Aja Hammerly
@thagomizer.bsky.social
Dinosaur and tech manager
One of my very first events at Google was hosting some local Girl Scouts who came to check out our office and show us robots they had made. This article talks about some of the other work Google is doing to help children have a healthy relationship with tech.
blog.google/outreach-ini...
blog.google/outreach-ini...
Google is helping girls “scout” a path to digital wellbeing.
As part of our efforts to help kids develop safe and productive relationships with technology, we’re supporting Girl Scouts of the USA with the launch of the new "Be Int…
blog.google
November 5, 2025 at 7:01 PM
One of my very first events at Google was hosting some local Girl Scouts who came to check out our office and show us robots they had made. This article talks about some of the other work Google is doing to help children have a healthy relationship with tech.
blog.google/outreach-ini...
blog.google/outreach-ini...
Do we have a term for the AI equivalent of SEO yet?
October 28, 2025 at 8:55 PM
Do we have a term for the AI equivalent of SEO yet?
The Duolingo is working. Slowly. Caught myself talking to my cat in French today.
It wasn’t complex, but it happened.
Tu as les oreilles grises avec un peu d’orange. Tu as des rayures grises sur les jambes. Tu es très mignonne! Tu veux le petit déjeuner!
It wasn’t complex, but it happened.
Tu as les oreilles grises avec un peu d’orange. Tu as des rayures grises sur les jambes. Tu es très mignonne! Tu veux le petit déjeuner!
October 24, 2025 at 2:33 PM
The Duolingo is working. Slowly. Caught myself talking to my cat in French today.
It wasn’t complex, but it happened.
Tu as les oreilles grises avec un peu d’orange. Tu as des rayures grises sur les jambes. Tu es très mignonne! Tu veux le petit déjeuner!
It wasn’t complex, but it happened.
Tu as les oreilles grises avec un peu d’orange. Tu as des rayures grises sur les jambes. Tu es très mignonne! Tu veux le petit déjeuner!
What if I told you that development has spec-driven for decades?
No really, I was writing specs as an intern back in like 2002 that developers used to create features in products.
No really, I was writing specs as an intern back in like 2002 that developers used to create features in products.
a cartoon drawing of a llama wearing a purple shirt with a blue and green logo on it
ALT: a cartoon drawing of a llama wearing a purple shirt with a blue and green logo on it
media.tenor.com
October 16, 2025 at 4:29 PM
What if I told you that development has spec-driven for decades?
No really, I was writing specs as an intern back in like 2002 that developers used to create features in products.
No really, I was writing specs as an intern back in like 2002 that developers used to create features in products.
One of my partners work friends came over last night and complimented me on my content because she didn’t know I could do that stuff.
It’s kind of weird that I have a whole group of tech friends that have never heard me speak, never read my blog, and don’t know I make videos.
It’s kind of weird that I have a whole group of tech friends that have never heard me speak, never read my blog, and don’t know I make videos.
October 3, 2025 at 4:57 PM
One of my partners work friends came over last night and complimented me on my content because she didn’t know I could do that stuff.
It’s kind of weird that I have a whole group of tech friends that have never heard me speak, never read my blog, and don’t know I make videos.
It’s kind of weird that I have a whole group of tech friends that have never heard me speak, never read my blog, and don’t know I make videos.
Also, since I'm apparently in a somewhat random mood this morning...this is still probably the best tech book in existence:
Working Effectively with Legacy Code by Michael Feathers
www.goodreads.com/book/show/44...
Remember: Legacy Code is just code you wrote last week :-)
Working Effectively with Legacy Code by Michael Feathers
www.goodreads.com/book/show/44...
Remember: Legacy Code is just code you wrote last week :-)
Goodreads
Discover and share books you love on Goodreads.
www.goodreads.com
September 29, 2025 at 4:45 PM
Also, since I'm apparently in a somewhat random mood this morning...this is still probably the best tech book in existence:
Working Effectively with Legacy Code by Michael Feathers
www.goodreads.com/book/show/44...
Remember: Legacy Code is just code you wrote last week :-)
Working Effectively with Legacy Code by Michael Feathers
www.goodreads.com/book/show/44...
