Clearing Obstacles in the Value Stream from PR to Production
Christina Yakomin (Vanguard) & Robbie Daitzman (Vanguard)
While organizations are promised dramatic productivity increases from GenAI code technologies, many executives find themselves experiencing minimal gains or even decreased productivity, with growing backlogs and longer validation cycles despite faster code generation.
This actionable guide from Vanguard's technology leadership team focuses specifically on optimizing the software development life cycle after code is written—from pull request to production deployment. The authors present a comprehensive framework covering ten essential validation steps, including code review, automated testing, static analysis, policy enforcement, performance testing, and resilient rollout strategies. Each recommendation includes specific guidance on frequency, context, and automation opportunities.
Rather than attempting to solve all SDLC challenges, this paper targets the area where enterprises have the most control and face the greatest strain from AI tools: ensuring code quality and production readiness. The structured approach helps technology executives build confidence in their delivery pipeline while harnessing the benefits of generative AI without compromising reliability or introducing excessive risk.
What's inside
Risk Mitigation — Reduce production incidents through systematic validation processes.
Automation Framework — Streamline delivery pipeline with AI-enhanced testing strategies.
Executive Guidance — Actionable recommendations for 10k+ employee enterprise leaders.
Quality Assurance — Maintain code standards while accelerating development velocity.
Pages
20
Publication Date
September 16, 2025
Topics
AI · Software Delivery & Architecture
Formats
epub · pdf
License
Creative Commons BY-NC-SA
About the authors
2 authors
Christina YakominVanguard (at publication)▼▲
Now: Senior Cloud Architect
Christina Yakomin is a Senior Manager in Vanguard’s Chief Technology Office, leading the Performance and Resilience Optimization team. She has worked at the company’s Malvern, PA, headquarters since graduating from Villanova University with an undergraduate degree in Computer Science. Throughout her career, she has developed an expansive skill set in front- and back-end web development, as well as cloud infrastructure and automation, with a specialization in Site Reliability Engineering. Christina has also worked closely with the Women’s Initiative for Leadership Success at Vanguard, volunteering both internally at the company and externally in the local community to further the career advancement of women and girls—in particular within the tech industry. She has previously shared her technical expertise at many conferences and events, including AWS re:Inforce, QCon, SRECon, and the Enterprise Technology Leadership Summit. In her spare time, Christina is passionate about traveling; she has visited twenty-seven different countries and thirty-two US states so far!
Now: Vanguard Intermediary Platform – Delivery Lead, Vanguard Group
Robbie Daitzman is a senior manager supporting intermediary, or B2B, technology at Vanguard. Previously, he has held various roles within Vanguard focusing on cloud infrastructure, infrastructure and deployment automation, reliability engineering, and helping our systems meet the needs of various internal and external clients. Robbie also leads the IT and Product Development groups within My Classroom Economy, a volunteer initiative focused on promoting financial literacy within K-12 schools.
