about PMs becoming "AI builders." Step 1 to enable this? Getting your local development environment setup. Note that I have completed this both on Windows and Mac. In 2026, with Powershell + IDEs like VSCode, development in Windows is doable! However, Mac &#038; Linux still reign supreme for development; I recommend the switch for this role if you are on Windows today.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://strakercarryer.com/posts/so-you-want-to-be-a-builder-part-1/">So, you want to be an AI builder? Part 1: Get your computer setup</a> first appeared on <a href="https://strakercarryer.com">Straker Carryer's Blog</a>.</p>]]></description>
		
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		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">15544</post-id>	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Do we need to change how we work? What AI native teams look like.</title>
		<link>https://strakercarryer.com/posts/what-ai-native-teams-look-like/</link>
					<comments>https://strakercarryer.com/posts/what-ai-native-teams-look-like/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Straker]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sun, 14 Jun 2026 17:53:37 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[AI]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Organization]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://strakercarryer.com/?p=15546</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Every day, there are new articles sharing that organizational models and ways of working must change in our new AI-enabled world. If this is actually happening, then what does this actually mean or look like in terms of how we work together in the modern era? That's what this post will explore!</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://strakercarryer.com/posts/what-ai-native-teams-look-like/">Do we need to change how we work? What AI native teams look like.</a> first appeared on <a href="https://strakercarryer.com">Straker Carryer's Blog</a>.</p>]]></description>
		
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		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">15546</post-id>	</item>
		<item>
		<title>AI is great, but the slop problem is real</title>
		<link>https://strakercarryer.com/posts/ai-is-great-but-the-slop-problem-is-real/</link>
					<comments>https://strakercarryer.com/posts/ai-is-great-but-the-slop-problem-is-real/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Straker]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 05 May 2026 03:54:32 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[AI]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://strakercarryer.com/?p=15385</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Say it with me: AI is tool, not an outcome. What matters are outcomes.</p>
<p>You know what nobody asked for? More low-quality Product Requirements Documents (PRDs). This is what the slop problem has created though, ironically decreasing overall organizational efficiency for the only thing that matters: speed to delivery. Everyone is so focused on improving their own personal efficiency they've lost sight of what matters: the organizational efficiency.</p>
<p>Read the post to avoid common traps and level up your approach to using AI in your daily workflow.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://strakercarryer.com/posts/ai-is-great-but-the-slop-problem-is-real/">AI is great, but the slop problem is real</a> first appeared on <a href="https://strakercarryer.com">Straker Carryer's Blog</a>.</p>]]></description>
		
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		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">15385</post-id>	</item>
		<item>
		<title>AmEx Credit Card Changes: Still Worth It?</title>
		<link>https://strakercarryer.com/posts/amex-credit-card-changes-still-worth-it/</link>
					<comments>https://strakercarryer.com/posts/amex-credit-card-changes-still-worth-it/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Straker]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 24 Mar 2026 01:15:37 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Finance Tips]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://strakercarryer.com/?p=15003</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>2025 didn't just bring about changes to Chase, but AmEx as well.</p>
<p>In case you missed it, the TL;DR is that the AmEx Platinum annual fee is hiking from $695 to $895 (a 29% increase), compared to the Chase Sapphire Reserve's 45% increase.</p>
<p>Are the AmEx cards still worth it? Do I still recommend Chase over AmEx? Read the details to find out!</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://strakercarryer.com/posts/amex-credit-card-changes-still-worth-it/">AmEx Credit Card Changes: Still Worth It?</a> first appeared on <a href="https://strakercarryer.com">Straker Carryer's Blog</a>.</p>]]></description>
		
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			<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		
		
		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">15003</post-id>	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Chase Sapphire Credit Card Changes in 2025: Still Worth It?</title>
		<link>https://strakercarryer.com/posts/chase-sapphire-credit-card-changes-in-2025-still-worth-it/</link>
					<comments>https://strakercarryer.com/posts/chase-sapphire-credit-card-changes-in-2025-still-worth-it/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Straker]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 12 Sep 2025 02:19:09 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Finance Tips]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://strakercarryer.com/?p=11956</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Two years ago, I shared with everyone one of many many hobbies: the credit card game. Since then, I have kept up with updates, but 2025 is bringing about such sweeping changes I need to not just update past posts, but completely rewrite them.</p>
<p>In case you missed it, the TL;DR is that the Chase Sapphire Reserve (CSR) annual fee is hiking from $550 to $795 (a 45% increase) and the Sapphire point redemption bonuses in the Chase Ultimate Rewards (UR) portal is being replaced by "Points Boost."</p>
<p>Are the cards still worth it? Read the details to find out!</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://strakercarryer.com/posts/chase-sapphire-credit-card-changes-in-2025-still-worth-it/">Chase Sapphire Credit Card Changes in 2025: Still Worth It?</a> first appeared on <a href="https://strakercarryer.com">Straker Carryer's Blog</a>.</p>]]></description>
		
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		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">11956</post-id>	</item>
		<item>
		<title>So, You Want to Use OKRs?</title>
		<link>https://strakercarryer.com/posts/so-you-want-to-use-okrs/</link>
					<comments>https://strakercarryer.com/posts/so-you-want-to-use-okrs/#comments</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Straker]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sun, 06 Jul 2025 16:10:40 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Process]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://strakercarryer.com/?p=9245</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>I have noticed an unexplainable obsession with the Objective Key Result (OKR) framework across multiple companies. Never have they created clarity, prioritization, and purpose — benefits regularly attributed to OKRs — but instead wasted effort, ambiguity, and a laundry list of priorities. </p>
<p>Why are we still, in 2025, obsessed with a framework created 50 years ago at a now failing company? I have seen obsession with this framework violate my favorite principle from the Agile Manifesto, written about 30 years after the creation of the OKR framework: "Individuals and interactions over processes and tools."</p>
<p>Dive in to learn what OKRs actually are, how they are commonly misused, and how not to make common mistakes if you are using them.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://strakercarryer.com/posts/so-you-want-to-use-okrs/">So, You Want to Use OKRs?</a> first appeared on <a href="https://strakercarryer.com">Straker Carryer's Blog</a>.</p>]]></description>
		
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		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">9245</post-id>	</item>
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		<title>Creating a Pyramid of Radical Candor through Scaled Weekly Summaries</title>
		<link>https://strakercarryer.com/posts/creating-a-pyramid-of-radical-candor-through-scaled-weekly-summaries/</link>
					<comments>https://strakercarryer.com/posts/creating-a-pyramid-of-radical-candor-through-scaled-weekly-summaries/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Straker]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sun, 06 Oct 2024 19:20:34 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Communication]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Organization]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Process]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Remote Culture]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://strakercarryer.com/?p=8881</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Following up on my post about writing personal weekly summaries, this post explains how you can scale the process to your entire organization. In doing so, you create a "pyramid of radical candor" that directly combats insular communication.</p>
<p>But wait, there's more! If you have reasons to share your org roll-up externally, the leader of that org can filter the document to make an external version. Pyramids within pyramids...</p>
<p>This is especially valuable if you are in a remote environment or in an organization where different roles report to different leaders. This mechanism maximizes communication flow and minimizes your time spent in status update meetings.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://strakercarryer.com/posts/creating-a-pyramid-of-radical-candor-through-scaled-weekly-summaries/">Creating a Pyramid of Radical Candor through Scaled Weekly Summaries</a> first appeared on <a href="https://strakercarryer.com">Straker Carryer's Blog</a>.</p>]]></description>
		
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		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">8881</post-id>	</item>
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