Navigating the messy middle of technology projects with Rachael Morgan

Описание: Why do technology projects get so messy even when they start with clear plans and enthusiastic teams? And what can leaders do to navigate the chaos in the middle?

In this episode, Zoe Cunningham speaks with Rachael Morgan, an experienced Head of Technology. She has worked in different industries from the NHS, betting and gaming, and is currently in finance. 

They explore the messy middle of tech delivery. Drawing on experience across the NHS, Sky Betting and Gaming, and now Flutter, Rachael explains why delivery challenges rarely come from the technology itself, but from people, process choices, and the complexity of real organisational ecosystems.

Rachael shares practical insights from leading six global data engineering teams, including how to strike the right balance of process, how to understand and use individual strengths within a team, and why continuous communication is essential when navigating uncertainty.

🔎 You’ll learn:
• What the “messy middle” is and why every technology project encounters it
• Why humans, not technology, are the real drivers of delivery success
• How process frameworks help, hinder, and grow unintentionally over time
• The risks of over-processing and under-processing in regulated environments
• How leaders can use metrics and communication to spot real delivery risks early
• Why understanding your team and understanding yourself sit at the core of effective leadership
• How reflection helps leaders manage emotion, complexity, and decision making

💡 Whether you lead engineering teams, manage digital projects, or work anywhere near technology delivery, this conversation offers practical and thoughtful guidance for handling complexity with confidence.

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Timestamps
00:00 – Introduction
01:11 – Rachael’s career journey through NHS, gaming, and data leadership
03:52 – What the “messy middle” means in tech delivery
07:07 – Why technology is binary but delivery is human
08:47 – Process frameworks, complexity, and making the right choices
11:30 – How much process is “just enough”?
14:18 – Learning from other leaders and industries
20:01 – Is Agile the answer?
21:18 – Humans are messy, and that is a strength
23:56 – Understanding individuals and leadership at scale
24:48 – How to tell normal problems from real project danger
28:11 – Why leaders must understand themselves

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