Learning by fixing - the value of triage engineer rotations

Overview
Learning by fixing - the value of triage engineer rotations is a blog post that explains how Intercom introduced dedicated triage engineer rotations to improve the on-call experience. The rotations serve as a dedicated buffer, allowing engineers to focus on long-term goals while a specialized team handles incoming incidents.

Key Takeaways

• Triage engineer rotations create a dedicated buffer for on-call interruptions, reducing context-switching for product engineers.
• Structured triage improves incident response times and provides consistent handling of alerts.
• Rotations foster skill development in incident management and promote a culture of shared responsibility.
• Clear ownership and documentation of triage processes lead to faster learning from incidents.

Who Would Benefit

• Engineering leaders looking to reduce on-call fatigue for their teams.
• Engineering managers aiming to improve incident response efficiency.
• Senior engineers interested in developing triage and incident management skills.
• Organizations seeking to formalize on-call processes.

Frameworks and Methodologies

• Triage Engineer Rotation model.
• Distraction Shield approach for on-call.
• Incident Triage Playbook.
• Continuous learning loop from post-mortems.