Being an Engineer S7E14 Brad & Aaron | How To Accelerate The Speed of Engineering (Episode 3 of 3)
In this final episode of the three-part series on accelerating the speed of engineering, Aaron Moncur and Brad Hirayama zoom out to focus on the organizational and cultural levers that compound over time.
While earlier episodes explored how individuals and teams can move faster, this conversation tackles the bigger picture—how companies structure their environments, decision-making, and culture to consistently deliver results.
They break down practical strategies like vertically integrating key capabilities to reduce dependency on vendors, staying close to the production floor to improve decision-making, and building psychological safety so teams surface problems early instead of hiding them. The discussion also highlights the power of informal communication, mentorship in onboarding, and creating reusable systems that prevent engineers from solving the same problem twice.
One of the most impactful themes centers around defining ROI early—and having the discipline to pivot or stop projects when the “juice isn’t worth the squeeze.” Through real-world examples, Aaron and Brad show how even well-intentioned engineering efforts can go off track without clear constraints and alignment.
Perhaps the biggest takeaway? The fastest engineering teams aren’t just technically strong—they excel at communication, trust, and culture.
If you’re looking to build a team that moves faster, makes better decisions, and delivers meaningful results, this episode brings together 21 actionable lessons from across the entire series into one powerful conclusion.
Aaron Moncur, host
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