Code Saiyan

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Engineering Culture

The stuff that's never in the handbook but decides whether people stay. Who gets credit, who gets blamed, what "we value ownership" actually means at 2am during an outage. I write about the culture you can feel in a room, not the one printed on a poster.

Part 2: The Evolution of Engineering Governments

Part 2: The Evolution of Engineering Governments

Engineering teams don’t stay politically stable. Startups begin in anarchic chaos, evolve into technocratic systems, and often end in bureaucratic process empires. Like civilizations, engineering organizations drift over time—and rarely in the direction people expect.

Part 1: If Engineering Teams Were Governments

Part 1: If Engineering Teams Were Governments

Engineering teams are miniature political systems. Decisions, ownership, and authority mirror the structures of real governments. What would engineering look like under communism, socialism, democracy, or fascism? The parallels are surprisingly accurate—and revealing.

More Movers, Less Shakers 📦

More Movers, Less Shakers 📦

Some people move work forward. Others just shake the room. This is a metaphor about experience, calm, and real progress — and why engineering teams need more movers and fewer shakers.

Agile Isn’t About the Ceremonies — It’s About the People 💬✨

Agile Isn’t About the Ceremonies — It’s About the People 💬✨

Agile isn’t about checking boxes or running ceremonies — it’s about people, learning, and delivering value. Here’s what I’ve learned from helping teams adopt Agile, the struggles to watch for, and how to actually make it work. 🚀

🧭 The Uneven Tracks of Engineering Careers

🧭 The Uneven Tracks of Engineering Careers

ICs must prove they can do the job before they’re promoted. Managers are promoted first, then given years to prove they can do the job. Until both tracks are held to the same standard of readiness and accountability, engineering culture will remain uneven.

⚔️ The Raid Leader’s Guide to Engineering Teams

⚔️ The Raid Leader’s Guide to Engineering Teams

When the Demogorgon shows up, you’d better have the right party. In Part 2 of my RPG series, I share how to balance your engineering team like a pro — from role gaps to flex builds to knowing when your party’s become a guild.

🎭 Role-Playing Archetypes of Engineers (Stranger Things Have Happened)

🎭 Role-Playing Archetypes of Engineers (Stranger Things Have Happened)

Engineering teams are like RPG parties: tanks, mages, rogues, and healers all working together. Here’s how I think about engineer archetypes — and why I lead like a Raid Leader, not the hero. 🎮✨