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- Why is Everything So Slow? Measuring and Optimising How Engineering Teams Deliver
Why is Everything So Slow? Measuring and Optimising How Engineering Teams Deliver
#112 – October 24, 2022
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As teams grow, they will slow down. A larger and more mature team, working in a larger codebase, has more to care about than one in a small start-up, where moving fast in order to find market fit is key.
Life as an IC, or as a manager of ICs, usually follows a predictable cadence. Perhaps you plan your time and your activities around fixed periods such as sprints. Or perhaps it’s quite the opposite and you work in a self-directed manner: planning, building and shipping continually as you go.
Here’s a question that comes up a lot. It goes something like: “I’ve only worked 10 months at this job, and it’s terrible. If I look for a new job now, will my short tenure be a red flag?” Or, from hiring managers: “I’m looking at a resume showing they’ve worked three jobs in the last four years. Is that something to be concerned about?”
Most teams I’ve worked on have some process to make larger architectural decisions. This could be a larger discussion on a PR for a proof of concept. Or maybe a more formal process for making “Architectural Decisions” that leads to the creation of an ADR.
It all starts from the simple question: How do we know if we make the right decisions and take the right actions? The profound answer is we don’t since we cannot predict the future. Now, let’s talk about what we can do about it!