Niharika Jha

From Astrologer's Whispers to Real Connections: Reclaiming Belonging in a Lonely Age Have you ever consulted an astrologer, their predictions swirling in your head, only to feel empty when your day takes a different turn? The emptiness might not be about the details themselves, but about seeking outside approval for your happiness. This same feeling can creep in even when you achieve success. Remember climbing the career ladder, landing that dream apartment, only to find yourself lost in a quiet emptiness? In India's bustling cities, it's a familiar, painful emotion. We're surrounded by people, yet there's a little loneliness at the edges of our lives. Thinking back to Mrs. Deshmukh, your friendly neighbour with the legendary Til Gur Barfi's, who brought the whole neighbourhood together with tea and friendly chats. Those evenings of shared stories and laughter, a web woven by simple human connection, feel like a distant memory in our super-connected yet broken world. We chase success with thumbs glued to screens, building online bridges that leave us feeling more alone than ever. The pressure to create a perfect online self-drowns out the whispers of our own desires. But here's the real deal, that shiny designation and fancy car can't fill the hole left by genuine connection. There's hope, though! We can rewrite this story. Let's ditch the small talk and chase deeper connections. Share your fears and worries, break free from feeling isolated in this sea of ambition. Remember the warmth of family gatherings, the joy of shared childhood games? Revive those small traditions. Pick up the phone for a real heart-to-heart conversation rather than What's Apping. Every act of connection, no matter how ordinary, how small, builds a more satisfying life. Imagine hearing back from an old friend, reliving an old laugh, and being surrounded by people who truly see us, where we belong. Isn't that what life is all about? Together, one conversation, one meal, and one act of kindness at a time, we can tear down the walls of loneliness. We can rewrite the narrative of modern society, where connection becomes the foundation of a life well lived. It's not too late, or is it? #HumanConnections #BelongingMatters #OvercomeLoneliness #RealConversations #MeaningfulRelationships #CommunityOverConnectivity #AuthenticLiving #SocialWellbeing #RedefiningSuccess #TraditionsRewoven #FightIsolation #VulnerableAndReal #KindnessRevolution #SmallActsBigImpact #ReconnectingHumanity #IndianSociety #UrbanLoneliness #DigitalDetox #QualityOverQuantity #ConnectionCures Photo by Tim Marshall on Unsplash

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Just finished recording a great podcast with Ankit Jain on his #HangerDX podcast. We chatted a lot about engineering metrics, their value, and how you should/shouldn't use them to drive change across your organization. It should be released soon, so make sure to check it out! #softwareengineeringinsights #engineeringmetrics #developerexperience

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Event-driven architecture (EDA) is a software design pattern that determines the flow of the programs based on user actions, sensory outputs or message from other programs. This approach enables applications to be more responsive, scalable, and adaptable, allowing them to process events in real-time and improve overall user experience. Let’s break down how major apps leverage this architecture for enhanced functionality: 💡 Netflix: When you pause a video, a "pause event" is triggered and sent to Netflix’s event processing system. This updates your playback progress and stores the state in a distributed data store, ensuring you can resume later—even on different devices! 💡 Uber: When a user requests a ride, it generates a "ride request event." This event is sent to a message broker like Kafka, notifying nearby drivers in real-time. Once a driver accepts, another event triggers updates for both driver and rider apps. If you’re interested in seeing the full breakdown of event-driven architecture, head over to my Instagram or YouTube channel to check out the video! 👉 Instagram: https://lnkd.in/gse5TuMn 👉 YouTube Channel: https://lnkd.in/gj5KaC2D Don't forget to follow me for more tech deep dives! #EventDrivenArchitecture, #SoftwareArchitecture, #TechTrends, #Innovation, #CloudComputing, #RealTimeData, #SoftwareDevelopment, #Microservices, #TechInsights, #DataDriven, #UserExperience, #Scalability, #DevOps, #Coding, #Programming, #DigitalTransformation, #TechCommunity, #LearnTech, #FutureOfTech #womenintech

