Even in this virtual working environment, I choose to go to most all-hands meetings. The presentations are recorded and made available after, and I can watch them at 2x speed later. But I go to join the live Q&A at the end. If I miss the live Q&A, it’s cumbersome to ask questions and get an answer on a presented topic.
I will suggest to my VP that speakers prerecord their talks and make them available for a week before and host a live Q&A session.
Software Engineering ⚙️
Product Vision vs. Mission
I’ve been on a strategy kick. I am creating a vision for a large cross-functional project at work to align and excite my partners and build a coherent roadmap towards the vision. Then I was confused by how abstract the vision should be. This article clarified that the vision should describe the future customer experience. The examples linked from the article also helped explain the difference (I particularly liked Asana’s and Airbnb’s).
Understanding TypeScript’s Popularity
At this point, every JavaScript project seems to be migrating to TypeScript (except Facebook with its Flow language). Even Chrome Dev Tool is now in TypeScript. An engineer on the TypeScript team recounts the language’s history and points out two key enablers: emphasis on incremental value and close collaboration with the rest of the ecosystem.
JavaScript Labels and Returning Early
JavaScript labels with the break statement are like the goto statement in C. It was fun to learn about this feature in JavaScript. But I don’t recommend using it in your code. goto statements are notorious for their bad readability.
People ❤️
The Feynman Technique Can Help You Remember Everything You Read
I read a lot. But I find it upsetting that I don’t retain as much as I would like. The author says we need to recall and summarize after reading to make it stick. Copy-pasting the highlights doesn’t suffice.
“Asynchronous” Working In 2021
Even though I don’t use recorded video messages for 1-1 communication like the author, I agree 100% that video recordings are great. It’s been great to rewatch the recordings to ensure I understood everything and follow up with action items.
Director to VP Engineering: what is expected and how to prepare?
It was interesting to read how these leadership roles differ. Two differences: a VP plan over a longer time frame of 2-5 years and a VP should not be domain-focused but business-focused.
Business 💸
Amazon 2020 Shareholder Letter
Jeff Bezos sent out his last shareholder letter as the CEO of Amazon. In addition to the current mission, Earth’s most customer-centric company, he shared two new missions: Earth’s best employer & its climate pledge.
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