Hey, I’m Jamie Wen. I am a Software Engineer and Tech Lead based in Melbourne, Australia. Throughout my career, I’ve held various roles in the tech industry, but at heart, I remain a hardcore engineer. I’m a true believer in lifelong learning. This website serves as a central hub where I aggregate and organise information that I find valuable.

I love this quote from Will Larson’s “Staff Engineer: Leadership Beyond the Management Track”:

To become a senior technical leader, you must build a deep perspective on technology and architecture.

To operate as such a leader, you must then develop an equally deep pragmatism and agnosticism to technical religion to remain skeptical of yourself.

This can feel like a paradox, but it’s the line you’ll need to walk every day.

Bios

Currently

Senior Technical Lead at REA Group, Melbourne, Australia

Previously

Principal Developer, Tech & Delivery Lead at SEEK, Melbourne, Australia

Senior Developer at IRESS, Melbourne, Australia

Senior Software Engineer at Autodesk, Singapore

Various engineering roles across different industries in Beijing, China

Writing

📚 I share actionable tips in the Tech Lead Handbook

🚧 I am currently writing a People Handbook and AI Engineering Handbook

🌱 I occasionally post technical articles on Medium

Just so you know

I get stuff done

Excellent execution is equally important to great strategy. I focus on the most impactful tasks using the 80/20 rule to maximise productivity.

I value simplicity

As an engineer, a key skill is breaking complex concepts into a series of manageable tasks by abstracting common patterns. In a world filled with information and opinions, my value lies in recognising and leveraging these patterns.

I collaborate

I enjoy working with great people. There’s always something to learn from each other. Together, we can achieve more, and with some synergy, 1+1 can be much greater than 2.

I listen

All interesting problems operate across multiple context layers. My process is to listen, digest, clarify, abstract, and then share back. Effective contribution starts with active listening.

I prefer plain language over jargon

Jargon can create barriers for newcomers. I prefer using straightforward, accessible terminology.

I own my calendar

I strictly manage my calendar to block time for deep thinking and avoid ad-hoc interruptions.

I embrace unlearning

Unlearning isn’t about forgetting, but letting go. In tech, change is constant. We all need to unlearn to relearn effectively.

I am introverted

While I’m social at work, I prefer to recharge alone. I don’t spend all my free time socialising.

The town where I was raised: