In my own programs, the decision log is the tool I come back to most when the team needs alignment. An interim tech lead playbook is about decision flow, not authority. The goal is to keep delivery moving while respecting the team and the product goals.
Start with context. Gather goals, constraints, and known risks. Make sure the team agrees on the problem before proposing solutions. This avoids rework later. Prefer small, reversible decisions. Use feature flags or staged rollouts. Avoid large architectural shifts unless you have evidence and a clear rollback path.
Guardrails and standards: Define a small set of standards for code review, testing, and releases. Keep them visible and short. Guardrails reduce debate and help new team members align quickly. Communication and record: Share decisions in a single place and include the reason and expected impact. This helps the team remember why a path was chosen. It also helps new joiners understand the context.
A good embedded lead removes friction and keeps focus. The role is most effective when the team can move quickly without confusion. Create a lightweight decision log. It can be a simple document, but it should include date, decision, and rationale. This prevents repeat debates and helps new team members understand history.
Protect focus by limiting work in progress. If the team is pulled in too many directions, the lead should simplify priorities and remove low-value tasks. Measure delivery health with a few signals like lead time, change failure rate, and incident load. These metrics help the lead spot problems early without heavy process.
One more thing I watch for is decision debt. If the team keeps delaying a choice, delivery slows down in hidden ways. An interim lead should not decide everything, but they should make sure someone decides. That alone keeps momentum.\n\n ## Example from a program: aligning hardware and firmware delivery
Example from a program: aligning hardware and firmware delivery
An embedded program often has a hardware schedule and a firmware schedule that move at different speeds. A tech lead can keep delivery moving by using a decision log that records trade-offs such as a cheaper sensor that needs extra filtering. The firmware team can plan a fast prototype using dev boards while hardware finalizes the PCB. At each milestone, the lead checks the critical path. If the board revision will land late, the lead shifts firmware tasks toward testing, logging, and update flows so the team is not blocked.
Common failure points
- Letting decisions live in chat threads instead of a visible decision log.
- Waiting for perfect hardware before starting firmware integration.
- Treating vendor lead times as fixed when alternatives exist.
- Skipping risk reviews until the end of the program.
- Overloading the lead as the only decision maker.
Leadership checklist
- Keep a lightweight decision log with owners and due dates.
- Maintain a short risk register that is reviewed weekly.
- Plan firmware work that can progress on simulators or dev kits.
- Establish a definition of done that includes validation and test artifacts.
- Share a delivery calendar that includes hardware, firmware, and test milestones.
- Rotate decision ownership to avoid bottlenecks.
Decision cadence and artifacts: A weekly decision review keeps the team aligned. Capture each decision in a short template: context, options, chosen path, and follow-ups. This is more valuable than meeting notes because it creates a clear audit trail when questions arise later. Use lightweight artifacts that are easy to update. A one-page architecture map, a current risk list, and a schedule with known blockers are often enough. The goal is clarity, not bureaucracy.
Metrics for delivery health: Track a few simple metrics: cycle time for firmware changes, hardware lead time, and defect rates in system tests. These show where the team is blocked and whether the system is becoming more stable over time. If cycle time grows, identify whether build times, reviews, or integration testing are slowing the team down.
Stakeholder alignment: Embedded programs often involve product, hardware, firmware, and manufacturing. A short weekly update that highlights risks, decisions, and next milestones keeps everyone aligned. Keep it factual and action-oriented. If a decision is blocked, state what is needed to unblock it.
Supplier coordination: Many embedded products depend on vendors for sensors, radios, or manufacturing. Track supplier lead times and alternate parts early. If a key component slips, decide quickly whether to redesign or adjust the schedule. Keeping a short list of alternates reduces risk and prevents last-minute redesigns.
Cross-functional checkpoints: Schedule short checkpoints at key milestones, such as after board bring-up, after firmware boot, and after first end-to-end demo. Each checkpoint should include hardware, firmware, and test leads. This keeps issues visible early and avoids surprises late in the program.
