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Building a world class engineering organization — learning from cave paintings and horsey land art by Shane Becker Human built things survive for a Very Long Time™ by one of two ways: materials or maintenance. What we can learn from Stonehenge, Lascaux cave paintings, Brewarrina Aboriginal Fish Traps, the White Horse of Uffington, Iranian windmills, and Japanese Shinto shrines? If we knew for certain that our Rails apps would be in use in ten years (or a hundred!), what would future us wish that we would've done now to build a better future?
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In his presentation at RailsConf 2023, Shane Becker explores how lessons from ancient human architecture can inform the creation of world-class engineering organizations. He introduces the theme by referencing enduring structures like Stonehenge and the Lascaux cave paintings to highlight the significance of durability through material and maintenance. Becker encourages engineers to consider what practices will ensure their work endures over time. **Key Points Discussed:** - **Historical Examples:** Becker draws parallels from various enduring human achievements, including the Brewarrina Aboriginal Fish Traps, the White Horse of Uffington, and the Japanese Shinto shrines. He emphasizes the importance of maintenance in preserving these structures. - **Personal Journey:** Shane shares insights from his career path, touching on his experiences in small startups and large corporations, and the supportive culture that has enabled him to thrive as a neurodivergent individual. - **Importance of Community:** A strong focus is placed on the community's role in achieving collective goals, stating that no significant endeavor in engineering can be achieved alone. - **Defining World-Class Engineering Organizations:** Becker describes a world-class engineering organization as one that prioritizes people, values collaboration, and processes decisions collectively. He emphasizes the need for shared values and diversity in teams as a driver for better business outcomes. - **Tactical Strategies for Improvement:** Becker outlines tactical strategies including: - Working in small, manageable chunks to reduce risk and increase adaptability. - Keeping the default branches of repositories deployable at all times to ensure smooth business operations. - Emphasizing early involvement in product design and feature development with a focus on addressing needs before they become burdensome. - Prioritizing documentation and clear ownership of projects to reduce friction and improve maintainability. - **Cultural Aspects:** He highlights the importance of writing principles and values to guide team decisions and promote a culture of success, advocating for simplified coding practices and leveraging existing conventions rather than reinventing the wheel. **Conclusion:** Becker concludes with a call to action, urging teams to reflect on their practices and implement changes that can foster a healthier work environment and more robust engineering endeavors. His message stresses that the secret to building a world-class organization is to start anywhere and embrace a mindset of continuous improvement.
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