Links
- Codecrafters (sponsor): https://tej.as/codecrafters
- Shruti on X: https://x.com/shrutikapoor08
- Slack Kit design system: https://slack.engineering/the-gradual-design-system-how-we-built-slack-kit/
- Tejas on X: https://x.com/tejaskumar_
Summary
Shruti Kapoor, a member of technical staff at Slack, discusses her role, the impact of Slack on users, and recent redesign efforts. She covers the patenting process, technical implementation of features like clips and huddles using Amazon S3 and Chime SDK, and front-end development practices at Slack.
Shruti also shares insights into Slack's interview process and compares it to Tejas' experience at Spotify, discussing the use of 'for' loops in interviews and her approach to code review. She concludes with thoughts on choosing between startups and big tech companies and the importance of diversity and inclusion in the industry.
Takeaways
1. Slack ships code frequently, even on Fridays, and rolls back quickly if issues arise.
2. The redesign aims to reduce cognitive overload and enhance user experience.
3. User feedback is crucial and actively gathered from social media, Zendesk tickets, and user research.
4. Slack's interview process includes breaks and at-home assignments, focusing on both technical skills and empathy.
5. Diversity and inclusion are vital, with efforts to ensure equal representation in technical discussions and panels.
Chapters
00:00 Shruti Kapoor
09:39 Working at Slack and Impact on Users
18:35 Redesigning Slack and User Feedback
33:00 Patenting and Inventing
42:39 Clips and Huddles
51:40 Design System and Front-end
56:02 Testing and Iteration
57:59 Career Journey and Joining Slack
01:00:38 Slack's Interview Process
01:01:38 At-Home Assignment
01:02:35 Comparison with Spotify's Interview Process
01:03:34 Technical Interview Experience at Spotify
01:05:02 Preference for Functional Programming
01:05:43 Using 'for' Loop Instead of 'reduce'
01:06:39 Approach to Code Review
01:08:35 Code Review as a Learning Experience
01:09:58 Testing Code during Code Review
01:11:10 Choosing Between Startups and Big Tech
01:11:39 Advantages and Trade-offs of Big Tech
01:16:57 Advantages and Trade-offs of Startups
01:18:47 Changing Teams in a Big Company
01:22:51 Navigating Conversations about Changing Teams
01:25:40 Role of Diversity and Inclusion in the Job
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