Now you're managing a tech team, Should you still learn about tech?

A little about my background: At the time this blog is written, I am currently working as a product associate, where I focus more on product development at Pi-xcels - the startup where I’m currently employed. However, before that, I was also working as a software engineer at Pi-xcels before transitioning into the product field. While transitioning from software development into the product field, I was indirectly involved and learned a bit about managing an engineering team, including driving agile ceremonies, writing user stories, and influencing the team to align resources and prioritization, ensuring that we could identify opportunities and problems before, during, and after the development process, which led me to obtaining my first certification as a Professional Scrum Master (PSM 1).

However, at some point, I realized that during my transition, I was working less and less with my typical development tools such as Visual Studio Code (VSCode) and GitHub, and more with tools used for collaboration and communication, such as ClickUp, Discord, and web browsers in general (for validation, research, and project management purposes). This made me think to myself, “Should I still need to learn new web frameworks? Should I keep up with the latest tech trends? Or maybe should I still code?”

I would argue that although you’re not directly working in software engineering and web development, if you’re working closely with a team of engineers, then learning to code and staying updated with technology will really help you get what you want from the engineering team more effectively. (After all, we’re not just speaking in English; we’re also speaking in languages like JavaScript, C++, Python, and more, pun intended (pun drum sounds))

Avoiding Ivory Tower Syndrome

An ivory tower is a metaphorical place—or an atmosphere—where people are happily cut off from the rest of the world in favor of their own pursuits, usually mental and esoteric ones.

When you’re not directly involved in any of the processes that your team is working on, it’s super easy to forget what can or cannot be achieved by your team, including working with technology. You may become disconnected from the realities and challenges of software development, leading to unrealistic expectations or decisions that are out of touch with the technical constraints and complexities.

Let’s say you’re working for a tech company but are not directly involved with the strategy and decisions regarding the developed product or projects. Sometimes people do not realize the difficulty level that needs to be solved when building software or a website. Personally, I have faced a few clients myself where they would say something like, “It’s just a tiny feature, how hard could it be?” and it turns out to be (almost) an overhaul of the project, requiring significant effort and resources. And still, they insist that it’s just a tiny feature of the app, underestimating the complexity involved.

Staying updated on tech news and learning to code will be really helpful to avoid the Ivory Tower Syndrome, where you can actively learn and understand how the technical and software development process really works, including the challenges, constraints, and best practices. This knowledge can help you make more informed decisions and set realistic expectations.

Keeps you updated

Keeping yourself updated with the tech industry will also give you an understanding of not only what your team talks about but also the newest technologies, frameworks, tools, and methodologies that can be implemented in your next project. Based on my experience working with a technical team, my experience as a software engineer was really helpful in having good communication with the tech team, especially in delivering my product concepts and ideas to the team, where I could translate them into more technical terms and understand the feasibility and potential challenges.

Not only that, but it also helps you avoid being misled or taken advantage of by software developers, kind of like how you should learn a bit about cars before going to a “shady” car repair shop. A real-life story happened to my friend where a client got mad about the price we asked for their website to promote their business and their items (they did have quite a few animations included), and they argued that they could make it themselves or find a cheaper option. However, after a few conversations, he found out that they had been scammed by another web developer who built it for 4-5x the amount we asked for, with subpar quality and lacking the necessary features and functionality. So, learning basic coding and keeping yourself updated are crucial to make informed decisions and avoid potential pitfalls.

A good side hustle (if you want to…)

To be fair, this section may not be as relevant with the current economic situation and tech industry layoffs. The ease of the current development process and the massive layoffs are still impacting the tech sector. However, there are still some software development projects or freelance opportunities where you can take part on either a contract or part-time basis. This can be a good idea, as you can earn additional income while also learning about the tech field (remember, learning by doing is one of the best ways to learn) and potentially building a portfolio or gaining experience for future career opportunities.

It’s worth noting that while freelancing or side hustles can be rewarding, they also require a significant time commitment, discipline, and effective time management, especially if you’re already employed full-time. It’s essential to carefully consider your capacity and priorities before taking on additional work.

In short, learning and understanding how other people do their work (especially those who work closely with us) has been really helpful during my transition and current period as a product associate, where I still do coding and web development quite similar to what I did as a software engineer. The reason I’m sharing this is to help more people understand how important it is to learn and understand how others do their work, not only in the tech sector but also in other sectors, such as Product or UI/UX. This cross-functional knowledge and understanding can foster better collaboration, communication, and decision-making within teams and organizations.

Conclusion

In summary, even if you are not directly involved in software engineering or web development, learning to code and staying updated with the latest tech trends can be advantageous if you work closely with engineering teams. It helps you avoid the Ivory Tower Syndrome, keeps you informed about the latest technologies and processes, and potentially opens up opportunities for side hustles or freelance work, although the latter should be carefully considered given the time and effort required. Moreover, understanding the work of others, especially those you collaborate with, fosters better communication and collaboration, leading to more efficient and effective project outcomes. By bridging the knowledge gap between different disciplines and roles, you can make more informed decisions, set realistic expectations, and contribute to the overall success of your projects and team.