# product engineering Published articles for product engineering. This is one page of public article previews, not the complete archive. Follow Next page to continue. Summaries are not the original full articles. ## How AI Tools Accelerate the Reward Loop of Building DevFeed: [How AI Tools Accelerate the Reward Loop of Building]() Original publisher: [Read original article]() Author: Jon C. Phillips Published: 2026-09-07T02:54:00Z Content type: opinion Language: en Sources: [Jon C. Phillips]() Topics: [Artificial Intelligence]() Tags: [ai](), [articles](), [audience-building](), [code](), [design](), [digital-products](), [music](), [no-natural-limit](), [photography](), [product-engineering](), [side-projects](), [tokens](), [web-development]() ### AI overview The author argues that building has long been driven by an unpredictable reward loop, but AI tools have shortened the time from idea to working product, making that loop run faster and potentially changing the nature of the hobby. ### Source excerpt A friend and I were comparing. They'd done about 10 billion tokens in the same period and neither of us found that alarming, really. Which is probably the first thing worth noticing. And we probably all know people running way higher. ## Why Developer Feedback Failed to Validate a Photography Tool DevFeed: [Why Developer Feedback Failed to Validate a Photography Tool]() Original publisher: [Read original article]() Author: Jon C. Phillips Published: 2026-08-31T02:08:00Z Content type: opinion Language: en Sources: [Jon C. Phillips]() Topics: [App](), [test]() Tags: [app](), [articles](), [audience-building](), [code](), [design](), [developer](), [digital-products](), [evaluation](), [indie-hackers](), [launch](), [music](), [photography](), [product-engineering](), [side-projects](), [the-wrong-room](), [web-development]() ### AI overview The author reflects on building a photography tool that received warm feedback from developers and technically inclined beta testers but underperformed with the broader photographer audience. The article argues that feedback from people in the builder's existing community can create a biased sample and obscure whether the product solves a problem for typical users. ### Source excerpt They told me it was clever and asked about the stack, and a few of them shared it around. The reception from other builders was warm in a way that felt like some sort of signal. ## Type The Repo Name DevFeed: [Type The Repo Name]() Original publisher: [Read original article]() Author: Jon C. Phillips Published: 2026-08-24T01:11:00Z Content type: opinion Language: en Sources: [Jon C. Phillips]() Topics: [GitHub](), [data]() Tags: [articles](), [audience-building](), [case-study](), [code](), [conversion](), [design](), [digital-products](), [github](), [music](), [photography](), [product](), [product-engineering](), [safety](), [side-projects](), [type-the-repo-name](), [web-development]() ### AI overview The article argues that reducing friction is beneficial for routine tasks but harmful when it removes protection, learning, or meaningful engagement. It recommends deliberately adding safeguards for irreversible actions, preserving effort in learning experiences, and making users care about outcomes. ### Source excerpt No click-to-confirm, no checkbox. You type the whole thing out character by character while a red button waits, and it's the most annoying interaction in the entire product. ## Starting More Work Is Easy; Finishing and Shipping Valuable Product Work Is Harder DevFeed: [Starting More Work Is Easy; Finishing and Shipping Valuable Product Work Is Harder]() Original publisher: [Read original article]() Author: Luca Rossi Published: 2026-08-10T07:01:19Z Content type: article Language: en Sources: [Refactoring]() Topics: [Development](), [devex](), [meetings](), [Artificial Intelligence]() Tags: [ai](), [developers](), [devex](), [engineering](), [meetings](), [product-engineering]() ### AI overview This newsletter argues that AI can make it easier for engineers to start work while leaving teams with more stalled work and fewer deployments. It presents product engineering as a way to increase the share of valuable work that reaches users by reducing coordination overhead and expanding engineers' ownership of the product loop. ### Source excerpt Monday Ideas -- Edition #220 ## Nothing To See Here Yet DevFeed: [Nothing To See Here Yet]() Original publisher: [Read original article]() Author: Jon C. Phillips Published: 2026-08-09T13:48:00Z Content type: article Language: en Sources: [Jon C. Phillips]() Topics: [Software](), [dashboards](), [data](), [ibm]() Tags: [articles](), [audience-building](), [code](), [data](), [design](), [digital-products](), [ibm](), [music](), [nothing-to-see-here-yet](), [photography](), [product-engineering](), [side-projects](), [software](), [web-development]() ### AI overview An experienced developer reflects on why products repeatedly