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Food for thought: A recent HN post on "Hitting OKRs vs Doing Your Job" sparked a debate on the pitfalls of OKRs. The key takeaway? When metrics become targets, teams can lose sight of the real goals. We need to move beyond simple measures and focus on building cultures that value customer impact, problem-solving, and team collaboration. Key Themes and Insights: 1️⃣ The Importance of Context: Metrics should be seen as tools to aid in decision-making, but not as goals in themselves. They can never replace understanding of the real-world problems. 2️⃣ The Importance of Human Judgement: Over-reliance on data can lead to bad decisions; good leadership involves both data and intuition. 3️⃣ The Risk of Oversimplification: Complex problems can’t be solved with simple metrics. Teams should focus on real problem-solving rather than hitting pre-set numbers. 4️⃣ The Problem of Metrics and Incentives: The focus on "impact" and performance reviews can incentivize unproductive behavior. What are your experiences with OKRs? #OKR

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𝗘𝗺𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗙𝗼𝗿𝗴𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗳𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱: 𝗟𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗦𝗮𝗺𝘃𝗮𝘁𝘀𝗮𝗿𝗶 𝗠𝗮𝗵𝗮 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝘃 In the spirit of Samvatsari Maha Parv, a significant day in Jainism, we focus on the power of forgiveness. On this day, Jains ask for forgiveness from everyone—whether family, friends, or even those they may have disagreed with (Michhami Dukkadam). The goal is to cleanse the heart of grudges and embrace humility, selflessness, and a fresh start. But this tradition of seeking and offering forgiveness goes beyond religious practice; it provides valuable lessons for our professional lives as well: 1. 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗴𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗥𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽𝘀: Forgiveness helps rebuild trust and collaboration. Imagine how much stronger teams would be if conflicts were resolved quickly, with a willingness to listen and let go of past misunderstandings. 2. 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗘𝗺𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗵𝘆: Leaders who embody forgiveness create environments where mistakes are part of the growth process, encouraging openness and emotional intelligence. These leaders foster a more resilient and connected workforce. 3. 𝗘𝗻𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: In professional settings, conflict and miscommunication can harm relationships. Practicing forgiveness encourages open dialogue, allowing us to reconnect and move forward with positive intent. 4. 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗛𝘂𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗦𝗲𝗹𝗳𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀: Admitting mistakes and asking for forgiveness is an act of humility that builds deeper connections. In the workplace, this leads to stronger bonds and a culture of mutual respect. In today’s fast-paced, competitive environment, incorporating forgiveness into our daily interactions—whether with colleagues, clients, or even competitors—can create a more compassionate and productive workplace. As we reflect on the values of Samvatsari Maha Parv, let’s embrace the power of forgiveness in our professional lives. Let’s build teams and organizations rooted in understanding, empathy, and growth. Michhami Dukkadam—I ask forgiveness if I have hurt you in any way. 🙏 If you want to know more about this festival - https://lnkd.in/dfAe6knE #forgiveness #empathy #leadership #selfdevelopment #PersonalGrowth #peace #happiness #paryushanparv #seekforgiveness #positivity

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A simple soap cake that was packaged in paper packaging now is being packaged in hard plastic, that too just the foam part, not even the liquid part. And going by the looks, this is definitely going to last much shorter than the soap cake, so more frequent plastic generation. When will FMCG companies really think about the massive plastic problem they are creating in the name of selling innovative products ? It almost never seems like they are responsibly creating products that are environmentally friendly.

