I have been working as a software engineering lead in my current company since 2022. Even though I perform various tasks in my daily work, there are only two jobs in software development that require my attention.
- Technical support
- Performance evaluation
Where role does the Software Engineering Lead play in the big picture?
The term “software development” refers to the complex process of transforming the people ideas into working application. I call it the “big picture”. This is sometimes confusing since as many people believe it only includes the daily tasks of development teams visualized by the Scrum’s sprints. Planning, coding, testing, and deployment are the its steps. In fact, there are more steps involved at the company-wide level, even some people don’t work directly together. From the perspective of employer, the company owner, (s)he treats the software development is only one stream of profit. It is even more confusing.
Software Engineering Leads are known who are having good understanding in the big picture.
Development teams require technical support from technical experts
Developing software requires technical skills to solve the technical problems. Software engineers believe that any problem can be solved, or at the very least, mitigated. Therefore, software engineers always need technical support from technical experts for difficult problems that they do not know how to deal with.
Developing software requires people to work on it
Except in a one-man business, developing software always require some developers. Developers may disengage and leave the company, leading to an employee shortage. Developers may not work well together, potentially blocking the project’s progress. The employer needs dedicated employees who can address this problem to ensure commitment to clients is met.
Software Engineering Lead Types
I determine that there are 3 types of Software Engineering Leads distinguished by skill areas outlined by the table below
| Technical | Product | Team | Process | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tech Lead |  | | | |
| Team Lead | | | | |
| Engineering Manager | | | | |
- The Tech Lead: These employees focus on solving technical problems.
- The Engineering Manager: These employees focus on solving people-related problems.
- The Team Lead: These employees work on solving both technical and people-related problems, but in a small scope.
