What’s one engineering “best practice” that you think is actually overused or applied in situations where it doesn’t add much value? For me, it’s excessive documentation on very small, low-risk changes. Documentation is important, but I’ve seen teams spend more time documenting simple fixes than implementing them. Where do you draw the line?

What was the biggest mistake you made early in your career that ended up teaching you a valuable lesson? One of mine was assuming everyone interpreted requirements the same way I did. Learning to ask clarifying questions saved me from a lot of rework. What’s yours?

I'm a senior IC with over six years at my company, and nearing the end of my career. There are only two others at my level in our department. When I resign, how much notice is appropriate? Also, does it make a difference if I'm resigning for early retirement versus moving to a competitor?

Do you think the best engineers are the ones who spot problems early or the ones who solve them quickly? I’m starting to think spotting them early creates far more value.

What’s the biggest productivity killer in your typical workday? For me, it’s usually constant context switching between unrelated tasks. It feels like losing momentum over and over again. What’s the biggest distraction where you work?