Sep 26, 20232 min readIn this episode, Tracy Lee spoke with Victor Savkin, CTO of NX, touching on various aspects of engineering decision-making, knowledge sharing, and the unique challenges posed by remote work in today's tech landscape.Victor and Tracy focus on engineering decision-making, particularly how to ensure that engineers are making the right choices. Victor discusses the importance of justifying decisions, whether they involve significant changes or smaller optimizations. While some decisions may seem obviously wrong, others may require experimentation and validation. The key is to ensure that decisions are plausible and closely tied to tangible business impact.A recurring theme throughout the discussion is the idea of ownership. Victor emphasizes that engineers should take ownership of their work and see how it aligns with broader business objectives. It's not enough to refactor code or make changes solely for the sake of code quality. Every decision should be justified by its potential impact on the business.As organizations grow in size, the challenge of knowledge sharing and information propagation becomes increasingly critical. Victor points out that decision-making should not be concentrated in too few individuals, as this can lead to bottlenecks. Instead, information should be shared as widely as possible within the organization to ensure alignment of mental models and improve overall decision-making.Remote work presents unique challenges, especially when scaling a team. Victor acknowledges that maintaining cohesion and alignment in remote teams, where everyone works in different time zones, requires a heightened level of intentionality in communication. He advocates for asynchronous communication methods, such as sharing videos or text messages, to bridge the gap and align mental models effectively.Victor has been instrumental in evangelizing the use of monorepos outside the Google ecosystem. Monorepos offer a compelling solution for managing codebases in large organizations. By consolidating all projects into a single repository, teams can simplify version control, streamline dependency management, and foster better collaboration. Victor highlights the significance of monorepos in driving efficiency, particularly in scenarios where multiple teams are working on interconnected projects.In building successful engineering teams, Victor highlights the need for a diverse set of skills and experiences. He advocates for teams that consist of both senior members with deep domain knowledge and junior members who bring fresh perspectives. This blend creates an environment where mentorship and learning flourish, benefiting the entire team.This Dot Labs is a development consultancy that is trusted by top industry companies, including Stripe, Xero, Wikimedia, Docusign, and Twilio. This Dot takes a hands-on approach by providing tailored development strategies to help you approach your most pressing challenges with clarity and confidence. Whether it's bridging the gap between business and technology or modernizing legacy systems, you’ll find a breadth of experience and knowledge you need. Check out how This Dot Labs can empower your tech journey.Do you want to have the job done? We are ready to provide our expertise!This Dot Labs proudly partners with enterprises interested in transforming their digital assets, upskilling their teams, and finding novel avenues for advanced integration.