engineering_compass_intro.mp4

Table of Contents

What is it?

An engineering compass is a succinct framework that guides and directs a company's engineering endeavors. Establishing a shared understanding and fostering a common language among engineers facilitates informed decision-making processes.

By aligning engineers with the company's overarching vision and mission, teams can collectively pursue and achieve shared goals. In addition, this alignment enables the prioritization of engineering efforts and investments, leading to more efficient resource allocation.

Moreover, a company's engineering compass is pivotal in attracting and retaining top-tier engineers. By effectively communicating the organization's values, culture, and opportunities for professional growth, it becomes a compelling tool for talent acquisition and retention.

An engineering compass proves invaluable for any company aspiring to build a robust team. Moreover, it empowers the organization to deliver high-quality products and services to its customers consistently.

This document aims to establish a decision-making framework that equips our team to navigate internal and client-side projects effectively. We will address critical areas crucial to our success, including planning, design, and implementation.

Planning

DataChef's primary way of working is the Shape Up process, which was pioneered by Basecamp to help teams prioritize their ambitions around product success. Product-based thinking helps us constantly deliver value to our clients without getting distracted by processes and potential inefficiencies in client companies.

Shape Up: Stop Running in Circles and Ship Work that Matters

To provide a high-level overview, our approach follows a three-phase model known as "shape-up":

1. Shaping: During this initial phase, our senior team takes the lead in defining the boundaries of a product and proposing a viable solution for its implementation. It is crucial to strike a balance, ensuring that the proposed solution is of manageable length to foster creativity during the subsequent building phase yet stringent enough to avoid making incorrect assumptions during the betting phase.
2. Betting: In collaboration with management, our senior team assesses the feasibility of the shaped product, considering its value in relation to the cost of implementation. Projects that pass this betting phase will be prioritized for the team to undertake.
3. Building: This phase places the onus on the team entrusted with implementing the project. They embark on six-week cycles, focusing on diligently constructing the shaped-up project. At the conclusion of each cycle, there will be a reassessment to determine if the project has been completed within the given timeframe and meets the core requirements. If not, it may be necessary to discontinue the project to ensure optimal resource allocation.

By adhering to this comprehensive planning process, we aim to streamline our project management efforts, maximize efficiency, and deliver exceptional results to our internal stakeholders and esteemed clients.

For more information about the shape-up process, we recommend reviewing the Shape Up book by Basecamp.