Dev Interrupted

Dev Interrupted focuses on the evolving landscape of engineering leadership, sharing insights into enhancing team productivity, embracing a data-driven approach, and adopting innovative strategies for software development. It covers topics such as career development, team dynamics, continuous improvement practices, and technical challenges in growing tech environments.

Career Development Team Dynamics Continuous Improvement Technical Challenges Leadership in Engineering Productivity Strategies Software Development Practices Engineering Culture

The hottest Substack posts of Dev Interrupted

And their main takeaways

Zenful Estimates: Ditching Task Estimates to Build a Faster Team

51 implied HN points • 14 Mar 24
🕹 Technology Software Engineering Project management
  1. Engineering task estimates are often costly in time and resources, leading to inaccuracies and increased stress within the team.
  2. Distinguishing between task estimation and project estimation can help teams prioritize better and allocate resources more effectively.
  3. By adopting a 'Zenful' approach that focuses on project estimates rather than granular task estimates, teams can save time, reduce stress, and improve overall efficiency.

Getting to the Root of Engineering Improvement with DORA Core

177 implied HN points • 04 Jan 24
🕹 Technology Development Research Data Analysis
  1. DORA Core offers a concise framework of capabilities, metrics, and outcomes to help teams apply research findings.
  2. DORA constantly updates its methodology to keep pace with technological changes and evolving practices.
  3. The DORA Core model shows how capabilities predict performance, which then predicts outcomes, aiding in continuous improvement efforts.
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The Startup CTO's Handbook | Zach Goldberg

37 implied HN points • 20 Feb 24
🕹 Technology Engineering Leadership AI Metrics Development
  1. The core sections of The Startup CTO's Handbook include Management Fundamentals, Technical Leadership Concepts, and Hard Technology Decisions.
  2. Conducting career history interviews when hiring can reveal a candidate's mindset and how they handle challenges.
  3. Engineering leaders can stay technically relevant by reviewing pull requests and taking courses, even when not coding regularly.

How to Build Influence as an Engineering Leader | Kelly Vaughn

14 implied HN points • 12 Mar 24
💼 Business Management Team Collaboration Product Development Goal setting
  1. Building influence as an engineering leader requires focusing on trust, communication, and empowerment to succeed in both individual contributor and managerial roles.
  2. Adopting GenAI can be challenging due to the pressure of the hype cycle, and understanding key considerations is crucial for successful implementation.
  3. Having hard deadlines can significantly impact productivity and response rates, highlighting the importance of leveraging deadlines to improve team tempo and cadence.

12 Scenarios of Failure: Applying Chaos Engineering to SAP | Guilherme Sesterheim

32 implied HN points • 06 Feb 24
🕹 Technology DevOps Personal Branding
  1. Guilherme Sesterheim discusses applying Chaos Engineering to SAP systems to test and improve resilience.
  2. It's beneficial to have a trifecta of engineering, product, and UX at senior leadership levels for better outcomes.
  3. Anton Zaides argues that hiring only senior engineers is not the best policy and suggests considering junior engineers for fresh energy and adaptiveness.

Promoted from Dev to Team Lead: 8 Things They Didn’t Tell Me

168 implied HN points • 18 May 23
💼 Business Leadership Management Communication Culture Productivity
  1. Being promoted to a team lead involves a shift in focus from technical skills to people and processes
  2. Great devs turn into great leads by honing their instincts and adapting their behavior
  3. Effective communication as a leader involves focusing on the 'why' behind tasks, nurturing a positive team culture, and setting clear paths for team members

How to Run a Data-Driven Engineering Org Without Being a Performance Tyrant

88 implied HN points • 22 Jun 23
💼 Business Management Data-driven Leadership Teamwork Productivity
  1. Stack ranking is natural human behavior, but it may not be suitable for engineering teams.
  2. Data-driven does not mean stack ranking; software development teams are more like bands where everyone depends on each other.
  3. Avoid data-driven leadership anti-patterns by knowing your 'why', measuring more than individual stats, and not relying on easily available metrics.