Remember: Legacy Code is just code you wrote last week :-)
The longer I'm in tech the more I believe that the most valuable thing you can bring to work every day is genuine curiosity.
Why did someone make that architectural decision?
What is the person from another team working on?
How would your peers approach this problem you are struggling with?
Why did someone make that architectural decision?
What is the person from another team working on?
How would your peers approach this problem you are struggling with?
September 29, 2025 at 4:12 PM
The longer I'm in tech the more I believe that the most valuable thing you can bring to work every day is genuine curiosity.
Why did someone make that architectural decision?
What is the person from another team working on?
How would your peers approach this problem you are struggling with?
Why did someone make that architectural decision?
What is the person from another team working on?
How would your peers approach this problem you are struggling with?
And somedays my job involves pricing out 3D pancake printers and custom latte art machines.
Cheaper than I expected.
Why do I stay in DevRel?
I have a novelty drive. There is no typical day in DevRel. Hence. Pancake Bots.
Also I genuinely like people.
Cheaper than I expected.
Why do I stay in DevRel?
I have a novelty drive. There is no typical day in DevRel. Hence. Pancake Bots.
Also I genuinely like people.
September 23, 2025 at 10:49 PM
And somedays my job involves pricing out 3D pancake printers and custom latte art machines.
Cheaper than I expected.
Why do I stay in DevRel?
I have a novelty drive. There is no typical day in DevRel. Hence. Pancake Bots.
Also I genuinely like people.
Cheaper than I expected.
Why do I stay in DevRel?
I have a novelty drive. There is no typical day in DevRel. Hence. Pancake Bots.
Also I genuinely like people.
I've probably shared this before but its worth sharing again. u
There was a re-org early in my management career. I was frustrated with how folks were reacting. Not my finest moment.
A mentor pulled me aside and told me that I had to make time for people's feelings.
Make Time For Feelings.
There was a re-org early in my management career. I was frustrated with how folks were reacting. Not my finest moment.
A mentor pulled me aside and told me that I had to make time for people's feelings.
Make Time For Feelings.
September 18, 2025 at 11:10 PM
I've probably shared this before but its worth sharing again. u
There was a re-org early in my management career. I was frustrated with how folks were reacting. Not my finest moment.
A mentor pulled me aside and told me that I had to make time for people's feelings.
Make Time For Feelings.
There was a re-org early in my management career. I was frustrated with how folks were reacting. Not my finest moment.
A mentor pulled me aside and told me that I had to make time for people's feelings.
Make Time For Feelings.
New favorite addition to prompts.
"You are my extremely terse assistant."
"You are my extremely terse assistant."
September 18, 2025 at 8:28 PM
New favorite addition to prompts.
"You are my extremely terse assistant."
"You are my extremely terse assistant."
A while back a mentor told me when I was working with another team...
"They think they did 80% and we did 20%. We think we did 80% and they did 20%. The truth is in the middle."
Why? Because there are large parts of our jobs that are "invisible" to others. They don't see all of your 80%.
"They think they did 80% and we did 20%. We think we did 80% and they did 20%. The truth is in the middle."
Why? Because there are large parts of our jobs that are "invisible" to others. They don't see all of your 80%.
September 10, 2025 at 3:58 PM
A while back a mentor told me when I was working with another team...
"They think they did 80% and we did 20%. We think we did 80% and they did 20%. The truth is in the middle."
Why? Because there are large parts of our jobs that are "invisible" to others. They don't see all of your 80%.
"They think they did 80% and we did 20%. We think we did 80% and they did 20%. The truth is in the middle."
Why? Because there are large parts of our jobs that are "invisible" to others. They don't see all of your 80%.
Tonight’s Duolingo French lesson made me wonder if “whale” in French included Toothed Whales as we call them. It appears not.
Also I learned that Orcas have two names in French: orque and épaulard.
Also I learned that Orcas have two names in French: orque and épaulard.
September 1, 2025 at 3:21 AM
Tonight’s Duolingo French lesson made me wonder if “whale” in French included Toothed Whales as we call them. It appears not.
