What makes great engineering teams?

They advance in small steps. Ideally, engineers deploy to production multiple times a day, instead of long-term branch work.

They understand higher throughput may cause more errors, but view mistakes as learning moments. Dwelling on past errors isn't productive.

They consistently remove unused code and features. A bloated codebase slows down deployment speed.

They use tools to enforce coding standards and conventions, as relying on manual documentation is often ineffective.

For each feature, they create temporary environments that closely replicate the production setup.

Comprehensive automated tests ensure reliable deployments, reducing the need for stakeholder involvement.

Counter to some beliefs, they prioritize managing technical debt. A strong foundation promotes rapid iteration, while a weak one can lead to bigger issues.

This optimizes value in every cycle and minimizes unfinished work.

Quick and frequent communication is a vital metric indicating the health of the organization.

They minimize the variety of technologies used. Using too many different languages, frameworks, or databases can cause bottlenecks due to specialized knowledge.

Team members possess varied skills, allowing them to address diverse problems.

They value uniformity in processes and decisions over individual inclinations.

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