Scaling Fast Book
74 articles · all categories
March 2024
The answer to 5 soloists in a trench coat
Team dysfunction where everyone's a soloist? Try this fix: Force the team to work on ONE story at a time.
5 soloists in a trench coat
Ever felt like your software team is just soloists in a trench coat? You may be right!
February 2024
The market always wins
No amount of growth hacking, investor money, or a/b testing will save you, if people don't want what you have.
Why you need a regular retro
Agile is something you are, not something you do.
5 tips for effective standups
Talk about today, not yesterday
Can I get your opinion
Books start with a detailed outline that's easy to change. That's when they're easy to change and where you can help.
January 2024
Ask me a question
Swizec is writing "Scaling Fast", a book about his journey in a 20x hyper-growth startup. Questions?
May 2023
Two types of complexity and their impact
Complicated code slows down junior devs, while complex systems impact senior devs more. Focus on managing system complexity & dependencies, not just simplifying code.
You can't fix the wrong abstraction
Unlock the secrets to combating architectural complexity in software development and learn to identify and fix the wrong abstraction. Boost productivity, reduce bugs, and retain more staff.
April 2023
DRY vs SoC, a difficult choice
What is the essential difference between DRY and SoC principles in software engineering and how do you balance the two
June 2022
Coding forces you to understand the problem
Programming translates fuzzy understanding into exacting specifications. That’s why it’s hard. The Illusion of Explanatory Depth reigns supreme
May 2022
Writing software is like kicking a can
Writing software is a playful process of exploration and discovery. Like a game of kick the can on a Sunday walk.
August 2021
WorkInProgress kills your progress
If it takes 6 engineers 10 days to complete 6 projects in parallel, why does it take 8 days when you work together 🤨
Tech debt is a tool
If your house was on fire, would you mow the lawn first?