Also I learned that Orcas have two names in French: orque and épaulard.
Also I learned that Orcas have two names in French: orque and épaulard.
Why don’t I leave Seattle?
No reason. Definitely not this….
No reason. Definitely not this….
August 30, 2025 at 9:24 PM
Why don’t I leave Seattle?
No reason. Definitely not this….
No reason. Definitely not this….
Hey Devs,
Stop blaming yourself when things are hard to setup. Dev tools can and should have good UX and be easy to setup and work with.
You aren't a bad dev because you end up banging your head against a library for tool for 3 hours. In almost all cases, the tool could be better.
Stop blaming yourself when things are hard to setup. Dev tools can and should have good UX and be easy to setup and work with.
You aren't a bad dev because you end up banging your head against a library for tool for 3 hours. In almost all cases, the tool could be better.
July 9, 2025 at 6:17 PM
Hey Devs,
Stop blaming yourself when things are hard to setup. Dev tools can and should have good UX and be easy to setup and work with.
You aren't a bad dev because you end up banging your head against a library for tool for 3 hours. In almost all cases, the tool could be better.
Stop blaming yourself when things are hard to setup. Dev tools can and should have good UX and be easy to setup and work with.
You aren't a bad dev because you end up banging your head against a library for tool for 3 hours. In almost all cases, the tool could be better.
*knocks on wood*
I think I just did a major OS version update on my personal laptop and none of my dev tools broke? Maybe?
At least the stack I use for my blog is working. I should really make a Firebase Studio workspace for that.
I think I just did a major OS version update on my personal laptop and none of my dev tools broke? Maybe?
At least the stack I use for my blog is working. I should really make a Firebase Studio workspace for that.
June 3, 2025 at 3:53 AM
*knocks on wood*
I think I just did a major OS version update on my personal laptop and none of my dev tools broke? Maybe?
At least the stack I use for my blog is working. I should really make a Firebase Studio workspace for that.
I think I just did a major OS version update on my personal laptop and none of my dev tools broke? Maybe?
At least the stack I use for my blog is working. I should really make a Firebase Studio workspace for that.
My ability to break things in weird ways that no one else can continues.
I'm the opposite of "works on my machine".
I'm the opposite of "works on my machine".
May 22, 2025 at 8:14 PM
My ability to break things in weird ways that no one else can continues.
I'm the opposite of "works on my machine".
I'm the opposite of "works on my machine".
Today's very software moment when you are at a summit, and the guest speaker wrote one of your college textbooks.
May 22, 2025 at 5:27 PM
Today's very software moment when you are at a summit, and the guest speaker wrote one of your college textbooks.
Auntie Aja presentation tip:
Use a color vision deficiency simulator tool on your slides before presenting.
I have both family members and dear friends who have forms of color vision deficiency. Over the years I've become pretty ok at choosing colors that work, but I still check.
Use a color vision deficiency simulator tool on your slides before presenting.
I have both family members and dear friends who have forms of color vision deficiency. Over the years I've become pretty ok at choosing colors that work, but I still check.
May 19, 2025 at 1:43 AM
Auntie Aja presentation tip:
Use a color vision deficiency simulator tool on your slides before presenting.
I have both family members and dear friends who have forms of color vision deficiency. Over the years I've become pretty ok at choosing colors that work, but I still check.
Use a color vision deficiency simulator tool on your slides before presenting.
I have both family members and dear friends who have forms of color vision deficiency. Over the years I've become pretty ok at choosing colors that work, but I still check.
A friend introduced me to the Eurovision Song Contest today. I knew of the existence of Eurovision but I didn’t fully appreciate this experience.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ would brunch again.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ would brunch again.
May 18, 2025 at 4:20 AM
A friend introduced me to the Eurovision Song Contest today. I knew of the existence of Eurovision but I didn’t fully appreciate this experience.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ would brunch again.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ would brunch again.
I was reflecting this weekend about how many of my DevRel skills I learned in Girl Scouts.
