“Technical” Skills
Engineers and managers are arguing over what “technical” really means and whether so‑called soft skills deserve equal status with coding and other hard skills. Many in software say “technical” is just shorthand for “can write code,” while others point out that fields like management, design, sales, and even sewing have deep, domain‑specific techniques that are just as hard to master and crucial to real projects. The exchange highlights how this label shapes hiring, promotion paths, and respect within organizations, and whether overvaluing or undervaluing certain skills leads to dysfunctional teams.
Meaning of “technical”
- In software contexts, “technical” usually just means “can code” or has an engineering/CS background.
- Others use “technical” more broadly as “field-specific practical skills” (including sewing, design, accounting), or “ability to work across abstraction layers.”
- Several note that every domain has its own technical skills; “non-technical” is often just “not programming / not our domain.”
- Some prefer terms like “domain expertise,” “conceptual skills,” or “people skills” for clarity.
Relative value of technical vs soft skills
- One camp feels technical skills are undervalued: engineers spend little time coding, promotions emphasize management and meetings.
- Another says the opposite: technical skills are table stakes, and soft skills (communication, leadership, coordination) determine advancement and are appropriately required for senior roles.
- A third view: non-technical skills (politics, sales, leadership) dominate money and power, so they are already overvalued relative to engineering.
- Regional and industry differences are mentioned (e.g., some cultures historically favor soft skills over engineering).
Managers and technical background
- Programmers asking “is the manager technical?” generally mean “can they do my job / understand my constraints?”
- Many describe bad outcomes with non-technical or only-slightly-technical managers making poor architecture decisions, being swayed by other managers or blogs, or failing to advocate for engineers.
- Others report excellent non-technical managers who understand their limits, trust specialists, and focus on people and process.
- There is debate whether managers need hands-on coding skills versus strong conceptual understanding and listening.
Difficulty and learning of different skills
- Some argue soft skills are “easy to pick up”; others counter that high-level communication, conflict resolution, and leadership can take years and are as demanding as advanced programming.
- Distinction is drawn between “skill floor” (basic competence) and “skill ceiling” (mastery), with time, interest, and context as major factors.
Language, labels, and culture
- Several see the article as over-fixated on semantics; changing words won’t change underlying power dynamics or evaluation.
- Others worry that rigid labels (“technical,” “creative,” “non-technical”) discourage people from developing broader skill sets.
- Some note that “soft” often just means “harder to measure,” not “less real.”