#4 — The Tech Lead
The Tech Lead is a weekly newsletter on software, product & leadership. Featuring hand-picked articles for senior developers, tech leads, product managers, and more.
Hey Reader,
I have to admit that I found it challenging to focus on reading tech-related news in the last couple of weeks. Software and technology can seem quite meaningless in times of suffering and injustice. However, there is a lot to be fixed in our industry alone, from striving for more diversity and inclusion in the workplace to considering the real impact that our tech platforms have.
If I could recommend only one read, it would be this article by Jowanza Joseph, a fellow software engineer, where he sums up what it’s like to be black and how small acts of racism have shaped his daily life.
I hope you’re well and safe.
Meri
Mildred Thompson, Magnetic Fields, 1991, oil on canvas. Art and photo © The Mildred Thompson Estate, Atlanta, Georgia. Courtesy Galerie Lelong & Co., New York
Process
Lukas Linhart (Almad) * 8 min
In this essay, Almad describes his frustration with modern issue tracking software. Among other things, issue trackers are feature-bloated and have been optimized for you to spend as much time as possible using the product instead of enabling you to do your job. Alternatively, he proposes what features a proper issue tracking software, AKA a TODO list, should have.
Leadership
Why Check-in meetings are a waste of time? (Video)
Jason Fried * 2 min
If you have a one-hour meeting with five people, that’s actually a five-hour meeting. According to Jason Fried, CEO of Basecamp, check-in meetings are a waste of time and money. You’re interrupting people for a meeting that could have been a written message on Slack or Basecamp.
Open Source
How we raised $3M for an open-source project
The PostHog Team * 25 min
As Nadia Eghbal wrote time and time again, It’s challenging to get funding for open-source projects. In this blog post, the team behind PostHog (a tool that analyzes events and user behavior in your mobile or web app) explains how they raised $3M for an open-source project.
Frontend
When frontend means full stack
Chris Coyier * 10 min
In this essay, @chriscoyier creator of CSS-Tricks reflects on the evolution of the frontend developer’s responsibilities. It’s not enough to be proficient in HTML, CSS, and Javascript. Being a frontend developer today requires an ever-larger collection of skills.
What I Wrote
How Often Are You Fixing Complex Merge Conflicts?
Medium * 4 min
If you find yourself fixing merge conflicts too often, this article lists some possible root causes: coding style, non protected branches, or tightly coupled architecture.
How to Deal With a Tech Lead Who Doesn’t Give You Enough Feedback
Medium * 4 min
Ask for feedback and be specific about what types of feedback you expect. If that doesn’t work, experiment with self-evaluation and ask your colleagues.
Random
- This random Linkedin Message generator is amusing, and I’m wondering if that’s what recruiters use to draft their messages!
- Check out this pure CSS oil painting by Diana Smith.
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Originally published at https://thetechlead.substack.com.
