ElixirConf 2023 - Miki Rezentes - Beyond Technical Prowess: Competency is Not Enough

Beyond technical expertise, learn how to simplify complex ideas, reduce uncertainty, and foster trust through effective communication and documentation strategies in this insightful talk.

Key takeaways
  • Technical competence is not enough; being able to communicate complex ideas simply and clearly is also important.
  • Good documentation is essential for reducing uncertainty, promoting alignment, and providing context for teammates.
  • Writing documentation is not about dumping information, but about providing clarity and reducing complexity.
  • Having a vision and being able to communicate it is important for building trust and establishing direction.
  • Technical debt is not just a technical problem, but a communication and planning problem as well.
  • Engineers often struggle with providing context to non-technical team members and customers.
  • Documentation is not just for others, but also for the author’s own benefit, to clarify thinking and reduce uncertainty.
  • The cone of uncertainty exists in every relationship, and clarity and communication can reduce it.
  • Good documentation reduces the likelihood of misunderstandings and ensures that others can pick up where you left off.
  • Engineers who can effectively communicate complex ideas are often the most valuable members of a team.
  • Technical expertise is not enough; being able to articulate problems and communicate solutions is essential.
  • Documentation can be frustrating, but it is necessary for reducing complexity and promoting alignment.
  • Engineers often struggle with providing clarity and context to teammates and customers, but this is essential for successful collaboration.
  • Writing documentation is a process that requires experimentation, iteration, and refinement.
  • Effective documentation makes it easier to test and debug, reduces the likelihood of mistakes, and enables others to build upon your work.