What Makes a Good Software Engineer?
The best engineers I met:
explain complicated concepts in simple words. They summarize a problem in three sentences max. Not 10 pages. If someone fails to explain something in simple words, they don’t understand what they are talking about.
communicate clearly. They inform the right channels with the appropriate words without giving a chance for ambiguity. Ambiguity leads to complexity, mismatched requirements and ultimately bugs and rework.
simplify as much as possible. Complexity means harder to maintain and operate. Great engineers design systems that are simple to build, operate and maintain.
are great architects. They have a 1,000 feet view of a project, understand its key milestones and how to drive it to success within minutes.
I do not consider myself a good engineer, let aside a great one. I believe I am a decent one and aspire to keep improving myself and stay on the path to be a great one.