Management

Theory of constraints, AI, and code review

Feedback from an expert is how you learn taste. Your code doesn't matter until it's shipped.

You get what you hire

Hiring engineers is like deciding what kind of system you'll have. This seems obvious but surprised me to see first-hand.

3 sticky insights from 3 eng management books

Ever feel like your brain is blended and you can't even keep up with the things you're learning? Me too. But the good shit stays.

How do you prioritize?

How do you choose what to work on first? As an empowered engineer that's a key skill.

What I learned from Accelerate

Accelerate is the empirical research behind books such as The Phoenix/Unicorn Project and (parts of) Software Engineering at Google. I loved it.

Let small fires burn

You can't fix everything. Focus on the next big thing and let the small fires burn.

Be action oriented

Unearth the surprising connection between the CIA's Simple Sabotage Manual and your productivity, and learn how to transform tiny actions into big wins. Dive into Swizec's engaging exploration of how small actions can make a huge impact on your progress.

The Buxton Index – why some are hard to work with

The Buxton Index measures an entity's planning period and explains many of your work dynamics.

What I learned from Team Topologies

You can't escape Conway's Law. Might as well use it for good.

Hug your manager

Behind every thriving team is a dedicated manager who shields them from corporate chaos, sacrificing their own well-being for the team's success.

The art of the cowboy merge 🤠

how do you catch a critical deadline that cannot be missed? We're talking external stakeholders, millions on the line, and it all hinges on *your* team getting it done on time. No overtime

Reader Question: What do collaborative teams look like?

New members on our team invariably say 2 things: 1. Wow I've never seen a team move this fast 2. This approach feels weird. I'm uncomfortable Teams like this are not common.

Reader question: So about that perfect burndown chart ...

If your approach works so well, why isn't every team doing this?

How we made the best burndown chart you've ever seen

My entire career I've never seen a sprint finished on time. The new manager said "Oh I think we can fix that" ... 18 months later he proved me wrong

Why I only work with startups