Writing on Jonathan Logan

ExoExplorer: NASA's exoplanet archive in 3D, on an iPhone

Tue, 25 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000

I have wanted to build this app for years.

Astronomy got to me early, and exoplanets in particular. The idea that we can point an instrument at a star hundreds of light years away, watch it dim by a fraction of a percent, and from that work out that a planet is there, how big it is, and how long its year lasts, has never stopped seeming implausible to me. We have found thousands of them, and I still find that hard to hold in my head.

A Multi-Agent System for Technical Program Management

Wed, 11 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0000

In late 2024, I found myself at an inflection point. I was managing a growing portfolio of technical programs; Each project with its own moving parts, stakeholders, and sources of truth. My weeks were filled with Zoom meetings, Jira ticket reviews, Slack updates, and status report writing. Despite years of experience, I realized that the coordination tax was growing and becoming unsustainable.

I didn’t need another dashboard. I needed something smarter, something that could help me process unstructured data, surface risks, and generate insights fast enough to stay ahead of execution demands.

Integrating Generative AI into Program Management Processes

Sun, 25 May 2025 00:00:00 +0000

The role of a Program Manager (PM) is dynamic, demanding an ability to juggle strategic oversight with detailed tactical execution. Increasingly, Generative AI has emerged as a transformative tool that streamlines these complexities. In this post, I’ll share insights and real-world experiences highlighting how Generative AI tools, specifically Claude 3.7 Sonnet, can significantly enhance PM effectiveness, productivity, and agility by enabling PMs to drive execution and empower engineering teams.

Why AI Now?

Generative AI has reached a critical inflection point. With the advent of models like Claude 3.7 Sonnet and GPT-4, AI has matured to a level where it can understand, generate, and summarize complex information with remarkable speed and contextual accuracy. This shift has profound implications for program management—a field that thrives on structure, clarity, and cross-functional coordination.

What Getting Laid Off Taught Me About Identity

Tue, 20 May 2025 00:00:00 +0000

A few weeks ago, I got laid off.

I was working as an Engineering Program Manager at CrowdStrike, a company I genuinely admired. It wasn’t just a job — it was a role that brought together my passion for technical problem-solving, cross-functional leadership, and building things that mattered. I worked with brilliant people. I led critical, high-impact programs that expanded our cloud infrastructure, streamlined operations, and integrated cutting-edge AI into our development pipelines. I won awards. I felt seen. And then, one morning, I opened my calendar and saw a 15-minute meeting with HR.

The Art of Sending Quality Status Reports

Wed, 15 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

In the realm of cybersecurity—or any industry managing complex, multi-project programs—effective communication can be the difference between success and failure. A well-crafted status report is more than a routine deliverable; it’s a strategic tool that fosters transparency, aligns expectations, and drives informed decision-making.

When managing a program composed of interdependent projects, creating a high-quality status report becomes even more critical. Each project within the program contributes to the overarching objectives, and delays or challenges in one project can ripple across others. Let’s dive into the essential components and strategies for delivering impactful status reports in such scenarios.

Ingesting Solar Panel Production from a SunPower PVS to InfluxDB

Sun, 29 Sep 2024 00:00:00 +0000

I’ve had a SunPower system and 14, 400W solar panels installed on my house since May of 2019. It has always frustrated me that SunPower does not allow you to check the production and status of each panel out of the box. The app they give owners access to only displays the total amount of energy generated by the system over a given period of time. For most people this is probably fine and any additional displays would probably confuse the average owner. However, I (and probably you reading this) want to see all the data the system generates because I purchased the system and like hoarding data. I’m also concerned with SunPower’s recent Bankruptcy filing, I will lose monitoring services through SunPower all together.