We recommend: Daniel Kahneman — 'Thinking, Fast and Slow'

Thinking, Fast and Slow, by Daniel Kahneman is a classic when it comes to our understanding of the human mind.

Our Thoughts

The book does an awesome job at describing the context of the fast and the slow brain.
System 1, where many assumptions (heuristics) are made allowing us to take shortcuts and therefore quick decisions. System 2, where we require more deliberate reasoning. Kahneman talks about the interaction of these two systems where System 1 is dominating, and such heuristics can lead to errors in judgment.

For an engineering manager, these insights highlight a key challenge: balancing fast, tactical decisions with slower, strategic planning. Engineering often requires switching between these modes—solving technical problems on the fly while also considering the long-term implications of change. Yet, toggling between fast and slow thinking has a cognitive cost, impacting our focus and efficiency. Understanding this mental cost can help managers better structure work environments, delegating or automating routine decisions and reserving conscious effort for strategic ones. By being mindful of these two systems, engineering managers can create processes that leverage intuitive decision-making without sacrificing the thoroughness required for critical, high-stakes planning.

Call to Action

Observe how often and between which tasks your team keeps context switching. Consider investing in tools and processes that minimize the unnecessary switching, and consider setting aside time specifically for strategic thinking, where you and your team can plan and problem-solve without distraction. By aligning tasks with the right mode of thinking, you can reduce cognitive strain and help your team achieve both agility and depth in decision-making.