Hi, I'm Dan Lafeir

Software builder

I'm a paint drip engineer who swings on the engineer/manager pendulum — building deep expertise across multiple domains rather than settling into a single lane.

I approach problems through a systems thinking lens: understanding how the parts interact before prescribing solutions, and architecting for scale by addressing root causes rather than symptoms. The goal is software that teams can actually reason about and evolve — not just software that ships.

When I'm not writing code, I write about the things I observe in software teams — the habits, patterns, and tradeoffs that quietly shape how people work.

Feel free to explore my writing, engineering playbook, projects, or resume. You can also find me on GitHub and LinkedIn.

Recently Updated

  1. Engineering Level Expectations (L1–L10)

    A progression framework for software engineers centered on knowing your "One Job" before expanding scope.

  2. Career Progression

    A framework for career advancement that decouples compensation from titles and supports multiple paths.

  3. Performance Improvement Plans

    When PIPs are appropriate, how to structure them, and what to realistically expect.

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