The hottest Processes Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
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One Hand On The Yoke

Software Design: Tidy First? • 950 implied HN points • 20 Nov 24
🕹 Technology Software Design Culture Processes Engineering
  1. Flying an airplane usually works better with one hand on the yoke instead of two. This way, it's easier to keep a smooth flight and not overcorrect.
  2. When you let go a bit and trust a self-organizing team, you can achieve better results, just like flying with less tension.
  3. Sometimes trying to control things too tightly can make them worse, like struggling with a suitcase that wobbles. Often, a lighter touch or changing the tool helps.

TBM 323: Quick Tool Tips

The Beautiful Mess • 542 implied HN points • 21 Nov 24
💼 Business Management Strategy Tools Processes Teamwork
  1. Make tools fit your needs by trying them out and getting feedback. This way, you can avoid forcing your team into a system that doesn't help anyone.
  2. Involve all kinds of team members in decisions about tools. If you only ask certain roles, you might miss out on important ideas and needs from others.
  3. Start simple before automating. Test simple methods first to see what works, then build on those ideas rather than jumping straight into complicated solutions.

The loneliness of the long distance runbook

Wednesday Wisdom • 56 implied HN points • 11 Dec 24
🕹 Technology Software Engineering Documentation Management Processes
  1. Runbooks are often not followed closely because experienced engineers adapt them to their own knowledge and context. This can be good, but it also means runbooks might not be used as intended.
  2. When runbooks have errors or are not up to date, they can cause big problems. It's crucial to review and update runbooks regularly to keep them relevant and accurate.
  3. Don't expect runbooks to be perfect or solve all issues. They should be seen as guidelines rather than strict instructions, and everyone should have an understanding of the system behind them.

Hero Culture means your systems are broken

Sunday Letters • 159 implied HN points • 19 May 24
💼 Business Organization Leadership Culture Systems Processes
  1. Hero culture shows that a company's systems aren't working right. If you need someone to save the day, there's likely a problem with the organization's processes.
  2. Celebrating heroes can be nice, but it distracts from fixing the real issues. It's better to thank them and work together to prevent future emergencies.
  3. Good systems include clear documentation and solid processes. These tools help avoid relying on individuals to step in and fix issues all the time.

TBM 205: "Process" vs. Systems & Habits

The Beautiful Mess • 1613 implied HN points • 12 Mar 23
💼 Business Management Processes Systems Habits Leadership
  1. Team A focuses on rushed, performative annual processes, while Team B prioritizes continuous improvement and thoughtful feedback.
  2. Team A's lack of customer-centricity and reactive approach leads to institutionalized mediocrity, while Team B's positive habits and systems drive effectiveness.
  3. Breaking the loop of reactive processes and establishing human-centric systems and valuable habits is crucial for better ways of working in organizations.
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Bill vs. Ted

The Radar • 59 implied HN points • 03 Apr 24
💼 Business Leadership Promotions Processes Organizational Culture Decision-making
  1. In promotion processes, advocacy, arbitrariness, and detachment can influence outcomes, sometimes leading to the wrong candidate being chosen.
  2. The complexity and overbuilt nature of promotion processes can obscure the best candidate, favoring manipulation over merit.
  3. Balancing objectivity and fairness in promotions is crucial, as promoting the right people leads to positive organizational outcomes.

Airbnb’s Algorithmic Odyssey: Balancing Automation, Pricing, and User Trust

Gad’s Newsletter • 35 implied HN points • 23 Oct 23
💼 Business Technology Processes Market Dynamics Customer Service
  1. Airbnb's core pillars for a great service include affordable prices, reliability, and customer support during issues.
  2. Airbnb faces challenges with customer support, especially with cancellations and non-existent listings, impacting trustworthiness.
  3. Achieving 'product and process market fit' is crucial for companies like Airbnb to align product value with operational processes to meet market demands.

