From Senior To Staff

Recently, I was entrusted with a new project that presented an exciting opportunity to collaborate closely with our staff engineers. This experience enabled me to observe their decision-making processes and problem-solving strategies firsthand. Reflecting on these interactions, I have distilled several key insights that have been both inspiring and profoundly educational:

Understand the business requirements

After five years as a Software Development Engineer (SDE), coding skills are no longer your primary competitive edge. Instead, the ability to deeply understand business requirements and identify the most suitable solutions becomes paramount. Observing our staff engineers, I noticed they dedicate significant time to thoroughly reviewing the Product Requirement Document (PRD) and analyzing competitor workflows during the technical design phase. They also delve into related aspects such as legal considerations and compliance requirements, ensuring the solution aligns with both business and regulatory expectations.

Always think the impact first

One line of code has the potential to bring an entire service down, just as a seemingly small decision can ripple across and impact an entire team. This underscores the importance of maintaining a mindset of impact awareness when modifying code or drafting technical designs. If you are a staff engineer at a company like Google, a single decision could influence the workflows, productivity, or even the experiences of thousands of people. This level of responsibility demands a meticulous, thoughtful approach to every choice you make.