How an engineering change moves at Northstar

A sample overview for the fictional company. Confirm the details with your team lead.

We work in small changes. A change starts with a clear task, is built and tested on its own, is reviewed by a teammate, and then goes to release. Small changes are easier to review and easier to undo.

A change is done when it is reviewed, its checks pass, its documentation is updated and the person who asked for it has confirmed it does what they needed.

The stages of a typical change

Illustrative example. Your team may add or reorder stages.

  1. 1

    Understand the task

    Read the task and its acceptance notes. If the goal or the person who asked for it is unclear, ask before you write anything.

  2. 2

    Plan the smallest useful change

    Write two or three lines on what you will change and how you will check it. For anything touching more than one system, share the plan with a teammate first.

  3. 3

    Build and test locally

    Make the change on its own branch and run the automated checks before you ask anyone to look at it.

  4. 4

    Request review

    Describe what changed and why, and how you tested it. Ask one reviewer by name, and aim for a reply within one working day.

  5. 5

    Release and confirm

    Once approved, release through the normal pipeline and tell the requester. Update any documentation the change affected.

Learn it in the Training app

Training is where Northstar assigns and offers learning for engineers.

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Tell your lead what is unclear

Which courses you see depends on your role and location. Your manager can tell you which ones to finish in your first 30 days.

Terms you will hear

What is a change?

Any edit to code, configuration or infrastructure that goes through review and release, however small.

What is a review?

A teammate reads your change, runs or reasons through it, and either approves it or asks for edits. Reviews are about the work, not the person.

Who do I ask if a stage does not fit my task?

Ask your onboarding buddy first, then your team lead. Do not skip review to save time.