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Can You Be a Tech Leader Without Knowing How to Code?

Published Oct 17, 2023

Updated Aug 22, 2024

2 min read

In this episode of the Engineering Leadership Series, host Tracy Lee interviews Sriram Venkateswaran, the CTPO of Root Pay. Sriram shares insights into his extensive engineering leadership journey and the projects he's been involved in throughout his career.

Sriram discusses his current role as the CTPO at Root Pay, a FinTech SaaS platform. Before his role at Root Pay, Sriram was heading engineering at Polygon and app engineering at Flipkart. He also had a brief stint at Coinbase before moving to the US.

During his five years at the Flipkart group, Sriram played a pivotal role in introducing 3D commerce and augmented reality capabilities within Flipkart, transforming it into a global leader in these technologies.

Sriram emphasizes the importance of maintaining technical skills as an engineering leader. He draws a comparison between a chef who can handle every aspect of cooking and an engineering leader who can still code and debug. He believes this helps leaders stay connected with their team, understand ground-level challenges, prioritize effectively, and earn the respect of their developers.

He recommends that senior leaders take time to code, even if it's only for a few days every quarter or so. This hands-on approach keeps them in touch with the technical aspects of their projects and helps them understand their team's challenges better.

Tracy and Sriram also discuss the difficulties non-technical leaders may face when making technical decisions. Sriram advises using metrics and data to build a strong case and support decision-making. He also stresses the importance of empathy and effective communication when dealing with stakeholders from non-technical backgrounds.

Sriram shares how he introduced 3D commerce and augmented reality at Flipkart to address customer pain points related to online furniture shopping. He emphasized the role of prototypes and aligning with stakeholders in overcoming challenges and making impactful decisions.

His dedication to maintaining his technical skills, even in senior leadership roles, underscored the importance of staying connected with ground-level challenges. His practical advice on decision-making, backed by metrics and prototypes, speaks to the nuanced process of making effective technical choices.

This Dot is a consultancy dedicated to guiding companies through their modernization and digital transformation journeys. Specializing in replatforming, modernizing, and launching new initiatives, we stand out by taking true ownership of your engineering projects.

We love helping teams with projects that have missed their deadlines or helping keep your strategic digital initiatives on course. Check out our case studies and our clients that trust us with their engineering.

"Do What Matters with Who Matters While It Matters" Mark Techson on Leadership

Tracy Lee and Rob Ocel sit down with Mark Thompson, aka "Mark Techson", to explore key themes around personal branding, workplace culture, and leadership. Mark shares his journey of building a strong personal brand, discussing how consistent online presence can shape public perception and create professional opportunities. The conversation provides valuable insights into the art of leading without a formal title, emphasizing the importance of cultural sensitivity and gradual influence in workplace environments. A significant portion of the discussion is devoted to Mark's motto of "Do what matters with who matters while it matters." This practical approach encourages listeners to focus on meaningful work, prioritize important relationships, and make the most of their time. Mark also reflects on the challenges of maintaining resilience in the face of personal adversity, offering a candid look at how to balance personal and professional life effectively. Listeners will find actionable advice on how to take control of their career trajectory, foster a positive work culture, and navigate the complexities of leadership, all while staying true to themselves. Chapters [00:00] Introduction [02:19] Personal Branding and Online Presence [06:36] Navigating Workplace Culture [08:56] The Story Behind 'Well Dressed Wednesdays' [11:12] Developing the "Do What Matters" Framework [13:29] Balancing Public and Private Life [18:10] Overcoming Personal Challenges [20:28] Taking Control of Your Career [22:49] Practical Takeaways for Listeners Follow Mark on Social Media Twitter Linkedin Github Bluesky Sponsored by Wix Studio....

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JavaScriptAngularEngineering Leadership

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Nate Emerson is both a self-taught developer and a computer science university grad. How is that possible? In this episode, Nate talks about his unusual career trajectory, and what it has taught him about the differences between being self-taught vs. formal education in software development. Along with Tracy Lee and Jason Torres, he discusses leadership principles, such as extreme ownership, the value of confidence in engineering, and how humility and teamwork contribute to organizational success. They also highlight the importance of solving practical problems in tech and how this mindset can lead to innovation. Here are the chapter titles with timestamps: 1: Setting the Stage – The Importance of Practical Skills in Engineering (00:00) 2: Engineering Management and Leadership Culture (04:36) 3: Extreme Ownership – A Leadership Superpower (09:12) 4: Confidence and the Developer's Journey (13:37) 5: Hiring Smarter and Building Stronger Teams (18:27) 6: Problem-Solving and Technology's Real-World Impact (23:13) 7: Leadership, Humility, and Long-Term Success (30:20) 8: Wrapping Up – Final Thoughts on Leadership and Ego (41:58) Follow Nate Emerson on Social Media Twitter: https://x.com/nateemerson Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nate-emerson YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0K8hu90G3iV6327ymEViNw Sponsored by This Dot...