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The job market in 2024 has been like navigating a storm—one that’s not following usual patterns. Despite a "good" economic environment (the stock market booming, companies making record profits) - hiring seems to be scarce, and the average job search is stretching to nearly 14 months. What’s causing this bizarre situation? 🌐 Legacy Things Crashing and Burning Legacy bits are finally reaching the end of their lifespans. Many companies have delayed upgrading for decades, but now have no choice (because things either have stopped working or upgrading {with "AI"} is the only way to prevent competition from crushing them). Higher interest rates mean money put into these necessary capital expenditures has to come at the expense of operational expansion. Instead of hiring new talent, companies are restructuring and laying off staff, further burdening already skeletal crews (all the while keeping job posts they aren't going to fill open). ⚔️ Too Many Seekers, Too Few Roles Too many job seekers are now fighting for too few non-ghost roles. Layoffs and restructuring have increased the number of qualified professionals hunting for jobs at the same time. With fewer companies expanding, the imbalance between job seekers and openings is at an all-time high, making competition fiercer than ever (even with 4x the number of job postings to job seekers). Not to mention the AI-Resume-ATS battles raging on in the recruiting world. 🧱 People Aren't Leaving Their Jobs People aren’t leaving their current roles as frequently as they did in the past. Job hopping has slowed significantly, whether due to economic uncertainty, job security, or fear of not finding another role (due to current job market conditions). This stagnation means fewer positions are opening up, bottlenecking the job market. 🌄 The Silver Lining: Relief Is Coming It’s not all doom and gloom—there’s a silver lining on the horizon. Once the Federal Reserve reduces interest rates, capital will be available for companies to start hiring again. The current strain on the bare-bone-marrow workforce has led to increased burnout. Without support, employees will start leaving (even if the market is bad), opening up more vacancies. Over the next few months, we can expect the number of open positions to increase as companies hire again (because they have money or to prevent more people leaving) or as people leave their jobs, creating more opportunities - which will then spur others to leave their roles accelerating this process. 🌟 The Light at the End of the Tunnel As the market rebalances itself again, the number of job applications per role should drop, finding that next position will become easier. The storm will pass, and the job market will begin to normalize. Until then, hang tight; this imbalance is hopefully a phase—one that will eventually clear, making way for brighter days ahead. #Jobpocalypse2024 #OpenToWork

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Is catching bugs before production really possible? Saurabh Shanbhag from DoorDash shares insights on how minimizing bugs is a team effort and not just the responsibility of engineers or QA testers. Collaboration across roles is key to ensuring product reliability. Here’s how teams can prevent issues before launch: Collaboration: Engineers, QA, and product managers work together to catch issues early. Testing: Multiple layers of testing help poke holes in the system before it reaches users. Proactive Design: Designing with future reliability in mind reduces the need for constant back-and-forth fixes. Watch this episode of the Sauce Labs podcast, Test Case Scenario, to learn more about bug prevention strategies that actually work. Sauce Labs also has an amazing resource page for retailers. Links to both in the comments.

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System Design is one of my favorite. Here is the list of system design building blocks that are important irrespective of whether you are designing a system or preparing for a system design interview ✔️ Distributed message queue: A producer puts a message Or work in a line, which the consumers pick up for further processing or work defined. This is an important concept to explain how you can scale your system, perform asynchronous processing, ✔️ DNS: Translates website names to IP address. DNS service works much like a phone directory. Services like Route53 help configure the domain and routing, and one needs to understand common types of resource records like A, CNAME, NS, MX, etc. ✔️ CDN: The content delivery network is a server between the origin and the client. It stores and delivers content to the end users, reducing latency and improving the system's overall performance. ✔️ PUB SUB: Publish-subscribe messaging works asynchronously, involving publishers, topics, subscribers, and messages. It helps to decouple the system, scalability, Durability, etc. ✔️ Load Balancer: Load balancer helps divide and divert traffic across the system. It helps drive the overall system Availability and Performance. ✔️ Distributed Caching: Caching servers store the data in memory and return it to the end users, improving the overall performance and end-user experience. A fleet of servers works together to keep and serve the data in a distributed caching system, enhancing availability. ✔️ Database: Understanding data storage, storage, types, and choosing a Database, RDMBS Vs Nosql, is vital when designing a system. It is essential to deeply understand for what requirements RDBMS is the right fit, and nosql is the right fit. ✔️ Observability: It's important to know what is happening in the system. How do we make the system easier to debug and fix? Observability helps the system to drive maintainability, resiliency, and reliability. ✔️ Task Scheduler: This is an essential component that helps one decide how the tasks must be prioritized, delegated and how much resources need to be allocated ✔️ Unstructured Data Storage: Storing photos, videos, audio, and other unstructured data is essential when designing a system since these cannot be stored in traditional databases. One needs to create a highly available, consistent, reliable solution. and efficient ✔️ Scaling Services: Scalability is an essential building block of any robust system. Understanding various scaling options and what options should be used is critical. From Serverless to ID generators, one must understand the multiple options and how to design them. ✔️ Distributed Search: Search is the core of many system designs. Understating how to build a search system and the core building blocks of a search system, including crawling and indexing, is essential. #engineering #systemdesign #interview #productdevelopment

