Here’s a short template I created to onboard as a Director of Engineering at a company. Feel free to provide feedback to make it better!
| Phase | Category | Task / Action Item | Key Questions / Focus | Potential Stakeholders | Done |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phase 1: Days 1-30 (Learn & Connect) | People & Relationships | Meet with Direct Reports (Engineering Managers) | Understand their roles, teams, current projects, challenges, goals, working styles, and expectations of you. | Engineering Managers | |
| Meet with Your Manager (VP Eng/CTO) | Understand their expectations (90 days, 6-12 months), strategic priorities, perceived org strengths/weaknesses, communication preferences, reporting cadence. | VP Engineering / CTO | |||
| Meet with Peers (Other Directors) | Understand their roles, team goals, intersections with engineering, cross-functional challenges, collaboration expectations. | Other Directors | |||
| Meet with Key Cross-Functional Partners | Understand their priorities, how your teams interact, perspective on engineering collaboration. | Heads of Product, Design, Sales, Marketing, Finance, etc. | |||
| Connect with Onboarding Buddy/Mentor | Seek guidance, context, and help navigating initial period. | Assigned Buddy/Mentor | |||
| Share Your Working Style | Communicate your preferences ("How to work with me" doc) and inquire about others'. | Manager, Direct Reports, Peers | |||
| Business & Strategy | Understand Company Mission, Vision, Values | Grasp the core purpose and guiding principles. | Company Intranet, HR, Manager | ||
| Learn Business Model & SaaS Metrics | Understand revenue streams (ARR, MRR), customer segments, market position, key metrics (Churn, LTV, CAC, Gross Margin). | Finance, Sales, Marketing, Product Leaders, Company Reports | |||
| Study Current Strategy & OKRs | Review company/department strategy, OKRs, recent financial reports, board updates, market analyses. | Manager, Strategy Docs, Finance | |||
| Product & Technology | Understand Product Portfolio & Users | Gain familiarity with products/services and target customer needs. | Product Management, Design, Sales | ||
| Review System Architecture & Tech Stack | Understand core architecture, tech stack components, infrastructure, key dependencies. | Engineering Managers, Tech Leads, Architecture Docs | |||
| Learn Development Lifecycle & Processes | Understand SDLC, CI/CD, testing, deployment, incident management, technical debt challenges. | Engineering Managers, Tech Leads, Process Docs | |||
| Processes & Culture | Observe Team Rituals & Workflows | Understand how teams operate (stand-ups, planning, retros), communication norms, decision-making processes. | Engineering Managers, Team Members | ||
| Assess Engineering Culture | Understand values, feedback culture, psychological safety, handling of failure/conflict. | Engineering Managers, Team Members, HR | |||
| Phase 2: Days 31-60 (Assess & Align) | People & Relationships | Deeper Dives with EMs | Discuss team health, performance, challenges, individual development, EM career goals. Assess EM strengths/weaknesses. | Engineering Managers | |
| Meet Skip-Level Manager | Gain broader organizational perspective. | Your Manager's Manager | |||
| Performance & Metrics | Analyze Team Metrics | Review delivery (velocity, cycle time), quality (bugs, incidents), operational health (uptime, MTTR), SaaS impact metrics. | Engineering Managers, Data/Analytics Team | ||
| Processes & Workflow | Evaluate Key Engineering Processes | Systematically review design reviews, incident response, dependency management, release processes. Identify bottlenecks/inefficiencies. | Engineering Managers, Tech Leads | ||
| Assess Tools & Workflows | Evaluate effectiveness and adoption of current tools. | Engineering Managers, Team Members | |||
| Strategy & Planning | Identify Quick Wins | Pinpoint 1-3 high-impact, achievable improvements for early momentum. | Manager, Peers, EMs | ||
| Synthesize Findings & Formulate Hypotheses | Consolidate learnings into a current state assessment (SWOT). Develop initial hypotheses for improvement. Share preliminary thoughts for feedback. | Manager, Trusted Peers | |||
| Phase 3: Days 61-90 (Execute & Refine) | Execution | Drive Quick Wins & Process Improvements | Launch and manage initial initiatives. Implement targeted process improvements. | Engineering Managers, Relevant Teams | |
| Leadership & Direction | Provide Feedback & Direction to EMs | Start giving specific, constructive feedback. Guide resource allocation and priority setting aligned with strategy. | Engineering Managers | ||
| Strategy & Planning | Contribute Strategically | Participate actively in leadership/strategy meetings. Draft, refine, and communicate roadmap/priorities for your area (next 1-2 quarters). | Manager, Peers, Leadership Team | ||
| Operating Rhythm | Solidify Communication Cadences | Finalize structure/cadence for EM 1:1s, manager forum meetings, and reporting mechanisms (up, down, across). | Manager, EMs, Peers | ||
| Review & Feedback | Conduct Self-Assessment | Reflect on 90-day progress, impact, learnings, and role fit. | Self | ||
| Hold 90-Day Review with Manager | Discuss progress, findings, future priorities, and solicit feedback. | Manager |