All about technology strategy and leadership

Insights from a tech lead into leadership, engineering management and technology strategy

Navigating the C-Suite: A Tech Lead’s Guide to Influential Updates

You’re a tech lead, so you know that communication is key to your success. As a tech leader, you need to convey complex ideas and visions to people of varying technical abilities – a challenging task that requires a specific set of communication skills [1]. Whether discussing designs in-team or advocating for your group to…
Managing up Senior Executives as a Tech Lead

Managing up is an essential skill for any tech lead. As highlighted by Ethan Evans, a retired Amazon VP, in his insightful article on managing up to executives, understanding how to interact with higher management can significantly enhance your impact and visibility in a tech organization. Here, we expand on his principles with practical tips…
Over-Engineering in Tech: 3 Essential Tips how to avoid it in your Team

Over-engineering can significantly derail project timelines and inflate budgets in the tech industry. To navigate this, it’s crucial for tech leaders to ensure that engineering efforts are strategically aligned and efficiently executed. This article outlines three essential tips to help your team avoid over-engineering, focusing on critical areas like understanding business problems, balancing innovation with…
Tech lead career path: From writing code to leading developers

Becoming a tech lead is an aspirational goal for many developers. This pivotal role combines deep technical expertise with leadership responsibilities, guiding teams towards achieving software excellence. For those looking to transition from hands-on coding to a leadership position, understanding the pathway is crucial. Here is a full guide to the tech lead career path…
Tech interview guide: Essential learnings for leaders to structure and evaluate

In this article we journey through the tech interview process from the perspective of a tech lead tasked with evaluating a candidate for a senior developer position. This case study delves deep into the interview room, presenting a nuanced examination of one candidate’s responses to a series of challenging questions. By showcasing examples of both…
Tech lead responsibilities: Understanding your role

In the fast-evolving landscape of the technology sector, the position of a Tech Lead stands as a pivotal cornerstone in steering teams towards innovation and success. However roles and responsibilities of a tech lead can vary significantly, primarily distinguished by the nature of leadership they exercise: disciplinary versus non-disciplinary. This differentiation not only underscores the…
5 Essential leadership lessons every Tech Manager learns the hard way

Transitioning into a tech leadership role often comes with its own set of unforeseen challenges. While the technical skills that propelled you into a position of leadership are invaluable, they are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the qualities a successful tech leader must possess. Below, we explore five essential lessons…
Software Development Effort Estimation: Simple and Quick Process (with Template)

Effort estimation in software development is a critical skill for tech leads, especially when managing large-scale projects. This capability forms the backbone of strategic project planning and execution. There are different situations where you might be asked to estimate the effort for a certain feature or the development of a complete new product. In any…
5 Secret Leadership skills every Tech Leader must know

In the rapidly evolving tech industry, effective leadership goes beyond technical and people management capabilities. It’s about embodying a set of core skills that inspire, drive, and sustain innovation and growth within teams and projects. Here are five secret leadership skills every tech lead must know to navigate the complexities of technology and team dynamics…
Startup tech strategy: 5 Best practices to be successful

Good tech strategy for a startup involves a plan that aligns with the startup’s business goals, resources, and market environment. It should be flexible enough to adapt to changes and challenges while providing a clear path toward achieving technological and business milestones. Accepting technical debt pragmatically in the early stages of a startup can be…