QFM051: Engineering Leadership Reading List - January 2025

Source: Photo by Jon Tyson on Unsplash

This month’s Engineering Leadership Reading List kicks off by looking at AI’s role in engineering management. Phil Calçado’s deep dive examines back-end architecture for AI-driven products. The piece recounts the development of an AI-powered engineering assistant and the subsequent creation of Outropy, highlighting the technical and operational challenges of scaling AI systems while balancing user needs.

Despite the growth of AI, its limitations in team building are emphasised in Stack Overflow’s analysis. The article argues that while AI can generate code, it cannot replace the foundational learning and system understanding gained through junior engineering roles. Hiring junior developers remains critical for long-term sustainability and talent development in software organisations.

A shift away from traditional OKR frameworks is proposed in Jessitron’s critique. The article challenges rigid cascading OKRs, advocating instead for a model where teams articulate how their objectives contribute to broader strategic goals rather than simply aligning through hierarchical metrics.

A related organisational shift is highlighted in a study on Gen-Z professionals, which finds that many younger workers are avoiding middle management roles due to high stress and perceived lack of value. This reflects broader trends in companies like Meta that are streamlining management layers, prompting leaders to reconsider how management roles are structured.

Structural changes in engineering management also appear in an analysis of corporate downsizing. The piece explores how companies are reducing management layers to cut costs and increase agility, while balancing the risks of organisational inefficiency.

The concept of technical debt is examined from two angles. Aviv Ben-Yosef argues that the term is often misapplied, urging leaders to prioritise only necessary maintenance rather than chasing perfection. Meanwhile, an alternative perspective suggests that bad code is more like an unhedged call option than debt, carrying unpredictable risks that may result in costly rewrites if ignored.

For hiring managers, LeadDev’s guide outlines red flags to identify during interviews, both from the candidate and company perspective. A well-structured interview process benefits both parties, helping ensure alignment between expectations and company culture.

Steven Sinofsky’s reflection on failed engineering strategies explores why many appealing-sounding technical ideas—such as excessive modularity or forced API exposure—often backfire in practice. The piece serves as a cautionary guide to evaluating well-intentioned but impractical engineering decisions.

Lastly, individual career growth remains a key theme, with a discussion of reputation-building in large tech companies. The article explores how an engineer’s early successes shape long-term opportunities and why reputational momentum can be difficult to reverse.

As always, the Quantum Fax Machine Propellor Hat Key will guide your browsing. Enjoy!

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Originally published on quantumfaxmachine.com and cross-posted on Medium.

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