CTO Insights - Issue #138
CTO Insights - Issue #138
Startup modern architecture, code reviews, Generative AI and more.
Hi, this is Tosho Trajanov with CTO Insights #138.
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Featured
Tools for Running Engineering Teams - An Ultimate List
Discover the ultimate tech stack for engineering leaders in our comprehensive guide. It's a roadmap to help you navigate essential tools for strategy, team and process management, and more.
Elevate your team's productivity and align with your company's goals. Ideal for CTO Insights readers seeking targeted tool recommendations.
Let me know if I’ve missed some of your favorite tools in the comments below.
Architecture
The Architecture of a Modern Startup
An insightful story that discusses the challenges and considerations in setting up the tech side of a startup.
The author emphasizes the choice of tech stack, processes, and tools is often influenced by team maturity, the type of software being developed, and business constraints. They argue for having standardized, yet flexible, processes in place that can evolve based on needs.
Despite the temptation to adopt microservices, they caution that it's a complex approach that may not suit early-stage startups. The goal is to balance speed of development with maintainability and quality.
Scalability
Move faster, wait less: Improving code review time
Meta emphasizes the importance of quick and high-quality code reviews in software development. They use a metric called "Time In Review" to track how long a code change, or "diff," waits for review. While the median review time was acceptable, they found that the slowest 25% of reviews took significantly longer and correlated with engineer dissatisfaction.
To improve this, Meta introduced tools that intelligently assign reviewers at key stages, effectively reducing review times. The company aims to lower the P75 Time In Review metric to increase both productivity and satisfaction among engineers.
Culture
Are Collaboration Tools Overwhelming Your Team?
A detailed article elaborates on the growing issue of "collaboration technology bloat" in the modern workplace. Despite being designed to increase productivity, an overwhelming array of collaboration tools is ironically leaving employees fatigued and less productive. Workers often feel helpless in the face of constant digital communication and overloaded interfaces.
To combat this, the authors introduce a concept called the "collaboration cleanse," a targeted intervention aimed at empowering employees to regain control over their work environments. They offer actionable strategies for leaders to simplify tool usage, aiming to create a work setting that genuinely enhances productivity without overwhelming their staff.
Leadership
The Shift Toward Independent Talent in the Tech Industry
I wrote this article last month analyzing the evolving landscape of employment in the tech industry, highlighting a significant shift toward independent talent.
This trend, increasingly visible on a global scale, is driven not just by the lure of flexibility but also by the strategic advantages it offers to businesses. Companies are finding that independent professionals bring specialized skills and agility, allowing for quick adaptation to market changes and thereby gaining a competitive edge.
AI
Exploring Generative AI
The article discusses the pros and cons of using AI-based coding assistants like GitHub Copilot in software development. The assistants can provide useful context-aware code suggestions, but they can also propagate bad coding practices and outdated patterns (termed "poisoned context").
The author warns developers to be aware of cognitive biases like Automation Bias and Sunk Cost Fallacy when using these tools. The memo is aimed at software developers and teams considering or already using AI coding assistants.
Product
What Netflix’s $900k product manager job tells us about AI
The article discusses the transformative impact of AI on the role of product managers. Using contrasting examples from Airbnb and Netflix, the author argues that AI will be a key factor shaping the future of the field.
Strong product leadership will be essential for successfully leveraging AI in business.
Other
The Engineering executive’s role in hiring
The article talks about the role of an engineering executive in the hiring process. It covers topics such as designing a comprehensive hiring process, the pitfalls of focusing too much on perfect procedures, and the importance of monitoring and improving the existing system. It also discusses how to close key candidates, level candidates appropriately, manage headcount, and train hiring managers to avoid common challenges like chasing 'unicorn' candidates.
The author emphasizes that as an executive, you shouldn't just serve the hiring process; you should adapt and optimize it to serve the organization and its goals effectively.
Value Engineering and Build vs. Rent
The article warns against the tendency for software companies to build non-essential features in-house, advocating instead for "value engineering" by focusing on core technologies and market differentiators. It emphasizes that many features or capabilities, like data connectors, can be more cost-effectively outsourced to specialized vendors.
It identifies common pitfalls that lead to unnecessary in-house development, including underestimating complexity and ignoring long-term maintenance costs. It concludes that outsourcing non-core features allows companies to allocate their scarce development resources more effectively.
Closing Notes
Thank you for reading through this week's newsletter — I hope you found the content insightful.
Let me know your thoughts in the comments section below.
That is all, thank you, everyone.
I am wishing you a productive and fulfilling week ahead.