ship poor empty states. The article argues that blank screens reduce confidence, hurt discoverability, and appear in many situations beyond a first login, including empty searches, filters, cleared task lists, and unused accounts. It calls for designing these states deliberately instead of focusing only on populated interfaces. ### Source excerpt Every product has a moment before it has any data in it, and almost nobody designs for that moment on purpose. This is about why that screen keeps shipping broken, and what a good one should actually look like. ## Learning to Wait Again DevFeed: [Learning to Wait Again]() Original publisher: [Read original article]() Author: Jon C. Phillips Published: 2026-08-02T20:47:00Z Content type: article Language: en Sources: [Jon C. Phillips]() Topics: [Code](), [Slack]() Tags: [articles](), [audience-building](), [code](), [design](), [digital-products](), [learning](), [learning-to-wait-again](), [music](), [photography](), [product-engineering](), [productivity](), [research](), [side-projects](), [web-development]() ### AI overview A reflection on relearning patience in software development, where faster tools have removed the natural delays that once gave ideas time to evolve. The article argues that deliberate waiting supports better thinking when it follows focused work and involves mildly engaging activities such as walking. ### Source excerpt I'm not optimizing my rest so I can output more on the other side. I just noticed at some point this year that I'd stopped leaving any space between having an idea and doing something about it. ## Six Out of Ten DevFeed: [Six Out of Ten]() Original publisher: [Read original article]() Author: Jon C. Phillips Published: 2026-07-27T00:58:00Z Content type: article Language: en Sources: [Jon C. Phillips]() Topics: [dashboards](), [Server](), [Benchmark](), [Statistics](), [Artificial Intelligence]() Tags: [articles](), [audience-building](), [benchmarks](), [code](), [dashboards](), [design](), [digital-products](), [enterprise](), [marketing](), [music](), [newsletter](), [photography](), [product-engineering](), [server](), [side-projects](), [six-out-of-ten](), [statistics](), [web-development]() ### AI overview The article explains why email delivery and deliverability are different metrics. It compares benchmark results, showing that messages accepted by receiving servers may still reach spam or disappear, and that outcomes vary by sender type, engagement, and measurement window. ### Source excerpt I've been sending email for over a decade. Across the newsletters I run we push roughly three million emails a quarter, every day, to lists in the tens of thousands. ## The Code You Didn't Write DevFeed: [The Code You Didn't Write]() Original publisher: [Read original article]() Author: Jon C. Phillips Published: 2026-07-12T16:51:00Z Content type: article Language: en Sources: [Jon C. Phillips]() Topics: [Code](), [JavaScript](), [payload](), [Back end](), [Blockchain](), [Resilience]() Tags: [analysis](), [articles](), [audience-building](), [backend](), [code](), [design](), [developers](), [digital-products](), [javascript](), [music](), [payload](), [photography](), [product-engineering](), [resilience](), [side-projects](), [the-code-you-didn-t-write](), [web-development]() ### AI overview A developer discovers obfuscated JavaScript embedded in a backend file that executes automatically when the application starts. Static analysis reveals a throttled loader that retrieves encrypted commands through attacker-controlled blockchain transactions, decrypts the payload, and executes it. ### Source excerpt I pulled down a codebase for some work, like I normally do. I cloned the repo, installed the dependencies, spun it up locally, and started poking around to get my bearings. Then things started looking strange. ## Designing for One DevFeed: [Designing for One]() Original publisher: [Read original article]() Author: Jon C. Phillips Published: 2026-07-05T23:45:00Z Content type: opinion Language: en Sources: [Jon C. Phillips]() Topics: [designing for one](), [Product Management](), [Software](), [Open Source]() Tags: [articles](), [audience-building](), [building](), [code](), [design](), [designing-for-one](), [digital-products](), [music](), [open-source](), [photography](), [product-engineering](), [product-management](), [side-projects](), [software](), [web-development](), [workflow]() ### AI overview "Designing for One" explores the appeal and hidden costs of building software for a single user: yourself. The article argues that this approach creates fast feedback, clear priorities, and highly opinionated products, while shortcuts around labels, instructions, and empty states become liabilities when other people start using the product. ### Source excerpt No audience to picture and no personas on the whiteboard. There's no imagined user whose confusion you have to design around. It's just you with the problem in front