Day 29: Transforming Organization through Simplification, Slowification, Amplification
Be Better Engineering Leader, a 30 Days Series
This is the sixth week of a series of daily lessons on how to Be a Better Engineering Leader. I recommend spending up to an hour on each lesson to gain insights into Product, Technology, and People—areas critical for every Engineering Manager.
As an engineering leader, your role is to not only solve problems but also transform your organization.
Today, we'll focus on three strategic approaches: Slowification, Simplification, and Amplification. Each of these provides a distinct path for leading impactful changes in your team and technology stack.
1. Slowification: Create Space for Thoughtful Problem-Solving
Slowification involves moving away from reactive and impulsive decision-making to a more deliberate and measured approach. This isn’t about slowing down productivity; it’s about creating the mental space needed for thoughtful problem-solving.
Action Points:
Audit Fast-Paced Processes: Identify areas where your team is making decisions under pressure. Are there places where mistakes are frequent, or stress levels are high?
Introduce Decision-Making Buffers: Implement buffers like “cooling periods” before making significant technical decisions. For instance, after receiving a feature request, schedule a mandatory review session the next day.
Encourage Mindful Reviews: Prioritize in-depth code reviews or architectural discussions without the urgency of delivery deadlines. Create a routine “thinking day” for strategic planning and reflection.
2. Simplification: Break Down Complexity
Simplification is all about making complex problems easier to handle by breaking them down into manageable chunks. This can be achieved through strategies like Incrementalization, Modularization, and Linearization.
Simplification through Incrementalization:
Apply MVCs, PoCs, Prototypes: Start new projects with Minimum Viable Components, Proof of Concepts, or Prototypes. This reduces the risk and allows for learning without heavy investments.
Incremental Builds: Break down feature development into small, continuous builds. Implement a system where every change goes through a pipeline that includes testing, review, and validation.
Distributed Architecture: Assess whether large systems can be broken down into smaller, independently testable components.
Simplification through Modularization:
Define Clear Interfaces: Ensure each module or service has clear, well-documented interfaces. This minimizes interdependencies and enhances team autonomy.
Adopt Microservices or Modular Monoliths: Reassess your current architecture. Can some monolithic parts be modularized to improve scalability and maintainability?
Simplification through Linearization:
Streamline Workflows: Map out your team’s workflows. Are there bottlenecks or unnecessary hierarchies that can be removed?
Create Direct Connections: For teams working closely on interdependent components, create direct communication channels to bypass unnecessary escalations.
3. Amplification: Make Problems Impossible to Ignore
Amplification is about making existing issues visible and ensuring they get the attention they deserve. This approach prevents small issues from snowballing into major setbacks.
Action Points:
Set Up a Problem Board: Create a visible board (digital or physical) where all incidents, test failures, and feedback are logged and tracked. Make it a team ritual to review this board during standups or retrospectives.
Establish Clear Reporting Channels: Define clear, direct channels for reporting issues. Ensure that the person responsible for addressing them is immediately notified.
Celebrate Problem Reporting: Encourage your team to report problems. Make it clear that the focus is on solving issues, not assigning blame.
Transform Your Team Today
Take a few minutes to reflect on your current practices. How can you apply Slowification, Simplification, or Amplification to your team, processes, or tech stack today? Pick one area and make a plan to implement these strategies.
Extra Resources
Premium Articles for a Deep Dive:
Book Recommendation:
Wiring the Winning Organization by Gene Kim
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