Leading engineering with vision

A vision isn't an afterthought; it must be set early to give teams a north-star direction before drift sets in. The panelists stress that waiting until problems appear means you've already lost time and focus. By defining a technical and product vision up front, leaders provide the filter for what to build and what to drop.

Product vision drives the technical roadmap, but the tech vision adds layers like compliance, performance, team size, and architectural constraints. Andy notes that product vision reflects customer needs, while the technical side handles the infrastructure and scalability concerns. Meri's example of a team that tripled in a year shows why a separate technical vision is essential to keep large, fast-growing groups aligned.

Communication is the glue. Start with the why, then the what, and only later the how and when for engineers. Documents should let readers stop when they're no longer relevant. Using champions, short-term vision sessions, and six-month check-ins keeps the vision alive. Metrics such as DORA scores give concrete evidence of progress and help sharpen focus.

Technical debt is framed as financial debt: it's not evil, but the interest can cripple delivery if unchecked. Quantify the maintenance load for CFOs and balance debt work with feature delivery. When senior engineers push back, dig into their motivations and find a credible ally to surface concerns, ensuring the vision isn't ignored.

Practical steps include co-creating the framework with the team, roadshow presentations to all-hands and the board, and a feedback loop that rewards vision-aligned behavior. Acknowledge quiet wins like reliable DevOps, act on missed feedback, and embed the vision in daily rituals to prevent it from becoming a dead document.