of you. You have the freedom to solve it exactly the way your own brain wants it solved. ## AI Coding Tools Shift Experienced Developers from Slower to Faster Work DevFeed: [AI Coding Tools Shift Experienced Developers from Slower to Faster Work]() Original publisher: [Read original article]() Author: Jon C. Phillips Published: 2026-06-28T17:56:00Z Content type: opinion Language: en Sources: [Jon C. Phillips]() Topics: [Artificial Intelligence](), [Code](), [Stack Overflow]() Tags: [ai](), [articles](), [audience-building](), [code](), [design](), [developers](), [digital-products](), [judgment-bottleneck](), [music](), [photography](), [product-engineering](), [side-projects](), [survey](), [web-development](), [writing-code]() ### AI overview The article argues that experienced developers' measured performance with AI coding tools shifted from roughly 19% slower in mid-2025 to roughly 18% faster by early 2026. It attributes the change to better tools and developers gaining experience directing and reviewing generated code, while noting sample-selection caveats. ### Source excerpt That puts me on one side of a heated argument. A well-known METR study in 2025 found experienced developers were around 19% slower with AI while sure they were faster, and skeptics passed it around as proof. ## How Code and Theory cut time-to-prototype 75% with v0 DevFeed: [How Code and Theory cut time-to-prototype 75% with v0]() Original publisher: [Read original article]() Author: Eric Dodds Published: 2026-06-09T00:00:00Z Content type: article Language: en Sources: [Vercel News]() Topics: [Code](), [Vercel](), [Deployment](), [amazon](), [Microsoft]() Tags: [amazon](), [code](), [deployment](), [design](), [microsoft](), [product-engineering](), [real-time](), [vercel]() ### AI overview A Vercel case study describes how Code and Theory used v0 prompt-to-code workflows to replace wireframes and product requirement documents with live prototypes. The approach reduced time to prototype by 75% and deployment timelines by more than 50%. ### Source excerpt Code and Theory on Vercel Time-to-prototype cut by 75% Deployment timelines reduced by over 50% Wireframe and PRD process replaced by live prototypes Code and Theory is a digital-first creative and technology agency that combines strategy, design, and engineering for brands like Microsoft, Amazon, and NBC. The agency replaced wireframes and requirement documents with prompt-to-code workflows in v0, so product, engineering, and go-to-market teams can turn a client brief into a working prototype in real time. Time-to-prototype dropped by 75%. Read more ## Good software gets out of the way DevFeed: [Good software gets out of the way]() Original publisher: [Read original article]() Author: hi@swizec.com (Swizec Teller) Published: 2026-06-04T00:00:00Z Content type: opinion Language: en Sources: [Swizec Teller]() Topics: [Software](), [coding]() Tags: [metrics](), [product-engineering](), [product-sense](), [software](), [users]() ### AI overview The article argues that good software should be nearly invisible because it helps users complete their work. It recommends focusing on user outcomes, observing workflows, understanding the domain, defining success early, and prioritizing product sense in engineering. ### Source excerpt Explore the art of invisible software and user-centric workflow design with Swizec and Kent C Dodds. Uncover what separates a good engineer from a great one in this insightful dialogue. ## User outcomes, workflow design, and biotech software DevFeed: [User outcomes, workflow design, and biotech software]() Original publisher: [Read original article]() Author: hi@swizec.com (Swizec Teller) Published: 2026-06-03T00:00:00Z Content type: opinion Language: en Sources: [Swizec Teller]() Topics: [Software](), [Users](), [Learning]() Tags: [developer](), [product-engineering](), [software](), [users](), [workflow]() ### AI overview An interview about product engineering for software used by real businesses and non-developer users, covering unfamiliar domains, workflow observation, friction, feature placement, and outcome-focused success metrics. ### Source excerpt Kent C. Dodds talks with Swizec Teller about product engineering for software that serves real businesses and non-developer users. ## Why security makes or breaks M&As, with Matt O'Leary DevFeed: [Why security makes or breaks M&As, with Matt O'Leary]() Original publisher: [Read original article]() Author: info@1password.com (Dave Lewis) Published: 2026-05-06T00:00:00Z Content type: article Language: en Sources: [Blog on 1Password Blog]() Topics: [Security](), [Cybersecurity](), [Business Security](), [Security & Privacy]() Tags: [acquisition](), [business](), [corporate](), [cybersecurity](), [deals](), [engineering](), [leadership](), [podcasts](), [product-engineering](), [security]() ### AI overview This Chasing Entropy episode examines how security diligence affects acquisitions and strategic