In this article, Sean Goedecke breaks down a simple yet effective heuristic for recognizing a strong engineer when you're collaborating on a project. He suggests that the best way to gauge talent isn’t by lines of code or fancy tools, but by the moments when you think, "Oh nice catch, I didn’t think of that!" This gut reaction—along with a sentiment like "Good, that'll work" when a colleague devises a clever solution—signals that the engineer is adding tangible value. Goedecke's approach emphasizes the importance of recognizing those critical insights that you wish you’d had, making it a reliable, personal checklist for identifying engineers who truly elevate the project.

Key Points:

• Heuristic for Excellence: Gauge an engineer’s strength by counting moments when you think, "Oh nice catch, I didn’t think of that!"
• Valuable Contributions: The reflection occurs when an engineer prevents bugs, enhances user experience, or streamlines design—insights that you might have overlooked.
• Complementary Perspective: A secondary thought, "Good, that'll work," indicates a dependable engineer capable of devising practical solutions.
• Not Just About Code: Beyond metrics like lines of code or IDE choices, this method focuses on on-the-ground contributions during collaborative work.
• Personal Benchmark: The approach underlines a personal evaluation framework where value is measured by unique insights you admire in your peers.
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