The document shares insights from an experienced engineer on becoming impactful in the software production field, emphasizing the importance of skills, behaviors, and effective communication. The author lists steps to improve engineering practices and shares ten lessons learned, advocating for a mindset focused on problem ownership and continuous self-improvement. It highlights that no engineers were harmed during the preparation of the session, reflecting a lighthearted tone.

1. The Impactful Engineer
Mistakes made. Lessons learned.

2. Yo!
• 15+ years working with people shipping software to production
• Ex-founder of
• Netcraft (acquired by Tapuz in 2010)
• EverythingMe (2010-2015 RIP)
• Leading Facebook Engineering in Tel-Aviv
• Married & father of 3 (8 / 6 / 3)
• An anthropologist of companies and engineering cultures
• Made every mistake on (and off) the book

4. No engineers were hurt in the
preparation of this session

5. No engineers were hurt seriously
injured in the preparation of this
session

6. 5 steps to become an IE

7. 5 steps to become an IE
• Write bug-free code
• Never miss a deadline
• Never break a production system
• Approach work in a very organized and process-oriented
fashion
• Do your job exactly as instructed

8. 5 steps to become an IE
• Write bug-free code
• Never miss a deadline
• Never break a production system
• Approach work in a very organized and process-oriented
fashion
• Do your job exactly as instructed

9. No one way to be an IE
• It’s about your skills
• It’s about the behaviors that you consistently exhibit
• It’s about how you make people feel
• It’s relative to the stage in your development as an engineer
• It’s a journey

10. The impactful engineers I’ve
worked with taught me that

11. No code is better than no-code
1

13. Owning problems beats owning
solutions every time
2

14. Anyone can influence the
direction of what they’re building
3

15. Effective communication changes
everything
4

16. One doesn’t know what one
doesn’t know
5

18. The distinction between – a
hunch, a thought, knowledge and
data
6

19. Any ’why’ question is better as a
‘how’ or ‘what’ question
7

20. ‘Hard’, ‘expensive’ & ‘impossible’
are just ways to describe cost
8

21. How being a giver scales your
impact
Be it mentorship, recruiting, blog posts, open source contribution
9

23. while (self.aware):
self.improve()
1
0

25. Thank