Short Backlogs, Smarter Interviews, and Timeless Manager Advice

Keep Your Backlog Ruthlessly Short

TLDR: Long backlogs are a hidden anti-pattern that kills team morale, obscures priorities, and makes it psychologically harder to say no. The fix is radical: burn the backlog and only accept work you can ship in the next two to four weeks.

Link: Short backlogs, interview methods, and evergreen manager advice

Engineering Interviews in the Age of AI

TLDR: AI has broken LeetCode and take-home assignments as reliable interview signals. The community is converging on case studies and code reviews as replacements, shifting the emphasis from raw coding to system design and collaboration.

Link: Short backlogs, interview methods, and evergreen manager advice

Camille Fournier's Evergreen Advice for Engineering Managers

TLDR: Camille Fournier, author of The Manager's Path, distills engineering management down to four pillars: build relationships at every level, stay technical enough to ask sharp questions, remember you represent the company, and never stop being curious.

Link: Short backlogs, interview methods, and evergreen manager advice