IDEAS, DECISIONS & LESSONS

Journal

Notes on AI, architecture and building useful products.

101 articles

16 Mar 2026 · 7 min read

English Upgrade #7: Dev vs BA — Requirement Debates

How to push back on vague requirements, negotiate scope with BAs, and have productive requirement discussions — all in professional English.

16 Mar 2026 · 7 min read

async

English Upgrade #20: Remote Work and Async Communication

The complete guide to asynchronous English communication — Slack etiquette, async standups, RFC writing, and managing distributed teams across time zones.

15 Mar 2026 · 6 min read

business-english

English Upgrade #19: Hiring and Interviewing Candidates

How to run technical interviews, evaluate candidates, and give structured hiring feedback — all in professional, legally safe English.

15 Mar 2026 · 6 min read

business-english

English Upgrade #6: Retros — Giving Feedback and Improving Your Team

How to run retrospectives, suggest improvements, and talk about team productivity in English. Blameless language, action items, and phrases for difficult conversations.

14 Mar 2026 · 5 min read

business-english

English Upgrade #18: Cross-Cultural Communication

Working with international teams — understanding cultural communication styles, avoiding misunderstandings, and adapting your English for global collaboration.

14 Mar 2026 · 6 min read

business-english

English Upgrade #5: Sprint Review and Demo Day

How to present your team's work, narrate a live demo, and handle stakeholder feedback — all in clear, confident English. Scripts and phrases for non-native tech leads.

13 Mar 2026 · 7 min read

business-english

English Upgrade #4: Refinement Meetings — Asking the Right Questions

The English phrases that prevent bad sprints. How to clarify requirements, challenge assumptions, and ask smart questions in refinement meetings.

12 Mar 2026 · 6 min read

1-on-1

English Upgrade #17: 1-on-1 Meetings — With Your Boss and Your Team

How to run productive 1-on-1s as a tech lead — upward with your manager and downward with your reports. Career discussions, feedback, and difficult conversations in English.

12 Mar 2026 · 7 min read

business-english

English Upgrade #3: Sprint Planning — Estimating and Pushing Back

How to discuss estimates, commit to scope, and push back on overloaded sprints — all in clear, professional English. Templates and phrases for non-native speakers.