Finding business leverage with multiple agents

Bill Doerrfeld | August 30, 2025

The latest DirectorPlus edition looks at how one org is benefiting from multi-agent software dev workflows.


How are software orgs using multiple AI agents for business leverage? For my latest DirectorPlus column with LeadDev, I synced with JB Brown, VP of engineering at Smartsheet, to learn about their multi-agent AI development strategy.


For them, using multiple agents for software development is actually moving the needle in terms of efficiency, performance, and cost savings. Their secret sauce has been allowing tooling flexibility and having leaders use it themselves before they bark directions.


Encouraging internal knowledge-sharing is pretty important too, since senior engineers tend to know how to prompt these AI agents more effectively. 


Check out the full article below! And be sure to subscribe to DirectorPlus for a monthly dose of strategies from the ones who manage the engineering managers.


Read: Turning multi-agent AI into strategic business leverage

Sign up to the DirectorPlus newsletter for a new story in your inbox each month featuring on-the-ground insights from some of the industry's top engineering leaders. Or, if you would like to be featured in the series, please read this.

Pink and purple sunset sky with dark, fluffy clouds.
By Bill Doerrfeld August 25, 2025
Alternative clouds are having a moment. Nearly 75% of orgs are using two or more alt clouds beyond the hyperscalers, according to a HostingAdvice.com report.
Digital global CIOs digital sovereignty
By Bill Doerrfeld August 20, 2025
The cloud is no longer borderless. Rising regional data laws and sovereign cloud mandates are forcing CIOs to act.
A
By Bill Doerrfeld August 11, 2025
In a multi-agent coding workflow, an engineer leads a "team" of specialist AI agents to perform various SDLC tasks: scaffolding, coding, testing, log analysis, deployment, and more.
Open source software churn end of life
By Bill Doerrfeld August 8, 2025
Open-source software churn is accelerating. With more frequent version end-of-lives and even total project abandonments, it's harder than ever to keep up.
Hype drives most programming language igrationsigra
By Bill Doerrfeld July 30, 2025
I covered a report from HostingAdvice.com, which found that the majority of programming language migrations are driven by hype, instead of proven outcomes.
Cross-functional teams help Stack Overflow adapt LeadDev DirectorPlus 2025
By Bill Doerrfeld July 28, 2025
Facing an existential crisis, Stack Overflow has had to pivot quickly. I synced with a director to discover what team strategies are helping them adapt.
System Initiative feature InfoWorld doerrfeld
By Bill Doerrfeld July 14, 2025
System Initiative aims to replace the toil of maintaining config files with a data-based digital twin and visual modeling engine. An engine for DevOps, if you will.
CIOs describe why AI agents need APIs
By Bill Doerrfeld July 10, 2025
My latest feature on CIO.com explores why CIOs view APIs as a critical linchpin to realize success with agentic AI. Learn what it'll all take.
AI tooling directorplus doerrfeld one year
By Bill Doerrfeld June 30, 2025
A year into the DirectorPlus newsletter, I check back in with past guests on how their organizations are approaching AI tooling strategies.
How to make APIs ready for AI agents to consume
By Bill Doerrfeld June 25, 2025
How do you make an API ready for AI agents to use? I posed this question to a handful of API experts and put together a comprehensive guide for The New Stack — published today.