software + caffeine = blog

The Substack 'software + caffeine = blog' focuses on insights and practices in software development and Site Reliability Engineering (SRE), emphasizing learning from mistakes. It covers roles and responsibilities of SREs, fostering a culture of reliability, managing risk, evaluating technology companies, and the importance of communication within engineering teams.

Site Reliability Engineering Software Development Practices Team Communication Technology Management Evaluation Risk Management Product Management

The hottest Substack posts of software + caffeine = blog

And their main takeaways

SRE Evangelist

19 implied HN points • 06 Mar 23
🕹 Technology Engineering Communication Training Reliability Developers
  1. The role of a Site Reliability Engineer (SRE) can vary greatly depending on the company, from Ops+ to Developer+ to 24x7 on-call incident responder.
  2. Successful SREs must be great evangelists, able to communicate effectively and passionately about reliability.
  3. SREs need to be force multipliers within their teams, encouraging a culture of reliability and making sure the value of reliability is understood and embraced.

Tiered Availability Review

1 HN point • 17 Feb 23
🕹 Technology Operations Metrics Meetings Executives
  1. Having regular forums within your engineering organization is crucial for driving accountability for availability.
  2. Different levels of availability reviews cater to specific audiences and purposes, from individual engineering teams to executives.
  3. Building momentum for these forums requires buy-in from engineering teams, executives, and directors, and it's essential for sustaining the process.

Why don't software engineering teams just say no?

0 implied HN points • 07 Feb 22
  1. Software engineering teams often struggle to say 'no' directly, leading to ambiguous responses that actually mean 'no'.
  2. One reason for the difficulty in saying 'no' is the lack of trust from internal customers, making it challenging to set boundaries.
  3. Estimating project timelines accurately is hard, which adds to the challenge of confidently saying 'no' to new requests.
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How to Evaluate Product Management at a Technology Company

0 implied HN points • 02 Oct 15
  1. Believe in the long term goals of the product you're working on.
  2. Check if the product management team effectively communicates goals to the technology team.
  3. Make sure the product team knows their customers and collects data to make informed decisions.

How to Evaluate Engineering at a Technology Company

0 implied HN points • 18 Sep 15
  1. When evaluating engineering at a technology company, focus on how technology decisions are made.
  2. It's important to assess the quality of the technology being used within the company.
  3. Understanding the balance between building great software and making money is crucial for a successful technology company.

The Virtuous Cycle

0 implied HN points • 06 Feb 23
  1. Communicating the basics of availability is crucial for SREs.
  2. The Virtuous Cycle simplifies service operation for better understanding.
  3. Repetitive communication of the 'why' in SRE is essential for all team members.

The 3 Pillars of Service Availability

0 implied HN points • 10 Feb 23
  1. Implement Incident Response with standardized processes and follow-up reviews.
  2. Utilize SLOs to measure customer experience and understand service degradation.
  3. Conduct Operations Reviews monthly to review incident response and SLOs for accountability.

How to Evaluate Management at a Technology Company

0 implied HN points • 25 Jul 15
  1. As a software developer, it's important to evaluate not just technology but also the company when considering a job.
  2. A great technology company should have strong management that communicates a clear vision and holds employees accountable.
  3. Management styles vary in how they hold employees accountable, so it's crucial to find a balance where employees are responsible but not overwhelmed.