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🚀 Excited to dive into the world of system design interviews? Here's a quick guide to get you started: Understand the Basics: Grasp the fundamentals of system design principles like scalability, reliability, and maintainability. Solidify your knowledge of data structures and algorithms. Practice, Practice, Practice: Get hands-on experience by solving real-world design problems. Leverage platforms like LeetCode, HackerRank, or Grokking the System Design Interview. Know Your Patterns: Familiarize yourself with common system design patterns such as Client-Server, Pub-Sub, and MapReduce. Recognizing these patterns can streamline your problem-solving process. Stay Updated: Keep pace with industry trends and best practices. Follow blogs, attend webinars, and join online communities to stay informed about the latest advancements in system design. Communicate Effectively: Practice articulating your thought process clearly and concisely. In interviews, focus on explaining your approach, considering trade-offs, and justifying your design decisions. Below are five common system design questions :: 1. Design a URL shortening service (Tiny URL) 2. Design a chat system (Slack/WhatsApp) 3. Design a ride sharing service 4. Design a content delivery network(CDN) 5. Design a parking lot system Remember, system design interviews are not just about finding the perfect solution but also demonstrating your problem-solving skills and communication abilities. Happy designing! 🛠️ #SystemDesign #InterviewPrep #TechCareer

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Trying to apply principles from ancient Indian philosophy in writing better code. A “Sutra” is that which is concise (Alpākṣaraṃ), unambiguous (Asandigdhaṃ), essential (Sāravat), universally applicable (Viśvatomukham), free of unnecessary detail (Astobham), and flawless (Anavadyam). Applying the attributes of a Sutra to coding: 💡 Conciseness (Alpākṣaraṃ): Less is more! Keep code efficient and minimal. 📘 Unambiguity (Asandigdhaṃ): Clarity is kindness. Use descriptive names, avoid “magic numbers,” and comment only when necessary. 🎯 Essence of Value (Sāravat): Every line should have purpose. Focus on core functionality, not bloated code. 🌐 Universality (Viśvatomukham): Make it adaptable and reusable. Use modular functions and design patterns for flexibility. 🧹 Free from Unnecessary Detail (Astobham): Avoid over-engineering. Meet current needs with simple solutions and save complexity for when it’s essential. 🔒 Flawlessness (Anavadyam): Aim for rock-solid reliability and security. Review, test, and refine. This Sutra-inspired approach isn’t just about code—it’s about crafting something purposeful, lasting, and easy for others to build on. Let’s write code that’s as timeless as a Sutra! 🙌 #Programming #Philosophy

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🧱 Life Lessons from Jenga: Building Integrity Block by Block Ever thought about how your daily choices stack up? In my latest blog post, I explore how life's ethical decisions mirror a game of Jenga. One wrong move, and the whole tower might come tumbling down. But with care and foresight, we can build something truly sturdy. Curious? Check out the full post on my blog for a different perspective on personal integrity and decision-making. https://lnkd.in/d4MnASxj #PersonalGrowth #Integrity #LifeLessons #metaphors #thismightnotwork

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Are your communication skills holding you back as a software engineer? As a software engineer, your technical chops may get you in the door, but your communication skills are what'll make or break you, especially if you're freelancing or eyeing those senior-level roles. Here's the truth: if you can't explain your solutions to clients and stakeholders in a way they actually understand, then you've got some work to do on those communication abilities. No matter how brilliant your code is, if you can't break down complex problems in a clear, direct manner, you’ll end up spending a lot of time spinning your wheels in meetings. Clients and higher-ups need you to translate the technical into the tangible. So take a hard look at how you communicate, both in writing and face-to-face. Are you being direct and professional? Can you distill abstract concepts into simple, compelling terms? If not, take some time to level up those skills. The best way to sharpen those essential skills? Practice, practice, practice. Take every opportunity - at work, with the barista in the morning, even just talking to yourself at home. Hone your ability to communicate clearly and listen attentively. Because these abilities will benefit you everywhere, not just in your engineering career. Because at the end of the day, your programming prowess can only take you so far. The real multiplier is how effectively you can explain your solutions to the people who matter. Don't let communication be your Achilles' heel - make it your secret weapon. Your career will thank you. What other tips do you have for sharpening those essential communication skills as a software engineer? I'm all ears.

