https://blog.mattblair.co/tags/tech-debt/ Recent content in Tech Debt on A Place for Poor Examples Hugo -- gohugo.io en Thu, 07 Sep 2023 15:22:57 -0800 https://blog.mattblair.co/blog/20230907-can-reports/ Thu, 07 Sep 2023 15:22:57 -0800 https://blog.mattblair.co/blog/20230907-can-reports/ In the realm of incident management, accurate and swift communication is vital. Different organizations adopt various strategies to ensure efficient communication during emergencies. One such strategy that has been gaining traction is the utilization of CAN reports, a mnemonic that stands for “Conditions, Actions, Needs.” Let us delve deeper into the intricacies and origins of this unique reporting format. What is a CAN Report? A CAN report, fundamentally, serves as a structure to relay critical information succinctly during an incident. https://blog.mattblair.co/blog/20230508-tech-improvement-roadmap/ Sun, 07 May 2023 12:19:57 -0800 https://blog.mattblair.co/blog/20230508-tech-improvement-roadmap/ Introduction Technical debt is a common challenge faced by engineering teams, requiring deliberate efforts to manage and pay it down. In this blog post, we will explore different approaches to tackling technical debt and building a long-term technical strategy. We will also highlight the importance of involving senior individual contributors (ICs) and engineering managers (EMs) in shaping the strategy, while considering the alignment with business and product goals. Engaging Senior ICs and EMs in Technical Strategy To ensure a comprehensive technical strategy, it is essential to involve experienced ICs and EMs in the decision-making process. https://blog.mattblair.co/blog/20230404-crunch-time/ Tue, 04 Apr 2023 03:10:07 -0800 https://blog.mattblair.co/blog/20230404-crunch-time/ Crunch periods are a reality in many industries, and sometimes they are necessary to meet an immovable deadline. However, working under high-pressure situations for an extended period can lead to burnout, and it’s essential to provide support for the team after the crunch is over. In this blog post, we will discuss different approaches for formalized recovery time after a crunch period. Ask team members what would make them feel valued One approach is to ask team members what would make them feel valued after the crunch period. https://blog.mattblair.co/blog/20230327-code-quality/ Mon, 27 Mar 2023 10:54:47 -0800 https://blog.mattblair.co/blog/20230327-code-quality/ As a manager, you’re responsible for ensuring that the software your team creates is of the highest quality possible. This means reducing the number of bugs and improving code quality. But how do you measure these improvements? And what strategies can you implement to achieve them? Measuring Quality One traditional way of measuring quality is by the number of bugs that are found and fixed. However, this is a lagging metric, meaning that you can only measure it after the damage has been done. https://blog.mattblair.co/blog/20230302-changing-stacks/ Thu, 02 Mar 2023 17:31:07 -0800 https://blog.mattblair.co/blog/20230302-changing-stacks/ When it comes to software engineering roles, experience in the tech stack you’re going to be working in is valuable but not specifically required. A good engineer can ramp up and learn new stacks. However, someone experienced in the tech stack can contribute quickly to key development initiatives, while also bringing outside experience using the stack. But which tech stacks are easier to move between, and which ones are the hardest? https://blog.mattblair.co/blog/20230221-technical-excellence/ Tue, 21 Feb 2023 17:31:07 -0800 https://blog.mattblair.co/blog/20230221-technical-excellence/ I was speaking to a friend who works at a startup with a team of around 14 engineers. 80% of them are mid level engineers with 3-4 years of experience. They all work in product squads covering specific areas. These have lost momentum in the development and they are seeing 2 key problems: The teams lacks direction on where to focus their energy and prefer tackling small issues as they don’t have a vision as to what impactful engineering initiatives to do.