Derek Ashmore - Mastering the Shift

Mastering the Shift

Collaborating with Teams of AI Coding Agents

by Derek Ashmore

Adapt or Die: Use Teams of AI Agents to produce more at a higher quality!

The truth is, developers who resist AI are falling behind. This agentic engineering book strips away the hype, jargon, and fleeting tool-specific tutorials to teach the timeless principles that let you collaborate effectively with AI coding agents.

Use teams of AI Agents to produce more at a higher quality. The world has evolved from managing smaller tasks using one AI agent, as we do using GitHub Copilot, Cursor, or Claude Code. Now, we're using entire teams of AI agents to tackle larger and more complex projects.

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Details

Stop watching other developers deliver features faster while you struggle with the same old workflows.

If you've noticed colleagues completing tasks in hours that take you days, they're not necessarily smarter—they've learned to work effectively with AI coding tools. While you're still debating whether agentic engineering is "real programming," they're leveraging Claude Code, GitHub Copilot, and/or ChatGPT to solve bigger problems and advance their careers.

The uncomfortable truth: Developers who refuse to adapt to AI tools are falling behind.

This book cuts through the complexity and academic theory that plague most AI resources. Instead of overwhelming you with sophisticated frameworks and prompt engineering jargon, you'll learn the straightforward principles that actually work in real development environments.

This isn't about becoming dependent on AI—it's about becoming more capable with it than you ever were without it. You'll preserve the craftsmanship and problem-solving skills that make programming rewarding while gaining the productivity advantages that modern development demands.

No tool-specific tutorials that become obsolete in months. No complex prompting strategies you'll never remember. Just the timeless principles that will serve you whether you're using today's AI tools or whatever replaces them tomorrow.

Your choice is simple: Learn to collaborate effectively with AI coding agents now, or watch your career stagnate while others accelerate past you. The shift is happening with or without you.

What You'll Learn

  • Simple, effective techniques for working with AI coding assistants
  • When to trust AI suggestions and when to ignore them
  • How to maintain code quality while dramatically increasing productivity
  • Practical workflows that integrate seamlessly with your existing development process
  • The mindset shifts that separate successful AI-assisted developers from those left behind

Who This Book Is For

Perfect for developers and team leads who:

  • Recognize the software development landscape is changing rapidly and want to stay ahead
  • Have been hesitant about AI tools but are ready to embrace practical advantages
  • Notice colleagues delivering features faster and suspect they're using AI effectively
  • Want to future-proof their careers without losing programming craftsmanship
  • Are concerned about job security in an AI-driven future
  • Are open to changing how they approach problem-solving and code creation

Ideal if you:

  • Have basic programming experience in any modern language (Python, JavaScript, Java, C#, etc.)
  • Want practical guidance over academic theory
  • Prefer simple approaches that consistently work over complex systems
  • Value productivity gains without sacrificing code quality
  • Are willing to experiment with new workflows

Not suitable if you:

  • Expect detailed tool setup tutorials and configuration guides
  • Want step-by-step walkthroughs for specific AI platforms
  • Prefer theoretical frameworks over practical implementation
  • Are looking for advanced prompt engineering techniques
  • Want to avoid changing your current development approach

Career levels: Junior developers looking to accelerate growth, mid-level developers wanting to stay competitive, and senior professionals adapting to industry evolution will all find value in these practical approaches to AI-assisted development.

Table of Contents

  • Preface
    • Who this book is for
    • What this book is not
    • Why write this book?
    • About the Author
    • Acknowledgements
  • Chapter 1: AI in Software Development: The Future Is Now
    • Leveling up Software Development
    • My experience with AI
    • Vibe coding vs. Agentic Engineering
  • Chapter 2: My Path to Managing Coding Agents
    • Starting with GitHub Copilot
    • Transitioning To Natural Language Instruction
    • Transition to Agent Teams/Swarms
  • Chapter 3: State of the Current AI Landscape for Software Development
    • Coding Agent Evolution
    • Corporate Acceptance
    • Effective uses for AI Coding Agents
  • Chapter 4: How to Manage Your Lone Coding Agent
    • Initialize Greenfield projects
    • Brownfield Code Enhancements
    • Conducting Research
    • Generate Documentation
  • Chapter 5: How to Manage Your Coding Agent Team
    • Teams vs. Lone Agents
    • Maintain Requirement Documentation
    • Have Agents Address Defects
    • Have Agents Implement CI/CD
    • Ask for a plan before you Implement
  • Chapter 6: Best Practices for Writing Instructions to Agents
    • Applying the 80/20 Rule
    • Priority 1: Set the Goal(s)
    • Priority 2: Identify any Constraints
    • Priority 3: Identify any Inputs
    • Priority 4: Provide examples
  • Chapter 7: Coding Agents Aren't Just for Coding
    • Architects and designers can use the team to propose architectures and designs too
    • Project managers can get a detailed list of tasks and needed resources
    • Technical managers can size projects
    • All can adjust the requirements submitted to the AI agent after reviewing the output
    • Example: Azure Security Log Management
  • Chapter 8: Challenges Managing Agent Teams
    • Stoic Obedience
    • User Interface Aesthetics
    • Standing Instructions
    • Limitations writing for external resources
  • Chapter 9: Common Questions with Answers
    • Will AI take over my developer job?
    • How do I debug AI-generated code that I'm not familiar with?
    • I'm comfortable manually entering code. Why should I change?
    • How do I learn if my employer won't allow access to those tools?
    • What if I don't like managing agents?

About Derek Ashmore

Derek Ashmore, Author

Derek Ashmore is an architect and consultant with over 25 years experience in a wide range of technologies, including Java and Java EE. He frequently architects and designs high-usage web applications and manages development teams to build them. Many of his articles have been published in the Java Developer's Journal, JavaPro and other trade publications.

Derek has been at the forefront of adopting AI-assisted development practices, having successfully integrated AI coding tools into enterprise development workflows and trained teams on effective AI collaboration techniques.

Get in touch

To retain consulting services of the author for your Java project or AI transformation initiatives, please contact sales@dvtconsulting.com

Derek blogs at derekashmore.com. Additionally, he can be reached the following ways: