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Marc-Daniel Ortega

Marc-Daniel Ortega

Marc-Daniel Ortega is a seasoned engineering leader with a passion for transforming teams and platforms into thriving, collaborative ecosystems.
02
Jul
An Ode to Discipline

An Ode to Discipline

In an age obsessed with passion, motivation, and personal freedom, what Alessandro Baricco might call the aesthetics of surface and speed, discipline feels like an anachronism. It lacks glamour. It does not trend. It is difficult to condense into 280 characters.
5 min read
01
Jul
[Book][4.2]Craft in Practice: Leica, Toyota, and Resilient Platforms

[Book][4.2]Craft in Practice: Leica, Toyota, and Resilient Platforms

6 min read
29
Jun
Leadership Lives Between Vision and Movement

Leadership Lives Between Vision and Movement

In contemporary organisations, the word pragmatism has become ubiquitous. It appears in stand-ups, offsites, strategy slides, and job descriptions. Teams are advised to “stay pragmatic.”
3 min read
25
Jun
Still Standing. Still Building.

Still Standing. Still Building.

In 2024, I lost a first job at the peak of success. My teams were delivering visible, fast, undeniable outcomes.
1 min read
25
Jun
[Book][4.1]Why Craftsmanship Should Increase at Scale, Not Degrade

[Book][4.1]Why Craftsmanship Should Increase at Scale, Not Degrade

6 min read
23
Jun
Economic Leverage, Not ROI, Should Be Your Platform’s Scoreboard

Economic Leverage, Not ROI, Should Be Your Platform’s Scoreboard

Many platform teams believe they are delivering value because their tools make development faster. But faster is not always better. In fact, when direction is lacking, speed amplifies failure. This article proposes a shift from tracking ROI to measuring economic leverage.
2 min read
23
Jun
When the Game Becomes the Product: Startups, Signal, and the Goodhart Trap

When the Game Becomes the Product: Startups, Signal, and the Goodhart Trap

2 min read
20
Jun
Leverage or Collapse: Why Platform Failure Becomes Exponential at Scale

Leverage or Collapse: Why Platform Failure Becomes Exponential at Scale

6 min read
19
Jun
Stop Complaining About AI: Focus on What Matters

Stop Complaining About AI: Focus on What Matters

Ah, the Godwin point of IT: 'Did you write this yourself, or did ChatGPT help?'
3 min read
18
Jun
[Book][3.2]Case Studies in Convergence: From Toyota to Early AWS

[Book][3.2]Case Studies in Convergence: From Toyota to Early AWS

8 min read