senior-engineer-checklist.json

{
  "data": [
    {
      "task": "Understand the business aspect of your work, and what makes money. Eventually, only that matters.",
      "category": "leadership",
      "effort": "high",
      "caimpact": "high",
      "coimpact": "high"
    },
    {
      "task": "Get involved with hiring for your team and company, and maintain a high bar for hiring quality candidates.",
      "category": "hiring",
      "effort": "medium",
      "caimpact": "low",
      "coimpact": "high"
    },
    {
      "task": "Design and develop systems appropriate to scale, extensibility, and scope of the problem. Avoid over-engineering.",
      "category": "technology",
      "effort": "high",
      "caimpact": "medium",
      "coimpact": "medium"
    },
    {
      "task": "Question everything and ask \"why\" repetitively until you get to the root of problems and situations.",
      "category": "technology",
      "effort": "high",
      "caimpact": "medium",
      "coimpact": "low"
    },
    {
      "task": "Demand accountability and ownership from others.",
      "category": "leadership",
      "effort": "high",
      "caimpact": "low",
      "coimpact": "medium"
    },
    {
      "task": "Once you understand the company's needs, lead at least one high-impact project with a clear definition and target of successful delivery.",
      "category": "leadership",
      "effort": "high",
      "caimpact": "high",
      "coimpact": "high"
    },
    {
      "task": "Work towards disambiguating ambiguous problem statements.",
      "category": "leadership",
      "effort": "high",
      "caimpact": "medium",
      "coimpact": "medium"
    },
    {
      "task": "Cultivate relationships with other teams and develop trust.",
      "category": "network",
      "effort": "high",
      "caimpact": "medium",
      "coimpact": "medium"
    },
    {
      "task": "Do not be adamant about your views. Listen to others and accept that there is more than one way to look at a problem statement, and multiple valid solutions to a problem.",
      "category": "network",
      "effort": "medium",
      "caimpact": "medium",
      "coimpact": "low"
    },
    {
      "task": "Be involved with multiple projects as a consultant, a reviewer and/or a mentor.",
      "category": "network",
      "effort": "medium",
      "caimpact": "medium",
      "coimpact": "medium"
    },
    {
      "task": "Follow the principles of extreme ownership.",
      "category": "leadership",
      "effort": "high",
      "caimpact": "high",
      "coimpact": "medium"
    },
    {
      "task": "Have strong mentors to help you navigate and grow in the company.",
      "category": "mentor",
      "effort": "high",
      "caimpact": "high",
      "coimpact": "low"
    },
    {
      "task": "Take projects with high risk and high rewards.",
      "category": "growth",
      "effort": "high",
      "caimpact": "high",
      "coimpact": "high"
    },
    {
      "task": "Strive for deep technical expertise in technologies used in your team.",
      "category": "growth",
      "effort": "high",
      "caimpact": "high",
      "coimpact": "medium"
    },
    {
      "task": "Ask for stretch projects from your manager, or help her identify one for you.",
      "category": "growth",
      "effort": "medium",
      "caimpact": "high",
      "coimpact": "high"
    },
    {
      "task": "Discuss the goals of your manager, and how you align your work with it.",
      "category": "managers",
      "effort": "medium",
      "caimpact": "high",
      "coimpact": "low"
    },
    {
      "task": "Invest time in networking effectively with seniors, peers, and juniors.",
      "category": "network",
      "effort": "medium",
      "caimpact": "high",
      "coimpact": "low"
    },
    {
      "task": "Be a mentor to a couple of junior engineers.",
      "category": "mentor",
      "effort": "medium",
      "caimpact": "low",
      "coimpact": "medium"
    },
    {
      "task": "Increase your breadth of knowledge in the domain of your team/company.",
      "category": "growth",
      "effort": "high",
      "caimpact": "high",
      "coimpact": "high"
    },
    {
