MakerX

This week, we're welcoming board Madonna Khalil to the MakerX crew as an Engineer! Welcome aboard, Madonna, we can’t wait to see what we’ll create together! 😃

Bottom-Up is the New Top-Down: How AI Rewrites the Rules of Digital Transformation in the Enterprise Digital transformation has become the corporate world's most expensive failure. Despite investing over $100 billion between 2016 and 2018 alone, a staggering 70-80% of transformation initiatives crash...

Why do so many digital transformation efforts fall short, and how can AI help turn the tide? In our latest blog we explore why traditional top-down approaches often miss the mark, and how a bottom-up model, is helping organisations drive meaningful, sustainable change.

🔗 makerx.io/uq8c5k

❤️ At MakerX, we know that pets are part of the family. That’s why flexibility isn’t just a perk, it’s part of how we work. Being able to shape our day means we’re present for the moments that matter, whether it’s a lunchtime walk, a vet appointment, or just having our pets nearby.

At this week’s Startup People Summit, our Head of People & Culture, @rachegoodo.bsky.social, is sharing what happens when you don’t charge ahead, and why sometimes rolling it back is the most trust-building move of all!

🎟️https://www.startuppeoplesummit.com/speakers/rachael-goodenough

@melissahoughton.dev and Amy Kapernick have had their @microsoft.com MVP status renewed! Massive congrats, we’re lucky to have you both at MakerX!

One of our Lead Engineers, Altynbek Orumbayev, had an incredible time at #wearedevelopers 2025 in Berlin with our
@foundation.algo.xyz partners!

How to: GraphQL subscriptions This post describes implementing GraphQL subscriptions over WebSockets using the GraphQL WS package by The Guild.

Throwback to one of
@cuzzlor.bsky.social's technical deep dives — a guide to implementing GraphQL subscriptions over WebSockets with graphql-ws.

blog.makerx.com.au/graphql-subs...

YouTube video by DDD Melbourne Melissa Houghton: Automate Azure AI Services with Bicep

Throwback to our Principal Engineer, @melissahoughton.dev, presenting at DDD By Night earlier this year! In her hands-on session, Melissa explored how to use Bicep’s reusable components to streamline Azure AI Services deployments.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=PdCq...

Passkeys and Verifiable Credentials: A Perfect Authentication Partnership Two technologies are reshaping digital identity: passkeys and verifiable credentials. Separately, they solve different problems. Together, they could eliminate passwords while giving users control ove...

Our Lead Engineer, Wade Baglin dives into the future of digital identity in his latest blog: "Passkeys and Verifiable Credentials: A Perfect Authentication Partnership."

blog.makerx.com.au/passkeys-and...

AI-generated videos are getting impressively hard to spot and the @nytimes.com a new quiz to prove it. This is a fascinating glimpse into how fast generative video is evolving!

Take the quiz and see how your eye stacks up 👀

nytimes.com/interactive/... (you need to sign in to view the quiz)

The power of anonymity in online workshops Anonymous participation in a series of client workshops brought much better engagement than I expected. I explain why I think it might have happened.

Can anonymity boost engagement in online workshops? Turns out… yes. In this throwback blog, Donna Spencer shares how letting participants stay anonymous in a client workshop led to more honest insights, faster contributions, and braver ideas.
makerx.io/j45kgm

An official welcome to Sebastian Henn who is joining MakerX as a Lead Engineer! We are so happy to have you join the team!

A big warm welcome to Sebastian Henn, who joined our Perth team this week! The crew got together over lunch to connect, and officially welcome Sebastian to MakerX. A great start to what we’re sure will be an exciting journey ahead!

At this year’s Startup People Summit, MakerX’s Head of People & Culture, @rachegoodo.bsky.social, will be sharing "Why it’s ok to roll it back (and why that builds trust)". A look at how sometimes pausing, pivoting, or pulling back is exactly what strengthens trust and culture.

🎟️ makerx.io/rqc6yy

Recently, MakerX's Principal Engineer, @melissahoughton.dev, joined an amazing lineup of #STEM role models for a week at the WITWA TechTrails STEM School events in Australia's South West!

Who loves an in person lunch? Our Brisbane crew do! Especially when it’s to welcome Jack Watts onboard!

Architecture Decision Records: How we make better technical choices at MakerX Have you ever joined a project midway and wondered, "Why on earth are we using this technology when there are better options available?" You're not alone. At MakerX, we believe that transparent decis...

