Why an Engineering Manager Should Not Review Code

When discussing team organization, I am often asked: “Why don’t you have the tech lead manage the team?” My response is to hiss like a vampire exposed to holy water. When the follow-up question is: “Given you want managers on your teams, can the manager still perform code reviews?” I burst into flames. This question comes up all the time. But, let’s think about this question (and my response) a little deeper. <ul> <li>Why shouldn’t the tech lead manage the team?</li> <li>Why shouldn’t the engineering manager perform code reviews?</li> </ul> Like everything in technology, the answer depends on the situation. Here I attempt to answer the perennial question of “Why should the TL not lead the team and why should an EM with a team of sufficient size not review code?” We consider three aspects when answering this question: role definition, team communication complexity, and team size. Let’s unpack my reasoning with helpful graphics. Warning: very light math ahead. <h1>The difference between the Manager and the Tech Lead Roles</h1> First, let’s tackle role definition. Engineering manager and technical lead are two different roles with different skill sets. Someone might be good at one role but not the other (and vice versa). For example, the best programmer on the team is not always the best person to organize all the stuff. However, the team needs both roles to operate optimally. So let’s compare and contrast the roles. <a href="https://betterprogramming.pub/why-an-engineering-manager-should-not-review-code-46f87c08db66">Visit Now</a>