August 2020 Summaries

Swimm was founded to address the challenges of onboarding developers to new codebases, a process often described as lengthy and painful, sometimes taking up to a year. The company emerged with a formula to quantify the lost productivity during onboarding, leading to the development of its MVP and securing initial funding. As Swimm engaged with CTOs and engineering managers, the emphasis on "Developer Happiness" became apparent, highlighting the importance of creating an environment where developers feel supported and valued beyond traditional metrics of success. This concept, initially overlooked, resonates with the need for meaningful investment in developers' welfare to foster loyalty and efficiency. The article underscores that while perks and salaries are important, they do not replace the necessity of deeply investing in developers' day-to-day experiences, ultimately driving their commitment and productivity within the company.

Navigating a new codebase effectively involves balancing a top-down and bottom-up approach, where understanding the broader context of the modules and specific code lines is crucial for successful onboarding. The process is likened to piecing together a puzzle, requiring strategic cherry-picking of steps such as reading documentation, understanding business logic, and running tests to ensure code reliability. Engaging with colleagues and leveraging Git history can provide insights into legacy code and interdependencies, while high exposure to different code areas helps in recognizing patterns and structures. For frontend tasks, interactive exploration of the application is recommended, whereas backend tasks benefit from understanding dependencies and frontend interactions. Effective communication and contributing to documentation play a vital role in demonstrating immediate value and achieving a comprehensive understanding of the codebase.

The text explores the challenges and importance of effective onboarding and mentorship in engineering, particularly in the context of remote work exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. It highlights the exhaustion and isolation new hires often face during remote onboarding, and the debate surrounding the hiring of junior developers without adequate mentorship resources. The role of mentorship is emphasized as a pivotal factor in overcoming imposter syndrome and fostering a supportive learning environment. Despite the reduced costs and barriers to remote onboarding and mentoring, these processes remain undervalued and challenging, with a call for companies to implement comprehensive onboarding strategies that ensure new hires quickly find value and are set up for success. Additionally, the text draws parallels between mentorship in engineering and themes from the film "Whiplash," suggesting that mentorship can be both transformative and challenging.

The blog post draws a parallel between the film "Whiplash" and the "sink or swim" onboarding method used in some engineering environments, where new hires are immediately tasked with complex projects without much guidance. This approach, likened to the harsh and demanding teaching style of the film's character Terence Fletcher, is intended to identify and elevate exceptional talent while dismissing those deemed less capable. However, the article argues that this method can create a negative first impression, lead to inefficient onboarding, and result in employees who only manage to "dog paddle" rather than excel. Despite the drawbacks, many companies persist with this approach due to ideological beliefs or resistance to change established practices. The post ultimately questions whether such an uncompromising strategy is truly necessary and effective, inviting readers to reflect on their own experiences and consider alternative onboarding strategies.