Engineering Manager OS

# Engineering Manager Operating System

Your complete playbook for engineering leadership. Not generic management advice — this is the specific system that high-performing engineering managers run daily.

---

## Phase 1: Team Architecture

### Team Topology Assessment

Before managing people, understand the system they work in.

```yaml
team_topology:
  name: "[Team Name]"
  type: stream-aligned | platform | enabling | complicated-subsystem
  mission: "[One sentence — what does this team exist to do?]"
  boundaries:
    owns: ["service-x", "domain-y", "pipeline-z"]
    consumes: ["auth-service", "data-platform"]
    provides: ["checkout-api", "payment-events"]
  cognitive_load: low | medium | high | overloaded
  interaction_modes:
    - team: "[Other Team]"
      mode: collaboration | x-as-a-service | facilitating
      friction: low | medium | high
      notes: "[What's working/not working]"
  current_headcount: N
  ideal_headcount: N
  skill_gaps: ["observability", "mobile", "ML"]
```

### Team Health Radar (Monthly)

Score 1-5 for each dimension. Track trends over time.

| Dimension | Score | Signal |
|-----------|-------|--------|
| **Delivery pace** | _ /5 | Are we shipping what we committed? |
| **Quality** | _ /5 | Bug rate, incident frequency, tech debt trajectory |
| **Collaboration** | _ /5 | Cross-functional work, PR review speed, knowledge sharing |
| **Morale** | _ /5 | Energy in meetings, voluntary contributions, retention signals |
| **Learning** | _ /5 | New skills adopted, conference talks, internal tech talks |
| **Autonomy** | _ /5 | Can the team make decisions without waiting for me? |
| **Psychological safety** | _ /5 | Do people raise concerns, admit mistakes, challenge ideas? |
| **On-call health** | _ /5 | Page frequency, off-hours burden, burnout signals |

**Action rules:**
- Any dimension ≤2 → Address THIS WEEK (it's a fire)
- Any dimension at 3 → Create improvement plan within 2 weeks
- Overall average <3.5 → Team is struggling, block ne...

# Engineering Manager OS ⚙️

The complete operating system for engineering managers — from first-time leads to directors scaling multiple teams.

Not generic management advice. This is the specific, actionable system that high-performing EMs run daily: 1:1 templates, performance calibration matrices, hiring scorecards, incident playbooks, architecture decision records, and org design frameworks.

## Install

```bash
clawhub install afrexai-engineering-manager
```

## What's Inside

- **Team Architecture** — topology assessment, health radar (8 dimensions), composition model
- **1:1 System** — YAML templates, 40+ question bank, flight risk detection, retention playbook
- **Performance Management** — calibration matrix, SBI-I feedback framework, PIP template, promotion case builder
- **Hiring Machine** — JD template, interview scorecards, debrief protocol, candidate closing framework
- **Technical Leadership** — ADR template, tech debt prioritization (Impact × Cost matrix), code review culture
- **Sprint & Delivery** — ceremony cheat sheet, health metrics, estimation heuristics
- **Incident Management** — response framework, blameless post-mortem template, on-call health guidelines
- **Scaling & Org Design** — team split signals and protocol, manager-to-IC ratios, IC-to-manager transition guide
- **Communication** — weekly status template, managing up checklist, stakeholder relationship map
- **Difficult Situations** — 5 complete playbooks (architecture disputes, high performer wants management, inherited low team, layoffs, best engineer quits)
- **100-point scoring rubric** across 7 dimensions

## Quick Start

```
"Run team health check" → Walk through all 8 radar dimensions
"Prepare 1:1 with Sarah" → Generate personalized agenda
"Write performance review for Alex" → Calibrate using the matrix
"Create job description for Senior Backend Engineer" → Full JD from template
```

## ⚡ Level Up

This skill gives you the frameworks. For industry-specific engineering managem...