Writing
pixari.blog
Notes on engineering, AI, leadership, and building things that matter.
Don't ask AI to build the house. Ask it to build the scaffolding.
The real value of AI in development isn't production code—it's support code: tooling, tests, and scaffolding that gets you to the hard part faster.
Build for Today or Don't Build at All
Future-proof architecture often hides fear of shipping. Why building for today beats hedging with abstraction—and how to ship without the vanity.
The Trap of the Hero
Being the person who saves the day feels like respect—but it's often a trap. Why the hero role becomes a bottleneck and how to let go.
When the hard part was the point
Solving a problem in seconds with AI left me feeling robbed—of the struggle, the flow, and the identity built around enduring the friction.
Betting on Engineering, Not Trends
The AI hype will fade but the tech won't. How to prepare your engineering practices and codebase for what comes next—without buying the noise.
Why Empathy is a Hard Skill
Empathy isn't soft—it's what makes radical candor work. How caring personally and challenging directly build teams that perform and trust.
Not All Technical Debt Needs to Be Repaid
Treating every tech debt as urgent leads to paralysis. Use the interest-rate test to pay down what hurts and leave the rest documented.
The Most Valuable Code Is the Code You Never Write
YAGNI in practice: the best code is often the code you don't write. How to resist future-proofing and ship simple, adaptable solutions.
Why Your Team's Docs Are a Strategic Asset (Not an Afterthought)
Good documentation is kindness to your future self and your team. Why treating docs as a high-leverage asset pays off in autonomy and stability.
Navigating the Challenges of Cross-functional Teams: the Role of Governance and Common Goals
Cross-functional teams often struggle because of missing governance and unclear common goals. How to fix both so teams can deliver and people can thrive.