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#Layoffs and Misguided Corporate Spending ( A note to Leadership) I've spent over 16 years working across both MNCs (50%) and startups (50%). During my time at one of the world’s top 10 dream companies, I used to see an annual trend: layoffs. The pressure this puts on employees is immense. Here’s the ironic part: the same company ( Should I say some Big Heads) cutting jobs spends crores on unnecessary luxuries—like installing 90-inch LED TVs in lift lobbies, excessive property beautification, and lavish gifting. The amount spent on these could easily cover the salaries of hundreds of employees. When layoffs happen, it's often percentage cut—x% must go. But why aren’t senior leaders cutting these extravagant expenses in first place? I’m not suggesting cutting essential marketing costs and basic comfort costs for employees that drive business, but who’s choosing companies based on lift lobby TVs or expensive sofas in the pantry? We’ve all heard of a company that hired a famous footballer for an ad, only to later struggle to pay employees. It’s baffling that leaders allow these misguided financial priorities to persist. Why isn’t there a system in place to curb over-spending and protect employees—the true backbone of the company? Those four LED TVs won’t save the company. But four dedicated employees just might.

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Did you know there are no "roles" (SDE, SDET, TPM, …) when you get to L8 IC (Senior Principal) at Amazon? It’s one of Amazon’s peculiarities. [Side note: in general, Amazon SDEs tend to be "jack of all trades" where we pragmatically do whatever is necessary to make our organization successful at that given moment (within reason). In fact, I believe being well-rounded and able and willing to wear a number of hats is one of the things that makes me valuable to an employer. We don’t over-index on "that’s not part of my role doc." Other companies where I worked (eg Google) have very clear swimming lanes and people stick to them pretty religiously, eg. "oh no I don’t talk to customers, I’m an SDE and talking to customers is for TPMs." Whereas at Amazon I never once had a manager tell me, "what you did (although impactful, important and necessary) was not really your job." ] My little side note about this critical piece of amazon culture explains why as you get to L8 the concept of a "role" no longer really makes sense. The boundaries between roles get fuzzier and fuzzier as you go from Senior Engineer (L6) to Principal Engineer (L7), and they become unimportant when you get to L8. We’re all just “Senior Principals” - whether you came via the SDE path, the TPM path, or in my snowflake case, the SDET path. In fact I think most L8s are snowflakes in that their path to L8 was unique and the value they bring to the company is also unique. In phonetool (our amazon directory) you can have whatever unofficial title you want (also within reason...), so I chose to keep the "SDET" title to reflect my background and passion for testing, engineering and operational excellence, and developer tools. I also hope that by keeping the title, others in my (old?) role can see that SDETs at Amazon do not have a "ceiling" in their career. And lastly, it's a fun conversational piece ("you're an L8 SDET???") (The image here is "Peccy" - a beloved little icon that has represented Amazon's Peculiar Ways for years) [Edit: Strictly speaking there are a few L8 IC roles that do have a different job code, like PMT or Scientist - but I think we generally view all L8 ICs in the same lens]

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Bomb on Mr. Narayana Murthy's thoughts on 70 hours work/week and work life balance!!  While I believe it's essential to prioritize health and happiness, I also feel that passionate individuals often don't subscribe to the typical concept of "work-life balance." For them, passion drives their work, and they’re willing to put in the hours because it brings them greater satisfaction and joy. That sense of fulfillment is their version of work-life balance. This passion could be anything—from excelling at their job, building their own startup, or pursuing a hobby like sports, movies, or simply enjoying life to the fullest. So why should we limit ourselves to a rigid concept of balance? Mr. Narayana Murthy's perspective likely resonates with many of us—it’s just that he framed it in terms of "work" rather than focusing on "passion," which is ultimately what drives us to work as much as we do.

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Design systems as if you were the one who will maintain them. Few nuggets to keep handy, while designing a scalable system: https://lnkd.in/g_udCNm3 #systemdesign #scalability #performance

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