The Engineering in Engineering Manager

Many folks are thrown into the Engineering Manager (EM) role without being told what is expected of them. In this talk, we will shine a light and clarify common “shapes” of EMs, what an EM should focus on and what the “engineering” in the title really means. We will answer questions like, “Should an EM code?”, “What makes EMs different from other managers?” and “How do you know if you’re doing a good job as an EM?”

Transcript

1. @patkua The Engineering in Engineering Manager
2. techlead.academy @patkua Coaching e.g. CTOs, VPs of Eng Training e.g. TLs, EMs, Staff+
3. techlead.academy @patkua thekua.io/twtl thekua.io/retrobook #Architect #Developer #Coach #Leader #CTO #Life-long learner #Author #Speaker thekua.io/evolarch 20+ years experience
4. techlead.academy @patkua http://managingmanagers.tech http://levelup.patkua.com Newsletter Podcast
5. techlead.academy @patkua THE EM SCOPE THE E IN EM EM PITFALLS QUESTIONS
6. techlead.academy @patkua THE EM SCOPE THE E IN EM EM PITFALLS QUESTIONS
7. @patkua What is an Engineering Manager?
8. techlead.academy @patkua ‣ A role responsible for people ‣ A role accountable for the outcomes of one (or more) technical team(s) What is an Engineering Manager?
9. techlead.academy @patkua Exploring the EM role Technical 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 🌟🌟 🌟🌟 🌟🌟 🌟 Team 🌟🌟 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 🌟🌟 🌟 🌟🌟🌟 Process 🌟🌟 🌟🌟 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 🌟🌟 🌟🌟🌟🌟 Product 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 🌟🌟 1. Tech Lead EM 2. Team Lead EM 3. Delivery EM 4. Product EM 5. Lead of Leads EM https://www.patkua.com/blog/5-engineering-manager-archetypes
10. techlead.academy @patkua THE EM SCOPE THE E IN EM EM PITFALLS QUESTIONS
11. techlead.academy @patkua The “Perfect” Line Manager
12. techlead.academy @patkua Technical 🌟 Team 🌟🌟🌟🌟 Process 🌟 Product 🌟 EM Anti-Pattern 🌟🌟🌟
13. techlead.academy @patkua ‣ Goal: Make every team member happy ‣ *Only* invested in team member’s growth ‣ Team runs their own meetings ‣ No strong technical opinions ‣ No strong opinions on product The “Perfect” Line Manager
14. techlead.academy @patkua The Senior IC as EM
15. techlead.academy @patkua Technical 🌟🌟 Team Process 🌟 Product 🌟 EM Anti-Pattern 🌟🌟🌟 🌟🌟🌟
16. techlead.academy @patkua ‣ Goal: Stay as hands-on as possible ‣ Prefers technical discussions over others ‣ Still does people duties (but because they have to, not because they want to) The Senior IC as EM
17. techlead.academy @patkua Two Major Traps No E in the EM The “Perfect” Line Manager The Wrong E in the EM The Senior IC as EM
18. techlead.academy @patkua THE EM SCOPE THE E IN EM EM PITFALLS QUESTIONS
19. techlead.academy @patkua Manager Engineering (Software)
20. techlead.academy @patkua Manager Engineering (Software) “Engineering the System” (which produces outcomes)
21. Engineering A Quality System A High Performing Team Flow
22. Engineering A Quality System A High Performing Team Flow
23. techlead.academy @patkua What is Quality? Engineering a Quality System
24. techlead.academy @patkua What is Quality? Developer ‣ Easy to read ‣ Easy to change ‣ Performant Engineering a Quality System
25. techlead.academy @patkua What is Quality? Product ‣ Useful ‣ Explainable ‣ Makes money Engineering a Quality System
26. techlead.academy @patkua What is Quality? Customer ‣ Does the job ‣ Easy to use ‣ Delightful Engineering a Quality System
27. techlead.academy @patkua “Quality is a multi-faceted and intangible construct” - Charantimath (2011), Zhang (2001) Engineering a Quality System
28. techlead.academy @patkua What has agile/lean taught us? Engineering a Quality System
29. techlead.academy @patkua “You can not inspect quality into a product.” - Harold F. Dodge Engineering a Quality System
30. techlead.academy @patkua Trends Quality Engineering over Quality Assurance Engineering a Quality System
31. techlead.academy @patkua Quality Engineering Getting rid of testers Getting developers to do testing Not just about testing Engineering a Quality System
32. techlead.academy @patkua Quality Engineering Building quality in (early) Stronger collaboration Enabling team Engineering a Quality System
33. techlead.academy @patkua Trends Quality Engineering over Quality Assurance Shift Left over Quality Gates Engineering a Quality System
34. techlead.academy @patkua Shift Left User Story Dev Test Deploy Test Driven Development “Three Amigos” Engineering a Quality System
35. techlead.academy @patkua Shift Left User Story Dev Test Deploy (From) code review (To) Pair Design/Programming Engineering a Quality System
36. techlead.academy @patkua Shift Left User Story Dev Test Deploy (To) Threat Modelling (From) Penetration Testing Engineering a Quality System
37. techlead.academy @patkua Trends Quality Engineering over Quality Assurance Shift Left over Quality Gates over (Automated) Fitness Functions Manual Processes Engineering a Quality System
38. techlead.academy @patkua (Automated) Fitness Functions https://community.chef.io/tools/chef-inspec Engineering a Quality System