"Why are we using this tech again?" If you've ever joined a project midstream and asked that, you're not alone. At MakerX, we use Architecture Decision Records (ADRs) to make technical decisions transparent, intentional, and adaptable.

A new MakerX blog by Wilson Waters 👇

makerx.io/o5uo52

We're delighted to have Jack Watts join us as a Principal AI Engineer.

Jack brings a wealth of practical experience in AI and Machine Learning. His expertise will be key as we continue exploring and building the future of intelligent, high-impact digital products.

AI Code Assistance: Are we talking about the same thing? Feedback on AI coding assistance is varied and often at polar opposites. Understanding how to apply AI assistance to software development is essential for making sense of the wildly different experien...

In his latest blog, @staffordwilliams.com explores why feedback on AI coding tools is so divided, and how understanding the context of your build makes all the difference.

blog.makerx.com.au/ai-code-assi...

Experimentation by Design: What Innovation Looks Like in an R&D Studio The art of R&D isn't chaotic—it's strategic. Visionary experiments provoke new possibilities, Investigative work tests viable solutions, and Applied R&D brings concepts to market. Each requires differ...

Innovation isn’t guesswork, it’s disciplined experimentation. In our latest blog, our Chief Product Officer Jess Panni unpacks what true R&D looks like at MakerX.

makerx.io/hmxcgr

Crypto State [Of The Union]

The Milken Review dives into the next era of digital sovereignty and trust in their latest cover story, and MakerX’s Data History Museum is right there in the spotlight.

www.milkenreview.org/articles/cry...

We’re excited to welcome Damien Pontifex to the MakerX team as a Principal Engineer! Damien brings with him deep experience in full stack software, platform engineering, and machine learning. We’re thrilled to be creating alongside you, Damien, welcome aboard! 🙌

We are so proud of our collaboration with Smiling Mind! For over a decade, Smiling Mind has been a trailblazer in mental well-being, empowering millions globally with evidence-based tools and resources.

🔗 makerx.io/ay1fzx

Chain-of-Vibes Chain-of-Vibes is a workflow that lets you overcome AI's current inadequacies in tackling meaty coding tasks, by setting up a tight feedback loop between yourself and the AI.

We see AI as a force multiplier, not a replacement. Pete Hodgson’s “Chain-of-Vibes” nails it: treat AI like a brilliant junior dev—fast, full of ideas, but still needs guidance.

🔗 makerx.io/3yefk0

Start with the Problem: Our Framework for Meaningful Internal Initiatives As a small, new company, and with founders who love to try new things, we started with no fixed approach for many of our core business processes. We all have a genuine desire to create a company that ...

At MakerX, we don’t copy and paste culture. We experiment, we learn, we adapt together. Our Principal Designer, Donna Spencer, breaks down how we co-create internal initiatives that actually work for our team.

👀https://makerx.io/h6m3l6

At the University of Melbourne's The Future of Disinformation session, our team explored how tech shapes public trust. Insightful dialogue with leaders from gov, industry & academia. We're proud to represent shaping the future of digital responsibility.

We’ve been recertified as a Great Place to Work! We’re about building a workplace where people can thrive, where curiosity is fuelled, ideas are explored, and every voice matters. We're incredibly proud to share that we've once again been officially recognised as a Great Place to Work in 2025!

Alignment workshops My favourite method for getting from a big idea to something small and practical is what I call an alignment workshop. This post outlines the overall approach and has enough detail for you to give it ...

In our next blog, our Principal Designer, Donna Spencer shares her go-to alignment workshop structure, the practical, flexible way we help turn ambitious ideas into actionable next steps.

makerx.io/2s5tpe

Techtrails is coming to the Margaret River Community! Margaret River Community Learning Together - STEM for Parents, Teachers and Community

We’re thrilled to see @melissahoughton.dev speaking on a panel in the beautiful South West to speak on a panel at the upcoming Techtrails #STEM Community Event: “Learning Together” in the Margaret River!

🎟️Free to attend! Register here 👉 makerx.io/2qm2qo

Moja | Group Savings Made Borderless Save, Send, and Earn With Family and Friends Wherever You Are in The World

Moja has officially launched! We were so proud to partner with Moja to help bring their vision to life, making group savings simple, seamless, and borderless.

Check them out 👉 www.withmoja.com