      "task": "Drive your one-on-ones. Maintain a list of topics for the next one-on-one discussion.",
      "category": "one-on-one",
      "effort": "medium",
      "caimpact": "high",
      "coimpact": "low"
    },
    {
      "task": "Discuss problems with your manager, but have some solutions beforehand.",
      "category": "managers",
      "effort": "medium",
      "caimpact": "high",
      "coimpact": "low"
    },
    {
      "task": "Increase your breadth of knowledge in technology.",
      "category": "growth",
      "effort": "high",
      "caimpact": "high",
      "coimpact": "low"
    },
    {
      "task": "Explore emerging technologies by building small prototypes.",
      "category": "growth",
      "effort": "high",
      "caimpact": "medium",
      "coimpact": "low"
    },
    {
      "task": "Read a few technical books every year.",
      "category": "growth",
      "effort": "high",
      "caimpact": "high",
      "coimpact": "low"
    },
    {
      "task": "Before suggesting the next big shiny technology for your production stack, understand its pros and cons thoroughly.",
      "category": "technology",
      "effort": "high",
      "caimpact": "medium",
      "coimpact": "high"
    },
    {
      "task": "Schedule a regular one-on-one with your manager",
      "category": "one-on-one",
      "effort": "low",
      "caimpact": "high",
      "coimpact": "low"
    },
    {
      "task": "Schedule a regular one-on-one with your skip level manager",
      "category": "one-on-one",
      "effort": "low",
      "caimpact": "high",
      "coimpact": "low"
    },
    {
      "task": "[Reminder] One-on-one usually is not a status meeting",
      "category": "one-on-one",
      "effort": "medium",
      "caimpact": "high",
      "coimpact": "low"
    },
    {
      "task": "Involve the manager in your personal life (just a little though)",
      "category": "managers",
      "effort": "low",
      "caimpact": "low",
      "coimpact": "low"
    },
    {
      "task": "Actively seek feedback from your manager",
      "category": "managers",
      "effort": "low",
      "caimpact": "high",
      "coimpact": "low"
    },
    {
      "task": "Keep your manager up-to-date in things you are involved with, but don't get bogged down in unnecessary detail",
      "category": "managers",
      "effort": "low",
      "caimpact": "high",
      "coimpact": "medium"
    },
    {
      "task": "Keep your manager up-to-date in things you are blocked on",
      "category": "managers",
      "effort": "low",
      "caimpact": "high",
      "coimpact": "medium"
    },
    {
      "task": "Keep your manager up-to-date on people you have difficulty working with",
      "category": "managers",
      "effort": "medium",
      "caimpact": "high",
      "coimpact": "medium"
    },
    {
      "task": "Give constructive feedback to your manager",
      "category": "managers",
      "effort": "medium",
      "caimpact": "high",
      "coimpact": "low"
    },
    {
      "task": "If you are overworked, let your manager know",
      "category": "managers",
      "effort": "low",
      "caimpact": "high",
      "coimpact": "medium"
    },
    {
      "task": "If you are under-utilized, ask your manager for areas to explore",
      "category": "managers",
      "effort": "medium",
      "caimpact": "high",
      "coimpact": "medium"
    },
    {
      "task": "If you have an ineffective or neglectful manager, talk to your manager about your expectations",
      "category": "managers",
      "effort": "low",
      "caimpact": "high",
      "coimpact": "medium"
    },
    {
      "task": "If you have a micromanager, talk to your manager about your expectations",
      "category": "managers",
      "effort": "low",
      "caimpact": "high",
      "coimpact": "medium"
    },
    {
      "task": "If you have an abusive manager, talk to your skip manager or HR with data points",
      "category": "managers",
      "effort": "low",
      "caimpact": "high",
      "coimpact": "medium"
    },
    {
      "task": "If you have an ineffective skip manager and ineffective manager, switch the team or company",
      "category": "managers",
      "effort": "high",
      "caimpact": "high",
      "coimpact": "medium"