partnerships. Matt O'Leary explains that companies inherit a target's technology, processes, legal exposure, and security weaknesses, making serious technology or cybersecurity risks potential deal breakers. The discussion also covers partnership risk, shared trust, and the need to align corporate development with product, engineering, and security leadership. ### Source excerpt Listen to this episode on Apple Podcasts null Listen now Listen to this episode on Spotify null Listen now Security is tied to business operations in many (often unappreciated) ways, but the connection is rarely more visible or consequential than during an acquisition or partnership. In those deals, a company stakes its reputation and finances on another company, and a lapse in security can throw the whole thing into chaos. That's the subject of this episode of Chasing Entropy, in which Dave Lewis talks with Matt O'Leary, 1Password's Vice President of Corporate Development and Strategic Partnerships. They discuss what changes about M&As and partnerships when security is tied directly to the product, the brand, and the deal itself. Caveat emptor in M&As O'Leary's core idea is simple: when a company makes an acquisition, it inherits the whole business, not just the part that looked attractive in the pitch. That includes the technology, the team, the process gaps, the legal exposure, and any security weaknesses that were not obvious at first glance. O'Leary makes the case that strong dealmaking starts with risk discipline, because a transaction only creates value if the company can integrate what it buys without importing problems that slow everything down. He also explains that good corporate development starts with the roadmap, not the deal. An acquisition makes sense when it helps the company move faster than building on its own. That is why corp dev has to stay tightly aligned with product, engineering, and security leadership. In a cybersecurity company, technical diligence carries extra weight. If a target has a serious security or technology issue, that is not a detail to clean up later. It is a reason to walk away. Go as deep as you possibly can, before you cut the proverbial check...If there is any major issue with the technology, if there is any significant exposure to cybersecurity risks in a company we are targeting, those are deal killers." - Matt O'Leary Th ## Mike Krieger and Luis von Ahn join Figma's Board of Directors DevFeed: [Mike Krieger and Luis von Ahn join Figma's Board of Directors]() Original publisher: [Read original article]() Author: Figma Published: 2025-07-21T00:00:00Z Content type: news Language: en Sources: [Figma Blog]() Topics: [Figma](), [anthropic](), [Product Management]() Tags: [anthropic](), [ceo](), [cto](), [customer](), [design](), [education](), [engineering](), [executive](), [figma](), [infrastructure](), [product-design](), [product-engineering](), [product-management](), [recaptcha](), [security]() ### AI overview Figma announces that Mike Krieger, Chief Product Officer of Anthropic, and Luis von Ahn, co-founder and CEO of Duolingo, are joining its Board of Directors. The article highlights their experience in product development, design, engineering, infrastructure, education, and internet security. ### Source excerpt Mike Krieger, CPO of Anthropic, and Luis von Anh, co-founder and CEO of Duolingo, are joining Figma's Board of Directors. ## EM/PM Relationships Aren't About Luck: 5 Tips for Product/Tech DevFeed: [EM/PM Relationships Aren't About Luck: 5 Tips for Product/Tech]() Original publisher: [Read original article]() Author: Anna J McDougall Published: 2025-05-13T14:53:24Z Content type: opinion Language: en Sources: [Anna J McDougall]() Topics: [Code quality]() Tags: [code-quality](), [compliance](), [engineering-management](), [engineering-manager](), [engineering-mangement](), [identifier](), [improvements](), [iso](), [management](), [product-engineering](), [product-management](), [quality](), [relationships](), [team-lead](), [teams](), [tech-leadership]() ### AI overview An opinion article presents practices for building effective engineering manager and product manager relationships. It emphasizes shared ownership across business, team, and product goals, with quality improvements--including compliance work--as part of an engineering manager's contribution. ### Source excerpt EM/PM Relationships Aren't About Luck: 5 Tips for Product/Tech TeamsHeader image: purple background with the text "EM/PM Relationships Aren't About Luck. 5 Tips for Product/Tech Teams :)" and a photo of Anna and Tanja together.Introduction As my probation period at HelloBetter was coming to an end, my team's Senior Product Manager Tanja Lembcke remarked, "It's great working with an EM who cares so much about product." I could easily have said the same back to her, because it's just as valuable working with a PM who cares deeply about technology, something at which she truly excels. Together, we've