How to Manage Delivery and Risk (Be a Well Rounded Technical Lead, part 3)

“It is impossible to win the great prizes of life without running risk” 

Theodore Roosevelt

Software projects fail. Sometimes that's good — fast failure is far better than a long drawn out death-march. However many projects fail for disappointing reasons. Problems that could have been prevented if the right information was uncovered and acted upon at the appropriate time.

Be the barometer for technical risk.

Ensure that that problems are spotted and acted upon appropriately. Shine a light and discover if the team's assumptions are correct. Gain visibility of the real issues, get buy-in to act.

Perfection is the enemy of working software.

Guide the delivery between risk and reward. Ask the questions: 'Can we do the same with less risk? Could we take a little more risk and achieve much more?'

How to be a Well Rounded Technical Lead - Introduction

"It is not enough to do your best; you must know what to do, and then do your best."
W. Edwards Deming

The Technical Lead's job is a broad one. A wide set of practices and skills can help you meet your goals. In this set of posts I dive in to those I've found to be really valuable. 

It's not a checklist, they're a challenge. Grow an awareness of the width of practices that will aid you to build great software and great teams.

To be a great Technical Lead you should have strong opinions on — and an appreciation of — these areas and practices. Having a wide set of skills creates choices and ways to stretch, making you and your team effective and accurate.

Technical Lead Articles and Blogs

There are many insightful views on what makes a great Technical Lead in blogs and articles across the net. Below are some that I feel offer really powerful guidance.

Great Mistakes in Technical Leadership is a wonderful article, but hard to track down. Luckily it has been saved from digital rot by a few kinds souls across the net. Of all the articles this is the one to read, it's great stuff.  In the same vein, Classic Tech Lead Blunder lays out how important is it to build up your team and their strengths.