From 8da09d014d99162c257f1ac33f4e453115c1a023 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Ben Eggers Date: Fri, 14 Jun 2024 17:13:26 -0700 Subject: [PATCH] improvements-1 --- beneggerscom/ssg/input_files/markdown.py | 2 +- pages/about.md | 2 +- pages/posts/improvements-1.md | 22 ++++++++++++++++++++++ styles/post-list.css | 1 - styles/typography.css | 4 ++-- 5 files changed, 26 insertions(+), 5 deletions(-) create mode 100644 pages/posts/improvements-1.md diff --git a/beneggerscom/ssg/input_files/markdown.py b/beneggerscom/ssg/input_files/markdown.py index 225411e..9790bd1 100644 --- a/beneggerscom/ssg/input_files/markdown.py +++ b/beneggerscom/ssg/input_files/markdown.py @@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ def content_as_html(self) -> str: def _set_metadata_item(self, key: str, value: str): if key == "title": - self.title = value.title() + self.title = value elif key == "date": self.date = value elif key == "layout": diff --git a/pages/about.md b/pages/about.md index 4ea0d8e..3743f22 100644 --- a/pages/about.md +++ b/pages/about.md @@ -6,4 +6,4 @@ nav: 2 Hi. My name is Ben Eggers. I work as a software engineer and am currently between jobs. I do other things, too. -I use this website to clarify my thoughts about how to be an effective engineer. That means that if you know me outside of work, you'll probably find it horrifically boring. +I use this website to clarify my thoughts about how to be a more effective engineer. diff --git a/pages/posts/improvements-1.md b/pages/posts/improvements-1.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..c23f768 --- /dev/null +++ b/pages/posts/improvements-1.md @@ -0,0 +1,22 @@ +--- +title: Things I'm Working On Volume 1 +date: 2024-06-14 +--- +These are the top things I'm currently working on as an engineer. This list is specifically oriented towards the new role I'm starting in a month. + +This list is structured similar to OKRs: each top-line item represents an overall trait or behavior I would like to have and sub-bullets are concrete ways to accomplish them. + +- **Be more strategic with engineering resources, including myself**. I tend to fall into projects which seem interesting or under-owned. It's served me well thus far but as I move into more leadership-shaped IC work I need to be more careful with what I support and how I support it. + - Spend 50% of my time on tasks directly attributable to top-level company goals. + - Spend at least 30% of my time weekly on important but not urgent (i.e. foundation) work. + - Choose up to three things and beat the drum on those things incessantly. Examples could be test flakiness, deployment speed, MTTR, new hire ramp-up. I'll know I'm succeeding if people come to me about those things and start the conversation with, "I think I already know what you're going to say, but..." +- **Stop waiting for permission**. When I see problems with a project, team, or org, my default response is to find an "adult" in the room and make noise at them about it. This worked well when I was a junior engineer ("proactively giving feedback") and it worked _okay_ when I was a senior engineer; now that I'm a staff engineer it absolutely won't cut it. + - Weekly: write down work which needs to happen but nobody is doing. Cull the list to problems which I can solve and are worth solving. Talk to my manager and peers about the list. + - For each problem on the list, ask, "What could I do to help alleviate this?" Instead of finding reasons why I'm not the right person. +- **Push back on project scope -- focus on incremental wins**. This is related to the first bullet point. People outside of a specific problem domain tend to underestimate work within that domain. This directly causes those (very smart and well-meaning!) people to ask for pie-in-the-sky projects. I want to be better about setting realistic expectations and timelines. + - De-risk new large efforts by writing down all the work I see; turn unknown unknowns into known unknowns. Socialize the roadmap to get everyone on the same page about the project. + - Find ways to deliver incremental wins which fit the broader narrative. In other words, find digestible pieces of the grand vision which matter _now_ and focus on those. +- **Invest in my continued growth and education**. I've never fully used conference or education budgets. I want to keep learning and growing as an engineer; spending time with other ICs working on similar problems will be hugely helpful. + - Go to at least one conference per year, ideally two. + - Use my entire education budget at whatever cadence it refreshes. + - Spend at least 2 work hours per week consuming work-related media: papers, talks, blog posts, etc. \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/styles/post-list.css b/styles/post-list.css index 4187918..f5771b5 100644 --- a/styles/post-list.css +++ b/styles/post-list.css @@ -2,7 +2,6 @@ display: flex; justify-content: center; align-items: center; - padding-left: 0; flex-direction: column; } diff --git a/styles/typography.css b/styles/typography.css index 460a708..dfcdd1d 100644 --- a/styles/typography.css +++ b/styles/typography.css @@ -104,8 +104,8 @@ a.active { ul { margin: 0 auto 1.25rem auto; - padding-left: 3rem; - padding-right: 3rem; + padding-left: 2rem; + padding-right: 2rem; max-width: 55ch; }