Teaching Developers the Big Picture

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