AI-assisted coding feels like magic. You type what you want, and out comes working code. (well, maybe after a few hours of setup − but still) Like all magic, though, it has a cost. And right now, that cost is mostly hidden − even as the invoices show up every month. What makes it work […]
In software engineering, we often rely on “exponential back-off” when retrying failed network requests − a technique where each subsequent attempt is spaced out further in time to avoid overloading the system. Oddly enough, I’ve found myself applying a similar concept to human communication. As a Engineering lead, I’m frequently on the receiving end of […]
Remember when a five‑digit Stack Overflow score was a flex? Today that, and a vintage 2022 playbook will buy you precisely zero leverage. Yesterday’s job, tomorrow’s irrelevance Many Engineering managers still run on three rituals: However, none of those moves the product faster. Meanwhile, AI agents are quietly doing code reviews, generating boilerplate, even writing RFCs. The org chart hasn’t […]
In a previous post, I looked at managing time effectively as an Engineering manager, drawing from Aviv Ben-Yosef’s insightful book, The Tech Executive Operating System. Today, let’s explore another valuable lesson from this book: how to recognize and handle impostor syndrome in the moments when it affects us most. We’re all familiar with IS − the […]
Managing a homelab is all fun and games until you’re knee-deep in IP addresses, SSH keys, and trying to remember if this server was the one with Kubernetes or the one you broke last Tuesday. SSH-ing into multiple machines gets messy fast – unless you love memorizing IPs and usernames like some sort of 2000s hacker movie […]
I recently attempted to write a blog post exploring how our human memory is limited and how easily things slip between the cracks when life gets overwhelming. The original draft was around 2,300 words – painstakingly researched, peppered with references to scientific studies, and teetering into “academic essay” territory. It ended up so dense and […]
Every Engineering manager knows the feeling: you wake up already juggling a thousand thoughts, your calendar is a battlefield, and Slack notifications seem endless. It’s a chaotic yet rewarding role, one where the pressure to deliver is only rivaled by the satisfaction of seeing your team succeed. In 2024, my days as an Engineering manager […]
As a long-term fan of Yubikeys, I quickly got curious about this relatively new concept called “passkeys“. Big companies like Apple, Amazon, and Mastercard are nudging their users to adopt passkeys and use them instead of passwords. The “instead of passwords” part really got me curious! Since forever, passwords have been a part of our […]
Picture this: your software application is running smoothly in production, serving thousands of users. Then, you hear about a new critical vulnerability affecting open-source libraries, and panic sets in. Is your application exposed? If so, which part is at risk? Without a clear map of your software’s components, answering these questions can feel like searching […]
In the complex world of software engineering, high-level estimates play a critical role in guiding project planning and resource allocation.
Engineering leaders often find HLEs daunting due to inherent uncertainty, pressure for commitments, potential scope changes, blame games, and the challenge of conveying complexity to non-technical stakeholders.
Based on my journey, this blog post explores the factors influencing high-level estimates in software engineering.