Taylor Sperry
About Taylor Sperry
Taylor Sperry is a Product Manager at Sourcegraph, where he drives the development of the AI coding assistant, Cody. He has a diverse background in publishing and software engineering, having worked at various notable companies and studied at multiple institutions.
Current Role at Sourcegraph
Taylor Sperry serves as a Product Manager at Sourcegraph, a position held since 2021. In this role, Sperry drives the strategic development and rapid iteration of the AI coding assistant, Cody, focusing on its integration across various Integrated Development Environments (IDEs) such as VS Code and JetBrains. Responsibilities include roadmapping and sprint planning, collaborating with engineering, product, and design teams to ensure effective product delivery. Sperry also executes data-driven improvements through user interviews, usability testing, competitive analysis, and quality assurance.
Previous Experience in Publishing
Prior to joining Sourcegraph, Taylor Sperry accumulated significant experience in the publishing industry. Sperry worked as an Assistant Editor at Farrar, Straus and Giroux from 2012 to 2014 and as an Editorial Assistant at Penguin Group USA from 2010 to 2012. Additionally, Sperry held the position of Editor at Melville House from 2015 to 2018. This background in publishing provided a foundation for effective communication and editorial skills, which are essential in product management.
Educational Background
Taylor Sperry completed a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and Government from Connecticut College, studying from 2005 to 2009. Additionally, Sperry attended the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, where a Columbia Publishing Course was completed in 2009. Early education included attendance at Kent Denver School from 2002 to 2005. This educational background contributed to Sperry's analytical and communication skills, relevant in both publishing and technology sectors.
Experience in Software Engineering
Before transitioning to product management, Taylor Sperry gained experience in software engineering. Sperry worked as a Software Engineer at Workiva from 2019 to 2021. Prior to that, Sperry completed a Front-End Engineering program at Turing School of Software & Design from 2018 to 2019. This technical experience aids in understanding the development process and enhances collaboration with engineering teams in current product management responsibilities.
Contributions and Initiatives
At Sourcegraph, Taylor Sperry has contributed to the Cody for VS Code v0.18 release and has been featured in the Sourcegraph blog. Sperry leads the zero-to-one product development for the AI coding assistant, focusing on enhancing user experience and functionality across multiple IDEs. These contributions reflect a commitment to advancing product capabilities and user satisfaction.