In this episode of the Product Driven podcast, host Matt Watson is joined by Nax, the VP of Engineering at Full Scale, to discuss one of the most significant challenges developers face—focusing too much on code and not enough on the product. The conversation highlights key insights on bridging the gap between product development and engineering to create better outcomes for developers and users.

1. Ask the Right Questions

• Developers must move beyond just coding and start asking broader questions. Understanding why something is being built, rather than just what, helps reduce surprises and deliver a better product. Nax emphasizes the importance of validating assumptions early on to avoid unnecessary rework.

1. Talk to Users and Customers

• Developers need to have more empathy for users. Watching users interact with a product or reviewing support tickets can help engineers understand pain points. This connection improves the quality of the software and makes the development process more user-centric.

1. Get Involved in Product Planning

• Early involvement in product planning helps developers grasp the bigger picture. Instead of just following the requirements, developers should understand the goals and expectations to build more scalable and user-friendly products.

1. Take Ownership

• Ownership means seeing projects through to the end, not just finishing the coding aspect. Developers should take pride in monitoring, testing, and ensuring their code works in production, which leads to a better overall product experience.

1. Focus on the Product, Not Just the Code

• It’s crucial for developers to think from a product usability standpoint, rather than focusing solely on technical aspects. Nax shares examples where focusing only on the code resulted in less user-friendly products.

1. Simpler Code is Better

• While complexity can sometimes seem like the mark of a skilled developer, simpler code leads to fewer bugs, easier maintenance, and happier teams. Matt and Nax emphasize the importance of keeping things simple unless complexity is required for performance or security reasons.

• Watch Matt’s previous episode with Chris Atkinson on the importance of teaching developers the big picture here: https://youtu.be/Fi2WRkQTFdg

• Nax: "Simpler code means fewer bugs, easier updates, and happier engineers."
• Matt Watson: "It’s not done until it’s in production and the user loves it."

Stay tuned for more insightful discussions on aligning product development with engineering. Thanks for listening!

In this conversation, Matt Watson discusses the concept of 'founder mode,' a state of being that many entrepreneurs experience, characterized by a hands-on approach and rapid decision-making. He shares his personal experiences and challenges faced while operating in this mode, including difficulties in delegation, micromanagement, and the need for structured processes. Watson emphasizes the importance of balancing founder mode with effective team dynamics to avoid burnout and ensure company growth.

Takeaways

Founder mode is essential for early-stage startups.

Extreme ownership is crucial for founders.

Delegation is a significant challenge for many founders.

Micromanagement can frustrate team members.

Structured processes are often overlooked by founders.

Feedback from the team is vital for growth.

Burnout is a risk if founders don't delegate.

Having a COO can help balance founder mode.

Companies can move faster with a founder mindset.

Understanding weaknesses in founder mode is key to success.

Chapters

00:00 Understanding Founder Mode

03:11 The Challenges of Founder Mode

06:00 Balancing Founder Mode with Team Dynamics

In this conversation, Matt Watson and Chris Atkinson, CTO of eHawk discuss the importance of bridging the gap between engineering and business understanding in software development. They explore how engineers often focus too much on coding and not enough on the bigger picture, which includes understanding user needs and the business context.

Chris shares practical strategies for training engineers to think more like product managers, emphasizing the need for empathy towards users and the impact of leadership in fostering this mindset. The discussion highlights the value of innovation sprints and direct engagement with users to enhance product development and improve team dynamics.

Takeaways

Engineers often struggle with understanding the big picture.

Bridging the gap between business and technical sides is crucial.

Training engineers on product value enhances their creativity.

Empathy for users is essential for effective software development.

Innovation sprints encourage engineers to think about customer needs.

Recording client conversations helps engineers understand user pain points.

Involving engineers in support conversations improves their perspective.

Leadership plays a key role in fostering a user-centric mindset.

Understanding the 'why' behind coding tasks increases job satisfaction.

Empathy leads to better questions and higher quality software.

Sound Bites

"Engineers struggle with the big picture."

"Everyone in my organization is in product."

"It's all about the why."

Chapters

00:00 Bridging the Gap: Engineering and Business Understanding

05:37 Training Engineers for the Big Picture

09:22 Empathy in Engineering: Understanding User Needs

13:03 The Impact of Training on Productivity and Creativity

17:17 Leadership's Role in Fostering Empathy and Understanding