Beth Adele Long

Cohort 1

Beta Cohort

Cut through complexity, learn quickly & ship faster. Master steel threads to confidently build from zero to MVP.

Beth Long

Build Better with Steel Threads

Resilience Engineer

Optimizer of Inspiration

Consultant

Makers know the drill: you have a great idea, get some early momentum, then questions and obstacles spring up:* What should this thing actually look like?* How long will it take to get there?* What invisible dependencies and booby traps are hiding along the way?* How do I get early validation from users that this thing even matters?* How do I maintain focus with so many competing priorities? A beautiful answer to these questions and more arrives in the shape of a steel thread. Little-known even within software engineering, steel threads help you span the distance between concept and successful MVP with a structured, disciplined approach to iterative development. This 2-week course will introduce you to the steel thread method by doing it. A few brief videos walk you through basic concepts, then we dive into designing the first steel thread for your project in a weekend workshop. You'll outline key steps, set scope, define tasks, and check the plan against your capacity. The following week, drop in to any of 4 optional troubleshooting sessions where we can look at what's tripping you up during implementation. The ethos of the steel thread is to take action and show your work, not to "succeed," so in the final workshop, you'll give a demo. Even if the week's steel thread isn't done. We'll also look at better ways to review your progress, moving beyond the typical "what went well, what went badly" model. Answer questions that yield deep insight so you can move forward with confidence.

Deliver faster than you thought possible

Course syllabus

Working understanding of software delivery methods

Experience delivering software at scale

The main events are 2 Saturday workshops. We'll shape your first steel thread in workshop 1, then demo and review in workshop 2.

2 Saturday Workshops

The week before the first workshop, you'll have a few short videos to watch so you're oriented.

Video Content

You'll get the most out of the workshops if you can devote at least an hour a day to moving your steel thread project forward.

Steel Thread Project

Join optional troubleshooting sessions to get help with any aspect of your steel thread project.

Troubleshooting Sessions

Course schedule

Engineers, writers, and other makers who want to get traction on projects that matter.

Managers who want to set their teams up for success with execution.

Startup Founders who need a proven approach for rapid validation and prototyping of new ideas.

Who is this course for

What you’ll get out of this course

Steel Threads are slender but complete versions of your entire project. We'll pare down to the essentials, finding the path to a "skinny" prototype you can develop in just 1 week.

Get immediate traction on any project idea

We'll ruthlessly simplify and prioritize tasks, focusing on areas of uncertainty that will unblock your progress.

Identify crux points and map areas of high uncertainty

Each steel thread iteration helps validate ideas. Frequent reflection points let you evaluate viability and find deal-breakers early, before project costs make exiting feel too expensive.

Validate concepts early and avoid sunk cost fallacies

Steel thread demos yield timely, high-quality feedback. Get the most out of early demos (when validation and clarification matter most) through to later demos (when you're ready for fine-tuning).

Craft demos that get the right feedback for each phase of work

Steel threads allow stakeholders to weigh in early on the big picture, while making it easier for creators to communicate clearly about risks, difficulties, and dependencies.

Keep makers and stakeholders aligned from start to finish

Practical Tools for Managing Incident Stress

Resilience Engineering Coach @ Continuous Re-integration

Watching a realistic simulation triggers the same stress response in the audience that we’d have as actual responders.

Watch a responder manage a simulated incident - live

Now you've had that familiar jolt of adrenalin, try simple practices that quickly soothe body and mind.

Experience a realtime nervous system reset

The breath, movement, and debrief practices you learn will help you down-regulate after incidents (or any stressor).

Leave with de-stressing practices you can use daily

Give Great Demos of Terrible Work

Founder, Continuous Re-integration

Some demos are more like glorified stand-ups; others are high-stakes presentations. Shape your content accordingly.

How to get clear on the function of each demo

Lead with intent vs. action, describe the context in clear terms, and show your work so it makes sense to your audience.

How to shape demos so they always build confidence

Plain old fear can sabotage the best content. Get concrete tips to manage physiological stress and keep your audience.

Learn directly from Beth Adele Long

Beth Adele Long

Courses

Build Better with Steel Threads

Lightning Lessons

Practical Tools for Managing Incident Stress

Give Great Demos of Terrible Work