Book Reviews
Parenthood :: Management
Does becoming a parent make for a better manager? I remember vividly when I first brought it up as a possibility. I was interviewing at a few companies after deciding to end my time at Square, and wanted to continue…
Evolving Real-Time Strategy Gaming with DotA Underlords
Mods are unique to PC gaming. Unlike their mobile and console counterparts, the open nature of the PC allows for amateur game designers and programmers to take an existing game engine—sometimes along with the art assets—and build something…
Interviewing for Signals
I've been helping out with interviews for my employers since my first gig out of college, some 15 years ago. In that timeframe, the process to get a job as a software engineer hasn't changed too…
Separating Title, Responsibility, and Capability
A crucial part of being a people manager is making hiring decisions, and an overlooked part of that responsibility is to make a judgment on not only whether someone passes the hiring bar, but which bar they clear. That is,…
Skills for Aspiring Engineering Directors
Prevailing wisdom suggests that within the ranks of management, despite their proximity on most career ladders, the roles of a manager and a director are meaningfully different. Just as it's difficult to appreciate the responsibilities of line management…
Recounting a 14-Year Career in Software, Part V
Previously: Part I, Part II, Part III, Part IV. This final entry covers my time at Counsyl which has its own retrospective as well. As usual, I will bold major lessons learned. Assimilation vs. Differentiation My engagement with the folks…