become a strong team. Much of that relationship has developed naturally, but I've also noticed a few intentional practices that have helped us along the way. I want to share them here for all the product managers, engineering managers, and whoever else happens to like reading my sporadic blog posts. In the end, Tanja and I didn't just "luck out" working together. There are some tried-and-true strategies we both employ to make the most out of our work and get the results we need. If you prefer LinkedIn, you can view the short-form version of this post as a summary and carousel here. Tip 1: Purposefully be the intersection of business, team, and product As a Team Lead or Engineering Manager, it's important to operate at the intersection of business goals, the engineering team, and product. This means not only using the product but also critiquing it, asking thoughtful questions, and continually returning to the core "Why." It is all too easy to sit back and just wait for features to drop in your lap, estimate them, deliver them, and then dust off your hands with a "job well done" attitude that allows you to add a nice dot-point to your CV about value creation. What is much harder, is to actually focus on quality: that hard-to-measure, hard-to-prove value that is constantly competing with your time. For EMs, we tend to see the word "quality" and jump to the concept of code qu ## Behind the Flame: Sam Willis DevFeed: [Behind the Flame: Sam Willis]() Original publisher: [Read original article]() Author: Megan Batterbury Published: 2024-10-23T14:35:00Z Content type: article Language: en Sources: [The incident.io Blog]() Topics: [incident](), [data]() Tags: [business](), [design](), [development](), [incident](), [incident-channel](), [incident-management](), [incident-response](), [outage](), [post-mortem](), [product-engineering](), [slack-incident](), [user-testing]() ### AI overview A profile of Sam Willis, a Product Designer at incident.io, covering the six-month On-call launch, the company's collaborative design process, and the feedback contributed by founders, colleagues, Customer Success, and customers. Sam also discusses design details, the company logo, workplace culture, and collaboration across Product Engineering, Data, Customer Success, user testing, development, and delivery. ### Source excerpt Meet Sam, Product Designer 🔥 ## Five unexpected lessons from my first two months as an intern at incident.io DevFeed: [Five unexpected lessons from my first two months as an intern at incident.io]() Original publisher: [Read original article]() Author: Lucas Graeff Buhl-Nielsen Published: 2024-06-05T14:05:00Z Content type: opinion Language: en Sources: [The incident.io Blog]() Topics: [Learning](), [incident]() Tags: [engineering](), [incident](), [incident-channel](), [incident-management](), [incident-response](), [intern](), [internship](), [learning](), [outage](), [post-mortem](), [product-engineering](), [slack-incident](), [work]() ### AI overview A Product Engineering intern reflects on unexpected lessons from the first months of a six-month placement at incident.io. The article emphasizes making a visible impact, taking responsibility, working with production access, and receiving support from the team. ### Source excerpt A reflection on what I've learned during my first few months as a Product Engineer intern at incident.io ## Why product-minded engineering skills make software engineers more valuable DevFeed: [Why product-minded engineering skills make software engineers more valuable]() Original publisher: [Read original article]() Author: Engineer's Codex Published: 2023-10-27T00:01:00Z Content type: article Language: en Sources: [Engineer's Codex]() Topics: [Software Engineering](), [Development](), [code productivity]() Tags: [engineering](), [product-engineering](), [skills](), [software](), [software-development]() ### AI overview The article argues that valuable software engineers combine strong technical ability with product-mindedness: they focus on user needs and apply engineering skills to move the product forward. It contrasts product engineers with stack engineers and includes PostHog's perspective on balancing technical constraints with user experience. ### Source excerpt A mindset shift that changed the way I approach software development. The #1 trait of valuable software engineers. ## How to build connected travel apps with Apollo GraphOS DevFeed: [How to build connected travel apps with Apollo GraphOS]() Original publisher: [Read original article]() Author: Shane Myrick Published: 2023-07-14T13:21:25Z Content type: tutorial Language: en Sources: [Apollo Blog]() Topics: [GraphOS](), [GraphQL](), [Back end](), [Front end]() Tags: [architecture](), [backend](), [frontend](), [graphos](), [graphql](), [how-to](), [product-engineering](), [travel]() ### AI overview This tutorial explains how travel companies can use Apollo GraphOS and a supergraph architecture to