A journey into the Linux proc filesystem

The Personable Engineer • 3 HN points • 15 Mar 24
🕹 Technology Linux Processes Operating Systems Processes
  1. The "/proc" folder in Linux is a pseudo-filesystem that provides access to kernel data structures, allowing tools like ps and top to query data about processes and the kernel.
  2. By exploring the proc filesystem, you can gather useful information about processes, such as executable files, threads, environment variables, process owner, and more, even without tools like ps or top.
  3. The proc filesystem also offers insights into kernel information, such as the kernel version, configurations, and system uptime, providing a deeper understanding of the system's inner workings.

The life and nature of a process

Building Rome(s) • 7 implied HN points • 18 Mar 23
🕹 Technology Processes Systems Organizational Culture
  1. Processes and systems are not necessarily opposites; in reality, systems are formed by combining effective processes over time.
  2. In the journey from processes to culture, there's a struggle between different perspectives like hedgehogs and foxes which influence how processes evolve.
  3. Balancing attention to detail (hedgehog) and simplicity (fox) is key in progressing processes and becoming a successful Technical Program Manager.

Plant Trees Before You Need the Shade

realkinetic • 0 implied HN points • 29 Jan 18
💼 Business Startup Leadership Processes Values Success
  1. Companies go through different phases like seed, startup, growth, and maturity where culture and capabilities play vital roles.
  2. Culture is the invisible force that guides your organization while capabilities stem from resources, processes, and values.
  3. Success in organizations transitions from being resource-driven to process and value-driven over time, and adapting processes to new challenges is key for sustained growth.

Why Are Most Organizations so Slow?

Logos • 0 implied HN points • 18 Dec 22
💼 Business Organizational Culture Management Practices Processes Leadership Productivity
  1. A company's culture can really slow things down. If leaders just talk about high standards but don't practice them, things won't improve. It's important for everyone to be held accountable and for a fast pace to be a real priority.
  2. The way an organization is set up can affect its speed. Having a clear structure with established processes helps decisions get made faster and reduces unnecessary politics, allowing teams to be more responsive.
  3. People can also be their own bottlenecks. Perfectionism, lack of confidence, and inexperience can all make tasks take longer than they should. Encouraging quick, effective work over chasing perfection can help increase productivity.

Production Readiness Review

Certo Modo • 0 implied HN points • 20 Feb 23
🕹 Technology Development Productivity Processes Reliability
  1. Product launches are crucial and can make or break a business, depending on how well they are received by customers.
  2. The Production Readiness Review (PRR) is a valuable process that ensures a team is fully prepared to offer a product to paying customers by evaluating operational responsibilities.
  3. The PRR process involves creating a standardized questionnaire, delegating questions to team members, presenting and discussing findings, providing feedback, and making a go/no-go decision based on known risks before launching the product.

Good intentions don't work

Tech Ramblings • 0 implied HN points • 05 Feb 23
💼 Business Management Processes Corporate culture Decision-making Efficiency
  1. Good intentions alone are not enough to achieve goals; having clear processes is essential. Relying on gut feelings or promises can lead to bad outcomes.
  2. Good teams follow documented processes for tasks, decisions, and problem-solving. This helps everyone know what to do and ensures accountability.
  3. Amazon's culture emphasizes clear procedures, which makes it a great place for engineers. Following these principles helps teams work effectively and align their efforts.

On development - How to design an effective intake process

Joseph Gefroh • 0 implied HN points • 06 Feb 21
💼 Business Management Operations Startups Processes Organization
  1. Implementing an effective intake process is crucial for managing growth and improving teamwork. It helps individual developers work efficiently, allows for effective planning across the organization, and ensures clear prioritization.
  2. An intake process shines a light on hidden work, making it visible to everyone and aiding in proper planning and resource allocation. It promotes transparency and avoids inefficiencies caused by requests slipping through the cracks.
  3. Having a structured intake process provides valuable signals that can guide decision-making. By collecting data on requests and their handling, the team can identify trends, address issues, and streamline priorities for better outcomes.