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.

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.

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.

Short backlogs, interview methods, and evergreen manager advice