Focus on the Core of the Product
A couple of days ago I saw a video of the Enginneering team member at WhatsApp sharing her story, and I feel I learn a lot.
This makes me think that I can write some articles about the videos that I have seen on Youtube that are of great learning value, and then think deeply and understand the concepts and share here in the future.
The story of WhatsApp - focus on core features
The philosophy of WhatsApp is to focus on core functions, one of which is to ensure that every message is delivered correctly, and stories are often heard every time a serious disaster occurs. What's app can function correctly, deliver important information and save lives, and this is the value of WhatsApp.
Graceful degradation
There are features this company wants to focus on, such as being able to use this product on old devices, and when the network connection is unstable. And if the feature is so simple that an grandmother be able to use it immediately, which echoes my review at this article, Clean Code in JavaScript, the Graceful degradation mentioned.
Reflecting on my time at Tern, the philosophy is about creating products for everyone, emphasizing usability for children, families, and pets. So when developing a new product, like a rack, the crucial questions weren't about following trends but ensuring a better user experience, suitability for extreme conditions, child safety, and seamless integration into homes.
Engineering culture
The above concepts slowly formed WhatsApp's engineering culture, Simplicity, which is to prioritize the most important concepts and core features to fit the value that the product brings.
Other things also worth mentioning are that the key for an engineer is not about what language you know, but how fast you pick up new things or learn new skills. And also be a good partner: be pleasant to work with, and be dependable.
I do learn a lot.