    },
    {
      "task": "If you do not have a cordial relationship with your manager, switch the team or company",
      "category": "managers",
      "effort": "high",
      "caimpact": "high",
      "coimpact": "medium"
    },
    {
      "task": "[Reminder] Leverage = impact produced/time invested. Use leverage as a yardstick for effectiveness",
      "category": "growth",
      "effort": "high",
      "caimpact": "high",
      "coimpact": "low"
    },
    {
      "task": "Measure what you want to improve. Make efforts measurable",
      "category": "growth",
      "effort": "medium",
      "caimpact": "high",
      "coimpact": "low"
    },
    {
      "task": "Maintain high visibility of projects which have a high risk",
      "category": "growth",
      "effort": "high",
      "caimpact": "high",
      "coimpact": "medium"
    },
    {
      "task": "To deal with difficult folks, discuss with your managers and mentors",
      "category": "network",
      "effort": "low",
      "caimpact": "low",
      "coimpact": "low"
    },
    {
      "task": "To deal with difficult folks, fall back to first principles",
      "category": "network",
      "effort": "low",
      "caimpact": "low",
      "coimpact": "low"
    },
    {
      "task": "Be reachable to other engineers",
      "category": "network",
      "effort": "low",
      "caimpact": "low",
      "coimpact": "low"
    },
    {
      "task": "Have a huge bias for action and delivery, but do not over-compromise on quality. Push back if required",
      "category": "leadership",
      "effort": "high",
      "caimpact": "medium",
      "coimpact": "medium"
    },
    {
      "task": "Simplify code, systems, and architectures relentlessly",
      "category": "technology",
      "effort": "high",
      "caimpact": "low",
      "coimpact": "high"
    },
    {
      "task": "Demand high-quality work from others, but be pragmatic",
      "category": "technology",
      "effort": "medium",
      "caimpact": "low",
      "coimpact": "high"
    },
    {
      "task": "Prioritize fixing tech-debt in code, systems, and architecture when the incremental cost to develop keeps rising",
      "category": "technology",
      "effort": "high",
      "caimpact": "low",
      "coimpact": "medium"
    },
    {
      "task": "Document extensively, and demand it from others. Document \"why\" more than \"how\"",
      "category": "technology",
      "effort": "high",
      "caimpact": "low",
      "coimpact": "medium"
    },
    {
      "task": "Avoid politics, but have right folks vouch for your work",
      "category": "politics",
      "effort": "high",
      "caimpact": "medium",
      "coimpact": "low"
    },
    {
      "task": "When dealing with politics, fall back to first principles",
      "category": "politics",
      "effort": "high",
      "caimpact": "low",
      "coimpact": "low"
    },
    {
      "task": "If politics thrives due to team or company culture, switch",
      "category": "politics",
      "effort": "high",
      "caimpact": "high",
      "coimpact": "low"
    },
    {
      "task": "Try not to get involved in office gossip",
      "category": "politics",
      "effort": "low",
      "caimpact": "medium",
      "coimpact": "low"
    },
    {
      "task": "Avoid stretching yourself too thin to be effective",
      "category": "leadership",
      "effort": "medium",
      "caimpact": "medium",
      "coimpact": "low"
    },
    {
      "task": "Respect code and systems that came before you. There are reasons for every code and every guard that exists in production",
      "category": "technology",
      "effort": "low",
      "caimpact": "low",
      "coimpact": "medium"
    },
    {
      "task": "Before you suggest major refactors, ensure you understand the system deeply",
      "category": "technology",
      "effort": "medium",
      "caimpact": "medium",
      "coimpact": "high"
    },
    {
      "task": "Resist the urge to refactor major systems to achieve simplification, because there's a risk you will end up with a similarly complex system after some time",
      "category": "technology",
      "effort": "medium",
      "caimpact": "medium",
      "coimpact": "high"
    }
  ]
}