The case for a single engineer
1 min readNotes
The case for a single engineer
The spreadsheet floor
Most operational teams aren't running on no software — they're running on a stack of spreadsheets, a handful of SaaS subscriptions and one heroic admin who knows where everything lives.
That floor is higher than people think. Replacing it badly is worse than leaving it alone.
What changes first
The first thing that has to change is reporting. Not because reporting matters most, but because it surfaces the seams in the data model that everything else depends on.
What changes last
The last thing to change is the workflow the operator already trusts. You earn the right to redesign it by getting every adjacent surface to feel inevitable first.
Keep in touch
Before you go
Keep the forge lit.
New writing in your inbox — no schedule, no filler. Just the occasional note when something's worth your time.
Reply
Push back, agree, or send a counterexample — hitting reply is the best way to start a conversation.
[email protected]Talk
Does something here echo your problem? Start a conversation about building it.
Start a project