Thoughtful Engineering

Thoughtful Engineering

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Dear CTO: it's not 2015 anymore
With AI and big tech layoffs, engineering organizations have been put under a microscope like never before. Engineering leaders need to adapt to this…
 • Christine Miao
AI is going to hack Jira
Hide your kids, hide your wife: how the Agile Industrial Complex has set us all up to be duped by AI codegen
 • Christine Miao
Junior Developers in the Age of AI
Companies are ditching junior engineers en masse. They'll tell you it's because AI writes better code. They’re right...but also missing the point.
 • Christine Miao
Developers: Stop Job Hunting like it's 2015
Tech job hunters are working with outdated playbooks.
 • Christine Miao and Randy Brown
In the age of AI, "rightsizing" is deadly.
Companies are confusing the benefits of AI with how to actually survive the AI wave. In the process, they're setting themselves on fire.
 • Christine Miao
The Self-Fulfilling Prophecy of AI Doom
The people building AI keep telling us we're doomed. Here's why they're wrong—and why it matters.
 • Christine Miao
Productive teams don't measure productivity.
It's become normal for engineering teams to get stuck in a vicious cycle of waste and bureaucracy. Here's how we got here, and how to break free.
 • Christine Miao
Why the Wrong People Get Promoted (And How to Get Promoted Instead)
Those who are most qualified for leadership often don’t end up as leaders. A playbook for aspiring leaders to get out of their own way, and into seats…
 • Christine Miao and David Bentley
There's no such thing as 'developer ROI'
Engineering productivity is real, but trying to quantify it in dollar terms is a losing, disastrous battle.
 • Christine Miao
AI: A Vibe Check
AI isn't about producing faster, cheaper, and more of the same.
 • Christine Miao
The Act of Authenticity
"Being yourself” is acting in alignment with your values, not expressing every passing emotion, thought, or instinct.
 • Christine Miao
"Explain the Business Impact!” (And Other Useless Advice)
Why the standard playbook for tech debt prioritization fails — and what we can do instead.
 • Christine Miao
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