# How I helped developers talk about feelings and needs - Gitte Klitgaard - NDC Copenhagen 2026

## Executive summary

While the video metadata focuses on advanced AI security topics like Fine-Grained Authorization (FGA) for Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG), the talk itself addresses organizational communication and psychological safety. The speaker emphasizes that effective collaboration requires explicit tools, setting clear 'frames' (rules of engagement), and creating a safe space where developers feel comfortable discussing needs and emotions without fear of judgment or professional facade.

## Key takeaways

- The Importance of Psychological Safety: Psychological safety is defined as feeling secure enough to be oneself, disagree, and bring all of your thoughts to work without fear of ridicule or punishment. This requires active effort, especially in remote settings.
- Communication Requires Tools: Effective communication is not innate; it requires specific skills and tools (like structured workshops or 'rules of engagement'). Simply working together does not guarantee successful collaboration.
- The Power of Framing: Setting a clear frame—or set of rules—for a project or meeting is crucial for creativity and open discussion. Constraints, like those used in Lego design, can actually stimulate better ideas.
- Addressing AI Misunderstandings: When discussing complex topics like Generative AI, teams must ensure they are all talking about the same thing (e.g., distinguishing between different types of 'spam' or AI implementation) to avoid major misunderstandings.

## Technical details

- Fine-Grained Authorization (FGA): FGA provides robust security for Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) and agentic AI systems by enabling contextual, document-level permissions at scale.
- AI Security Implementation: The talk suggests implementing permission models using open source tools like OpenFGA and integrating them with LangChain to build security directly into AI retrieval pipelines.

## Practical implications

- For technical teams, dedicate time to structured communication workshops that go beyond daily stand-ups to address underlying needs and conflicts.
- When integrating AI systems, prioritize implementing FGA using tools like OpenFGA to ensure granular data access control for both human users and AI agents.
- Recognize that development involves more than just typing; it requires time for thinking together, discussing, and asking questions (the 'thinking' process).
- When leading technical discussions, explicitly set rules of engagement and define the scope (the 'frame') to prevent misunderstandings.

## Topics

Communication Skills, Psychological Safety, Agile Coaching, AI Governance, Team Dynamics, OpenFGA, LangChain

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MOClkh3ZB5Q