Beta-Talk is an interview series I planned with outstanding employees from different departments. It was recorded at Beta Coffee, hence the name. For various reasons, we only recorded two episodes. This is the second: a conversation with our head of application development
A Girl Led Me into Battle
I majored in math, and by a twist of fate, a girl and the book The Crazy Programmer led me into computing, and I started down the path of becoming a programmer. After graduating, I went to work at PPS in Shanghai. I had more classmates and friends in Hangzhou, so I came back. I originally wanted to join SF, which I really loved and used heavily, but then HR reached out and I joined UPYUN.
Daily Workflow
When the core engineering team has features ready, application development integrates the APIs. After that, the front end implements needs from customer feedback or other sources -> product -> application development
Product Managers Through an Engineer's Eyes
Good product managers: make engineers do less work by iterating on prototypes until they're more complete before handing them off
Bad product managers: aren't good at communicating or don't do it proactively, miss the key points, and spend too little time on prototypes
Programming Language Wars
No language is inherently better or worse; what matters is the person using it. The so-called debates are just for fun. When you know several languages, you naturally compare them with the ones you know best. In tech, you have to keep learning and iterating to keep up with the times. It's hard to stick with one technology for your whole career.
First Steps into Management
Engineers need to follow team rules and collaborate. For example, variable names should follow conventions. Aim for simple, clear code and avoid strange, hard-to-understand tricks. We value a simple, readable coding style.
Things to Improve at Work
Product prototypes should be iterated and improved continuously. Product managers should be able to refine prototypes themselves, just as engineers keep debugging and revising code. Invest more time and effort in product design. An extra hour or two on design can save engineers a day or two.
Dealing with Pressure
The pressure is intense. I often work overtime, building new projects while maintaining old ones. I'm pretty optimistic by nature, which has helped me grow quickly. When the pressure gets high, I just want to go home and sleep. Once you get through it, you grow
Plans for This Year
See whether we can open up the Franky API to all users, making it easier for them to manage their own backend and improving the platform's capabilities.
Time Management Tips
Get to the office early, plan and prioritize your tasks first, and get them done in the morning while your mind is clear and there are fewer distractions.
Moving from Engineering to Management
As a pure engineer, I was more passive; I just had to execute. Now I assign tasks and think about future development directions. I delegate more, trust my teammates, and mainly provide support or guidance.
The Career Lifespan of Engineers
Programmers rank second among the "top 10 jobs you can only do while young." I haven't really thought about it yet; right now I just want to sharpen my skills. My ultimate goal is financial freedom, and after that, I'd like to stay home with my kids. I don't like overtime. I want to get my work done well during normal hours. Four hours of focused coding a day is great.
Thoughts on Remote Work
Remote work really tests your self-discipline and teamwork. The biggest problems are extra distractions and higher communication costs, and it demands a lot from team members. Face-to-face communication sparks creativity.