Architecting Manchester

Andy Norton – VP of Engineering @ Flipdish

Most of the hard problems in technology aren’t technical. They’re about context, awareness, and how to get people moving in the right direction, together. You can have great engineers and a solid tech stack, but without a shared view of the system, and a strategy that makes sense, even small changes can feel like wading through mud.

This talk is about learning to see what’s really going on. I’ll share what I’ve learned from scaling cinch - an AWS case study in serverless-first modernisation - reshaping teams at Footasylum, featured as a Team Topologies case study, and helping grow Flipdish, Ireland’s fifth unicorn. Through these real-life examples, I’ll explain how mapping helps teams find clarity when everything feels complex.

We’ll look at EventStorming, Value Stream Mapping, and Wardley Mapping as ways to visualise flow, interactions, evolution, doctrine, and gameplay - the forces that shape how work actually gets done. You’ll see how maps help uncover the simple path forward and how to keep lighting it as you go.

This talk is practical, visual, and grounded in real experience. You’ll leave with a few maps worth drawing, a handful of ideas that stick, and a new habit: light the path, make a map, and keep moving.

Andy is VP of Engineering at Flipdish, and was previously Head of Engineering Practice at cinch and Head of Enginerring at Footasylum.

Date: Wednesday 26th November
Venue: Bonded Warehouse (M3 4AP)

5pm – doors open (network, have some pizza and grab a drink)
6pm – presentation
7:30pm – pub / home (please don’t feel bad if you have to leave early)

Pizza and drinks will be provided as usual. If you have any special dietary requirements, please let me know ahead of time.