Working a booth ✅
Staffing a booth at a tech conference is a piece of cake compared to selling cookies at a downtown Seattle bus stop at rush hour.
Working a booth ✅
Staffing a booth at a tech conference is a piece of cake compared to selling cookies at a downtown Seattle bus stop at rush hour.
May 7, 2025 at 11:53 PM
I was reflecting this weekend about how many of my DevRel skills I learned in Girl Scouts.
Working a booth ✅
Staffing a booth at a tech conference is a piece of cake compared to selling cookies at a downtown Seattle bus stop at rush hour.
Working a booth ✅
Staffing a booth at a tech conference is a piece of cake compared to selling cookies at a downtown Seattle bus stop at rush hour.
We've been busy improving Firebase Studio based on community feedback. Improved UI generation, improved experience building on mobile, and support for Gemini 2.5 in the app prototyping agent.
firebase.blog/posts/2025/0...
firebase.blog/posts/2025/0...
Announcing Gemini 2.5 in Firebase Studio
News, tutorials, and updates from the Firebase team.
firebase.blog
May 7, 2025 at 10:26 PM
We've been busy improving Firebase Studio based on community feedback. Improved UI generation, improved experience building on mobile, and support for Gemini 2.5 in the app prototyping agent.
firebase.blog/posts/2025/0...
firebase.blog/posts/2025/0...
Just once I'd like a website or app to notice when I change my billing address and ask if I'd like to change my default shipping address as well. Just once.
April 18, 2025 at 8:14 PM
Just once I'd like a website or app to notice when I change my billing address and ask if I'd like to change my default shipping address as well. Just once.
Measure impact in DevRel is hard and we often use the same, easier to get metrics.
Instead of starting with the numbers I have I like to start with questions:
How will I know if this project is a success?
If ______ happens I'll want to spend more time and money on this project.
Instead of starting with the numbers I have I like to start with questions:
How will I know if this project is a success?
If ______ happens I'll want to spend more time and money on this project.
April 17, 2025 at 7:56 PM
Measure impact in DevRel is hard and we often use the same, easier to get metrics.
Instead of starting with the numbers I have I like to start with questions:
How will I know if this project is a success?
If ______ happens I'll want to spend more time and money on this project.
Instead of starting with the numbers I have I like to start with questions:
How will I know if this project is a success?
If ______ happens I'll want to spend more time and money on this project.
Showing your work in middle school math class isn't training you for Calculus and beyond.
Its training you to write documentation of your work as an adult.
Manager me: "If you didn't write it down, it didn't happen"
IC me: ✨ Vibes ✨
Old habits are hard to break.
Its training you to write documentation of your work as an adult.
Manager me: "If you didn't write it down, it didn't happen"
IC me: ✨ Vibes ✨
Old habits are hard to break.
April 14, 2025 at 3:59 PM
Showing your work in middle school math class isn't training you for Calculus and beyond.
Its training you to write documentation of your work as an adult.
Manager me: "If you didn't write it down, it didn't happen"
IC me: ✨ Vibes ✨
Old habits are hard to break.
Its training you to write documentation of your work as an adult.
Manager me: "If you didn't write it down, it didn't happen"
IC me: ✨ Vibes ✨
Old habits are hard to break.
In ~20 minutes the app dev spotlight at #GoogleCloudNext starts. It is jam packed with non-stop nerd/geek demos. So much code.
If you are at Next come up to the Spotlight room (Mandalay G) and watch.
I'll be backstage crossing fingers to hopefully keep demo gremlins away.
If you are at Next come up to the Spotlight room (Mandalay G) and watch.
I'll be backstage crossing fingers to hopefully keep demo gremlins away.
April 10, 2025 at 10:36 PM
In ~20 minutes the app dev spotlight at #GoogleCloudNext starts. It is jam packed with non-stop nerd/geek demos. So much code.
If you are at Next come up to the Spotlight room (Mandalay G) and watch.
I'll be backstage crossing fingers to hopefully keep demo gremlins away.
If you are at Next come up to the Spotlight room (Mandalay G) and watch.
I'll be backstage crossing fingers to hopefully keep demo gremlins away.