Latest
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A smarter way to evaluate LLM applications
LLM evaluations are the ultimate quality gate for your product.
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What the end of Section 174 means for software developer hiring
New US law brings in significant tax changes, which could change the face of hiring.
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Vibe coding, hype cycles, and why AI isn’t the 10x answer
How has AI impacted some of the cultural and technical aspects of software engineering?
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Vibe coding brought back my love for programming
When so much of the media is steeped in anti-vibe coding rhetoric, it can be easy to forget the joy found in programming this way.
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“Vibe hacking” signals seismic shift for engineering leaders
Blackhat hackers have an addition to their armoury. Here’s how engineering leaders can safeguard their systems and stay on high alert.
Editor’s picks
What is a staff engineer? Technical leaders who aren’t managers
Staff engineers are technical leaders who have deep domain knowledge, walking the line between tech and the business.
October 15 & 16, 2025
Agendas for New York events are live! 🙌
Essential reading
Who are staff, principal, and distinguished engineers?
Understand the differences between staff, principal, and distinguished engineers. Job description and salaries included.
On our StaffPlus playlist
How to master the four Staff archetypes and elevate your impact
While the specifics of the job can vary widely, Will Larson has famously categorized the Staff+ experience into four archetypes: Tech Lead, Architect, Solver, and the Right Hand.
Understanding the role as a Staff engineer
How to define, develop and deliver in your role on the technical track.
How to balance technical direction and leadership work
But as is often the case in business, priorities constantly shift and where you focus your efforts will too. So how do you strike the right balance between working on the technical direction of the business and those tasks that require you to put your leadership hat on?
Start with an exit in mind: How to be effective by being selfish as a staff engineer
Staff engineers often get overwhelmed by long-term ownership of critical projects. This talk explores how to avoid burnout by starting every project with an exit strategy—whether transferring ownership, pausing or bootstrapping a team.
Agendas for New York events are live!
Lineup includes Addy Osmani, Kevin Goldsmith, Robin Bonatesta, and more…
New York • October 15 & 16, 2025
More for Staff engineers
Videos for Staff engineers
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Were our values a lie? Leading teams through diversity’s collapse
As industry shifts impact diversity, leaders must stay true to their values. This talk provides strategies to uphold your principles, build resilience, and foster inclusivity and trust, even when the company no longer prioritizes them.
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So you want to hire engineering force multipliers?
10x engineers, platform engineering, infrastructure, DevEx… What do they have in common?
They’re hard to hire, easily burned out, difficult to grow, and likely to fail. Let’s talk about how to do it right.
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In partnership with PostmanHuman-first leadership, AI-powered
Discover how AI can free engineering leaders to focus on people, not process – driving innovation without losing the human core.
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Beyond “try harder”: Effective strategies to tackle bugs
“Just try harder” isn’t a strategy. Learn three proven approaches – monitoring bugs, managing legacy systems, and optimizing feedback loops – that empower teams to deliver better software.
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Debugging the most critical relationship in your work life: How to work better with an imperfect boss
Many bosses, despite their best efforts, struggle with communication, delegation, and career support for their teams. This talk explores how to navigate the complexities of working with your boss, balancing honesty with career impact, and building a more effective partnership.
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Metrics, KPIs & Developer Experience: Rethinking measurement for high-performing teams
This talk challenges traditional engineering metrics, exploring how to balance KPIs with developer experience using frameworks like SPACE, ensuring teams achieve great results without burnout.
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Balancing direction and empowerment
In this talk, Lara Hogan shares how to balance being empowering and being directive as a leader, as well as when you should switch up your approach.
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The performance curve: A legacy model in modern disguise
A critique of modern performance management, exposing its flawed assumptions and hidden biases, while offering actionable insights for leaders to build fairer, more effective systems that align with their morals and modern organizational goals.
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Accessibility of codebases: A team leader’s perspective
We explore making codebases approachable, onboarding efficiently, and learning stress-free. Discover tools, metrics, and techniques to build a codebase your team enjoys working on and feels confident contributing to.
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The sprinter’s leadership mindset
What engineering leaders can learn from the discipline, focus, and strategy of a sprinter.
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Training innovation: The key to long-term success
Innovation doesn’t just happen – it’s a skill that must be trained. Learn practical techniques for fostering innovation in engineering teams, from mindset shifts to structured frameworks.
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Leader or engineer? Navigating our technical identity crisis
Am I still technical enough? What does my team think?
Drawing from the hard-won lessons of a leadership initiative for 250 engineers, this talk uncovers unexpected truths in the conflict between technical depth and leadership.