
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.
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.
More for Staff engineers
Videos for Staff engineers
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Lost and alone over the Pacific
On December 22, 1978, veteran US Navy pilot Jay Prochnow found himself lost over the Pacific after a navigation failure during a solo ferry flight. With no land in sight and nightfall approaching, he had to find a way to survive. This is the story of how he navigated out of the crisis – and what we can learn from his experience.
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Creating the next generation of Senior Engineers
An introduction to the science of teaching – pedagogy – how it applies to leadership and techniques to grow our teams in the era of doing more with less.
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From code to commerce: Engineering’s role in driving business growth
Learn how engineering leadership drives business success by linking technical excellence to measurable outcomes, fostering commercial awareness, and optimizing performance at scale.
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Building the AI enablement playbook
Learn how to lead AI adoption by reshaping systems, culture, and operations, not just rolling out tools.
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Don’t get toasted: A leader’s guide to mental well-being
Real tools for managers’ mental well-being – from stress management to parenting wisdom – because leading teams shouldn’t mean burning out.
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In partnership with DX
Better software faster
How the Core 4 framework helps teams measure and communicate productivity gains while balancing delivery pressure.
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Rethinking collaboration: LLMs, teams, and cognitive load
Discover how LLMs can reduce cognitive load, boost team collaboration, and reshape engineering workflows without compromising quality or delivery.
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How to delete everything: The clean-slate approach to technical strategy
Learn how clean-slate thinking can break technical deadlocks, improve system resilience, and inspire actionable strategies for complex engineering challenges.
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Rethinking growing engineers in the age of AI
Explore how to grow future senior engineers in an AI-driven world that sidelines traditional junior roles.
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Give everyone a challenge – Leadership growth in stable times
Learn how to grow engineering leaders through impact-focused challenges, not headcount, even in low-growth environments.
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Ice, confusion, and the 38,000ft crash
Uncover the critical lessons from AF 447’s final moments – how small factors spiraled into disaster and what it teaches us about building resilient systems.
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Estimates as probabilities
This talk introduces a probability approach to estimations, aiming to transform delivery discussions into stress-free, trust-based conversations between tech teams and stakeholders.