Featured
People: what are they good for anyway?
Your technology is NOT your primary asset. Unless your company is in FAANG or your CEO’s world president, other teams are bigger assets. Your people and your networks are your true assets. An AI-driven world will make the ‘other teams’ even more important. It’s all...
Posting llm-generated content as your own is hurting you
Seriously, don’t publish that raw ChatGPT’d thinkfluencer piece as your own. Nobody’s falling for it, everybody’s doing it, and you’re cheating yourself.
Do good things, don't worry about scale, don't let systemic issues stop you
This is a lesson that took me a decade to fully ‘get’. You don’t have to worry about the systematic issues to bring change. You can make changes as an individual at a small scale.
Understanding what kind of leader you are: a new lens to look at Engineering leadership
Here’s my approach to to help engineering leaders understand themselves. It will allow them leverage their skillsets the best.
All Stories
Consistency is better than surge; or how to not burn out
I spent way too much time and effort working on this blog. I forgot consistency mattered over immediate output. I was burnt out. I put a too much effort writing and coding this website that it stopped being fun or interesting. Taking things easy is the way to go. Consistency...
Bringing lessons from Japanese temple constructions to software maintenance
Don’t entomb your applications. Make them flexible, be ready to make gradual changes. That way, they won’t need an overhaul from scratch when the time comes.
Diverse interests help us understand the world better
Having a diverse set of interests allows you to look at the world in different ways. Pick up a weird hobby, or a new craft. If nothing else, it’ll help you do your job better.
The duct-tape and strings approach to software is unfairly maligned
The “duct-tape and strings” approach to building software prioritizes functionality and rapid iteration. That comes at the cost of design perfection and technical debt. It raises eyebrows among proponents of careful planning. However, it’s a valid approach to real-world pressures and can lead to successful results.
Srini Pillay's Tinker Dabble Try: The Power of an Unfocused Mind, a book review
Planned “unfocused” activities can enhance your cognitive toolkit. So says Dr Srini Pillay In “Tinker Dabble Doodle Try: The Power of an Unfocused Mind”. In the book Dr. Pillay challenges the idea that laser-sharp focus is the key to success.
