Dean Hume's Blog

Building a Custom MCP Server with Node.js

Ever wished your AI assistant actually knew your stuff? Your files, your schedule, or even a custom data source? That's exactly what the Model Context Protocol (MCP) makes possible. MCP is an open standard for connecting AI assistants like Claude to external data sources and tools. Think of

Technical Skills Every Technical Program Manager Should Learn in 2026

Over the years, I’ve learned that being a Technical Program Manager (TPM) is a bit of a strange hybrid role. You’re expected to understand the tech well enough to contribute meaningfully, but you’re not the one writing and deploying the code anymore. The best TPMs I’ve

Supercharge Your Clipboard with PowerToys Advanced Paste 📋

A few weeks ago, I wrote about how PowerToys Workspaces helped me stop wasting time arranging windows every morning. Since then, a few people asked what else I use from the PowerToys suite. So today I want to talk about another tool that's quietly become part of my

How I Use PowerToys Workspaces to Switch Contexts in Two Clicks 🫰

Have you ever sat down at your computer, ready to get into a flow state, and then spent the first ten minutes just arranging windows? Dragging your editor here, your browser there, nudging Slack into a corner - only to close it all two hours later, and start from scratch

Staying Technical as a Technical Program Manager

In my career, I've been many things - a Support Engineer, a Software Engineer and an Engineering Manager. These days, I've settled into a Technical Program Manager role (which I am thoroughly enjoying). As a Technical Program Manager (or TPM), you're often expected to

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