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Enhancing Your Playwright Workflow: A Guide to the VSCode Extension

Introduction In my last post, Quick Guide to Playwright Fixtures: Enhancing Your Tests, I delved into some of the enhancements we've been implementing in our end-to-end (E2E) tests using Playwright. As I refine our testing strategies, I've come across a tool that has quickly become an essential part of my workflow: the Playwright VSCode extension. If you're like me and constantly looking for ways to streamline testing and debugging, you'll appreciate any tool that can make the process more efficient and enjoyable. That's where this extension comes in. It's not just about writing tests - it's about enhancing the entire development experience. In this post, I'll walk you through getting started with the Playwright VSCode extension, sharing some tips and tricks that have made a real difference in my day-to-day work. Installing the Extension & Basic Setup Before diving into the Playwright VSCode extension, it's essential to have Playwright installed on your machine. If you haven't done so already, you can quickly install it by running: ` This command will set up Playwright and ensure all necessary dependencies are installed. Once Playwright is ready, the VSCode extension will be installed next. Open Visual Studio Code, navigate to the Extensions view by clicking on the Extensions icon in the Activity Bar on the side of the window, and search for “Playwright”. The official extension, ID: ms-playwright.playwright / named: “Playwright Test for VSCode” by Microsoft, should appear at the top of the list. Click "Install," and you're all set. With the extension installed, you can start leveraging its powerful features to enhance your Playwright testing workflow within VSCode. Running the Tests and Identifying Outputs To run a test, simply open the test file in VSCode. The Playwright extension will automatically detect test files and display a "Run" icon next to each test and test suite. You can click on this icon to run individual tests or test suites. Alternatively, you can run all the tests in your project using the Playwright Test Explorer, accessible from the sidebar. Once you start running your tests, the extension provides real-time feedback within the editor. You'll see the status of each test - whether it passes, fails, or is skipped - right next to the corresponding test in your code. This immediate feedback loop is incredibly helpful for catching issues as you write your tests. The output of your tests will be displayed in the VSCode terminal. You'll see detailed information about each test run. Debugging Step-by-Step I find debugging particularly useful when a test fails unexpectedly or when I want to verify that certain actions are being performed as intended. Instead of guessing what might be wrong, I can see exactly what's going on in each test step, making debugging a much more straightforward and less frustrating process. To start debugging, you can easily set a breakpoint in your test file by clicking on the left margin next to the line number where you'd like the execution to pause. Once your breakpoints are in place, you can initiate the debug process by selecting the "Debug" option next to the test you'd like to investigate. Once the debugger is running, the extension allows you to step through your code, inspect variables, and evaluate expressions - all within VSCode. This real-time insight into your test execution is a game-changer, enabling you to pinpoint issues more effectively and confidently refine your tests. Using the Pick Locator Tool Another handy feature is the "Pick Locator" tool. If you've ever struggled with selecting the right element in your tests, this tool can be a time saver. It helps you generate reliable locators by letting you interact directly with the webpage elements you want to target. To use the Pick Locator tool, click the "Pick Locator" button in the Playwright Test Explorer. This will open a new window where you can navigate to the site you're testing. As you hover over elements on the page, the tool will suggest locators, allowing you to select the most appropriate one for your test. While the Pick Locator tool is handy, it’s important to ensure that the locators you generate are robust and maintainable. This is especially true when integrating them with the fixtures I discussed in my previous blog post. Combining the proper locators with well-designed fixtures can create more reliable and reusable test setups, ultimately making your E2E tests more efficient. Conclusion The Playwright VSCode extension has quickly become indispensable in my development workflow. It significantly enhanced my experience of writing and running Playwright tests. Whether you’re just starting with Playwright or looking to optimize your existing tests, this extension offers a range of features that can save you time and effort. Combining these tools with thoughtful test design, such as leveraging fixtures, you can create a more efficient and effective testing process. I hope this guide has given you a good overview of what the Playwright VSCode extension can do and how it can benefit your work. If you haven’t tried it yet, I highly recommend giving it a go. And as always, feel free to explore further and experiment with the features that best suit your needs....

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5 mins

VSCodeTestingPlaywright

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Paul McCollum, author of "Practical Salesforce Architecture", shares his journey from microbiology to tech, discussing his work at Nortel Networks, and his transition into enterprise architecture with Salesforce. They explore the importance of empathy in engineering, how user-centric design motivates developers, and the evolution of agile development. Paul emphasizes solving real user problems over technical tasks and how continuous learning keeps work exciting. Chapters 1. Introduction – [00:00:00] 2. Early Career & Transition into Tech – [00:00:58] 3. The Evolution of Technology Stacks – [00:03:15] 4. Learning Through Play & Empathy – [00:04:52] 5. Agile Development & Challenges – [00:18:51] 6. Value-Driven Software Development – [00:21:23] 7. Avoiding Burnout in Tech Careers – [00:25:42] 8. Conclusion – [00:36:17] Follow Paul McCollum on Social Media Paul McCollum Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/realpaulmccollum/ Paul McCollum Twitter: https://x.com/uxaholic...

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Engineering Leadership

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Can You Be a Tech Leader Without Knowing How to Code?

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"Do What Matters with Who Matters While It Matters" Mark Techson on Leadership

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Enhancing Your Playwright Workflow: A Guide to the VSCode Extension

How User-Centric Design Motivates Developers with Paul McCollum

Let's innovate together!

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"Do What Matters with Who Matters While It Matters" Mark Techson on Leadership

How to Take Extreme Ownership Over Your Engineering Efforts with Nate Emerson

Enhancing Your Playwright Workflow: A Guide to the VSCode Extension

How User-Centric Design Motivates Developers with Paul McCollum