book

The Staff Engineer's Path

Name: The Staff Engineer's Path
Author: Tanya Reilly
ISBN: 9781098118730

by Tanya Reilly

September 2022

Intermediate to advanced

356 pages

10h 6m

English

O'Reilly Media, Inc.

Audiobook available

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Foreword
Introduction
Two PathsThe Pillars of Staff EngineeringPart I: The Big PicturePart II: ExecutionPart III: Leveling UpO’Reilly Online LearningHow to Contact UsAcknowledgments
I. The Big Picture
1. What Would You Say You Do Here?
What Even Is a Staff Engineer?Why Do We Need Engineers Who Can See the Big Picture?Why Do We Need Engineers Who Lead Projects That Cross Multiple Teams?Why Do We Need Engineers Who Are a Good Influence?Enough Philosophy. What’s My Job?You’re Not a Manager, but You Are a LeaderYou’re in a “Technical” RoleYou Aim to Be AutonomousYou Set Technical DirectionYou Communicate Often and WellUnderstanding Your RoleWhere in the Organization Do You Sit?What’s Your Scope?What Shape Is Your Role?What’s Your Primary Focus?Aligning on Scope, Shape, and Primary FocusIs That Your Job?To Recap
2. Three Maps
Uh, Did Anyone Bring a Map?A Locator Map: You Are HereA Topographical Map: Learning the TerrainA Treasure Map: X Marks the SpotClearing the Fog of WarThe Locator Map: Getting PerspectiveSeeing BiggerThe Topographical Map: Navigating the TerrainRough TerrainUnderstanding Your OrganizationWhat Points of Interest Are on Your Map?Keeping Your Topographic Map Up to DateIf the Terrain Is Still Difficult to Navigate, Be a BridgeThe Treasure Map: Remind Me Where We’re Going?Chasing Shiny ThingsTaking a Longer ViewIf the Treasure Map Is Still Unclear, It Might Be Time to Draw a New OneYour Personal JourneyTo Recap
3. Creating the Big Picture
The Scenario: SockMatcher Needs a PlanWhat’s a Vision? What’s a Strategy?What’s a Technical Vision?What’s a Technical Strategy?Do You Really Need Vision and Strategy Documents?The ApproachEmbrace the Boring IdeasJoin an Expedition in ProgressGet a SponsorChoose Your Core GroupSet ScopeMake Sure It’s AchievableMake It OfficialThe WritingThe Writing LoopMake DecisionsGet Aligned and Stay AlignedCreate the Final DraftThe LaunchMake It OfficialKeep It FreshCase Study: SockMatcherApproachThe WritingThe LaunchTo Recap
II. Execution
4. Finite Time
Doing All the ThingsTimeFinite TimeHow Busy Do You Like to Be?projectqueue.pop()?Resource ConstraintsYour DashboardE + 2S + ...?Bin packingChoosing ProjectsEvaluating a ProjectWhat are you signing on for?Questions to Ask Yourself About ProjectsWhat If It’s the Wrong Project?ExamplesDefend Your TimeTo Recap
5. Leading Big Projects
The Life of a ProjectThe Start of a ProjectIf You’re Feeling Overwhelmed…Building ContextGiving Your Project StructureDriving the ProjectExploringClarifyingDesigningCodingCommunicatingNavigatingTo Recap
6. Why Have We Stopped?
The Project Isn’t Moving—Should It Be?You’re Stuck in TrafficBlocked by Another TeamBlocked by a DecisionBlocked by a Single $%@$% Button ClickBlocked by a Single PersonBlocked by Unassigned WorkBlocked by a Huge Crowd of PeopleYou’re LostYou Don’t Know Where You’re All GoingYou Don’t Know How to Get ThereYou Don’t Know Where You StandYou Have Arrived…Somewhere?But It’s Code Complete!It’s Done but Nobody Is Using ItIt’s Built on a Shaky FoundationThe Project Just Stops HereTo Recap

III. Leveling Up
7. You’re a Role Model Now (Sorry)
What Does It Mean to Do a Good Job?But I Don’t Want to Be a Role Model!What Does It Mean to Do a Good Job as a Senior Engineer?Be CompetentKnow ThingsBe Self-AwareHave High StandardsBe ResponsibleTake OwnershipTake ChargeCreate CalmRemember the GoalRemember There’s a BusinessRemember There’s a UserRemember There’s a TeamLook AheadAnticipate What You’ll Wish You’d DoneExpect FailureOptimize for Maintenance, Not CreationCreate Future LeadersTo Recap
8. Good Influence at Scale
Good InfluenceScaling Your Good InfluenceAdviceIndividual AdviceScaling Your Advice to a GroupBeing a CatalystTeachingIndividual TeachingScaling Your Teaching to a GroupBeing a CatalystGuardrailsIndividual GuardrailsScaling Your Guardrails to a GroupBeing a CatalystOpportunityIndividual OpportunitiesScaling Your Opportunities to a GroupBeing a CatalystTo Recap
9. What’s Next?
Your CareerWhat’s Important to You?Where Are You Going?What Do You Need to Invest In?Your Current RoleFive Metrics to Keep an Eye OnCan You Get What You Want from Your Role?Should You Change Jobs?Paths from HereKeep Doing What You’re DoingWork Toward PromotionWork LessChange TeamsBuild a New SpecialtyExploreTake a Management RoleTake on Reports for the First TimeFind or Invent Your Own NicheDo the Same Job for a Different EmployerChange Employers and Go Up a LevelChange Employers and Go Down a LevelSet Up Your Own StartupGo IndependentChange CareersPrepare to ResetYour Choices MatterTo Recap
Index
About the Author

Content preview from The Staff Engineer's Path

About the Author

Tanya Reilly has over twenty years of experience in software engineering, most recently working on architecture and technical strategy as a senior principal engineer at Squarespace. Previously she was a staff engineer at Google, responsible for some of the largest distributed systems on the planet. Tanya writes about technical leadership and software reliability on her website, No Idea Blog. She’s an organizer and host of the LeadDev StaffPlus conference and a frequent conference and keynote speaker. Originally from Ireland, she now lives in Brooklyn with her spouse, kid, and espresso machine.

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The Staff Engineer's Path

by Tanya Reilly

About the Author

Become an O’Reilly member and get unlimited access to this title plus top books and audiobooks from O’Reilly and nearly 200 top publishers, thousands of courses curated by job role, 150+ live events each month,
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