39. techlead.academy @patkua (Automated) Fitness Functions https://community.chef.io/tools/chef-inspec # Server only with HTTPS port (not HTTP) describe port(80) do it { should_not be_listening } end describe port(443) do it { should be_listening } its('protocols') {should include 'https'} end Engineering a Quality System
40. techlead.academy @patkua (Automated) Fitness Functions https://community.chef.io/tools/chef-inspec # Disallow unsafe packages/utilities describe package('telnetd') do it { should_not be_installed } end describe inetd_conf do its("telnet") { should eq nil } end Engineering a Quality System
41. techlead.academy @patkua (Automated) Fitness Functions https://community.chef.io/tools/chef-inspec # Disallow unsafe packages/utilities describe package('telnetd') do it { should_not be_installed } end describe inetd_conf do its("telnet") { should eq nil } end Engineering a Quality System
42. Engineering A Quality System A High Performing Team Flow
43. techlead.academy @patkua What is a high-performing team? Engineering a High-Performing Team
44. techlead.academy @patkua What is a high-performing team? “More than the sum of the parts. It’s a product of the interactions” Engineering a High-Performing Team
45. techlead.academy @patkua What is a high-performing team? “More than the sum of the parts. It’s a product of the interactions” Engineering a High-Performing Team
46. techlead.academy @patkua “The Best” Ego Competition Individualistic Engineering a High-Performing Team
47. techlead.academy @patkua Project Aristotle Engineering a High-Performing Team
48. techlead.academy @patkua Project Aristotle 1. Psychological safety 2. Dependability 3. Structure & Clarity 4. Meaning 5. Importance Engineering a High-Performing Team
49. techlead.academy @patkua
50. Engineering A Quality System A High Performing Team Flow
51. techlead.academy @patkua Flow How much fl ow does my team have? Engineering Flow
52. techlead.academy @patkua Who’s calendar looks like this? Flow Engineering Flow
53. techlead.academy @patkua Flow Being helpful Getting stuff done Engineering Flow
54. techlead.academy @patkua Flow Permission to disable noti fi cations Fire fi ghter role Planned interrupts Focus days Engineering Flow
55. techlead.academy @patkua Flow How well does work fl ow through the team? Engineering Flow
56. techlead.academy @patkua The “Ideal” world Engineering Flow
57. techlead.academy @patkua Development Testing Deployed Backlog Planned Engineering Flow
58. techlead.academy @patkua Reality (is messier) Engineering Flow
59. techlead.academy @patkua Development Testing Deployed Backlog Planned Engineering Flow
60. techlead.academy @patkua Planned Development Testing Deployed Backlog Engineering Flow
61. techlead.academy @patkua Planned Development Testing Deployed Backlog Engineering Flow
62. techlead.academy @patkua Planned Development Testing Deployed Backlog PM: Can you work on that other task? It’s more important now Engineering Flow
63. techlead.academy @patkua Planned Development Testing Deployed Backlog Engineering Flow
64. techlead.academy @patkua Planned Development Testing Deployed Backlog PM: The third task is really urgent now Engineering Flow
65. techlead.academy @patkua Planned Development Testing Deployed Backlog Engineering Flow
66. techlead.academy @patkua Planned Development Testing Deployed Backlog Engineering Flow
67. techlead.academy @patkua Planned Development Testing Deployed Backlog QA: We found some bugs! Engineering Flow
68. techlead.academy @patkua Planned Development Testing Deployed Backlog Engineering Flow
69. techlead.academy @patkua Planned Development Testing Deployed Backlog Dev: OK. It’s fixed Engineering Flow
70. techlead.academy @patkua Planned Development Testing Deployed Backlog PM: That’s not what I wanted built Engineering Flow
71. techlead.academy @patkua Planned Development Testing Deployed Backlog Engineering Flow
72. techlead.academy @patkua Planned Development Testing Deployed Backlog Dev: I’ve made those extra changes Engineering Flow
73. techlead.academy @patkua Planned Development Testing Deployed Backlog Engineering Flow
74. techlead.academy @patkua Planned Development Testing Deployed Backlog PM: Looks good. Let’s release it Engineering Flow
75. techlead.academy @patkua Planned Development Testing Deployed Backlog Engineering Flow
76. techlead.academy @patkua Planned Development Testing Deployed Backlog Dev: Where was I with this again? Engineering Flow
77. techlead.academy @patkua Planned Development Testing Deployed Backlog Dev: Where was I with this again? Cycle time can be useful As is the amount of rework Engineering Flow
78. techlead.academy @patkua Key Question Engineering Flow
79. techlead.academy @patkua Key Question “What do we do to improve our work system (i.e. process)?” Engineering Flow
80. techlead.academy @patkua Engineering Flow Bonus Question “What’s slowing the team down?”
81. techlead.academy @patkua THE EM SCOPE THE E IN EM EM PITFALLS QUESTIONS
82. techlead.academy @patkua Manager Engineering (Software) Engineering
83. Engineering A Quality System A High Performing Team Flow
84. techlead.academy @patkua “You lead people. You manage things” - Admiral Grace Hopper
85. The Engineering in Engineering Manager @patkua QUESTIONS TechLead A C A D E M Y