provide a consistent API across devices, coordinate backend schema ownership, and help frontend teams build travel product features faster. ### Source excerpt Travel companies like Expedia Group, Booking.com, and Priceline have unique opportunities to connect their customers with the rest of the world. Unlike other consumer industries, travel companies are not just another e-commerce store; They provide opportunities to customers that we all wish we had more time in life to experience, and unique opportunities require unique technology solutions. ## That's how the cookie crumbles DevFeed: [That's how the cookie crumbles]() Original publisher: [Read original article]() Author: Ashley Frith Published: 2023-01-09T00:00:00Z Content type: article Language: en Sources: [The incident.io Blog]() Topics: [User Experience](), [changelog]() Tags: [collaboration](), [engineering](), [incident](), [incident-channel](), [incident-management](), [incident-response](), [on-call](), [outage](), [post-mortem](), [product-engineering](), [slack-incident](), [user-experience]() ### AI overview A technical recruiter describes spending a day with incident.io's Engineering team, highlighting collaboration, a very fast delivery pace, and a supportive team culture. The article covers peer review of design and UX, shared on-call responsibilities, close collaboration between product design and engineering, rapid production changes, daily stand-ups, and small projects intended to deliver value quickly. ### Source excerpt Ashely walks through his experience spending a day with our Engineering team. ## Lessons on Product Design and Collaboration with Engineers DevFeed: [Lessons on Product Design and Collaboration with Engineers]() Original publisher: [Read original article]() Author: Candace van Oostrum Published: 2022-04-27T07:00:00Z Content type: opinion Language: en Sources: [Temporal Blog]() Topics: [User Experience](), [User experience (UX)](), [Development](), [Back end]() Tags: [collaboration](), [designer](), [how-to](), [product-engineering](), [relationships](), [trust]() ### AI overview A product designer reflects on moving from a territorial view of UX toward collaboration with engineers and other stakeholders. The article argues that product designers build trust and partnerships across organizations, giving them visibility into user needs and business challenges. ### Source excerpt Why would a highly technical and backend engineering-focused company even need a designer? ## Collaborating to Build an Uncertain Layout DevFeed: [Collaborating to Build an Uncertain Layout]() Original publisher: [Read original article]() Author: Yaphi Berhanu Published: 2021-09-22T15:30:00Z Content type: article Language: en Sources: [Squarespace](), [Squarespace Engineering Blog]() Topics: [Website](), [configuration](), [implementation](), [consistency]() Tags: [auto-layout](), [engineering](), [flexibility](), [functionality](), [layout](), [product-engineering]() ### AI overview Squarespace engineers and designers collaborated to create Auto Layouts, a system that lets users rearrange website content into different layout styles with less manual block manipulation. The system favors ease of use and design consistency while retaining traditional block-based layouts for greater flexibility. ### Source excerpt How do you make a website look good when you can't know how that website will look? It turns out this is one of the fundamental questions we work with at Squarespace. Since one of our goals is to make it easy for our users to create beautiful websites, we need to walk a delicate balance between constraints and freedom. So, how do we navigate that balance? ## Incidents are for everyone DevFeed: [Incidents are for everyone]() Original publisher: [Read original article]() Author: Stephen Whitworth Published: 2021-06-23T00:00:00Z Content type: article Language: en Sources: [The incident.io Blog]() Topics: [incident](), [Incident response](), [incident management](), [Cloudflare](), [Slack]() Tags: [building-products](), [communication](), [engineering](), [incident](), [incident-channel](), [incident-management](), [incident-response](), [management](), [outage](), [post-mortem](), [process](), [product-engineering](), [slack](), [slack-incident](), [support](), [technology]() ### AI overview The article argues that incident response should involve the entire organization, not only engineering and product teams. It presents incidents as collaborative learning opportunities requiring coordination among functions such as customer support, communications, legal, finance, compliance, and engineering. ### Source excerpt We think there's a better version of the world out there - one focused on building a culture of incident response where the same principles that help the world's best technology teams can be enjoyed by the entire organization. We also think we know why it's not happening, and what can be done about it. [Next page]()