Oliver Hemsted

Principal Engineer. I build distributed systems, lead engineering teams, and occasionally have opinions about software.

Writing

Boring on purpose: re‑platforming shop.coop.co.uk without anyone noticing

Before we wrote a line of code, we imagined the day we'd switch it on. We replaced the backend that powers Co-op's Q-Commerce site serving customers from 1500 stores, and nobody noticed.

10 July 202613 min read

Reading

/Hardcover.app

Currently reading

Creativity, Inc.: Overcoming the Unseen Forces That Stand in the Way of True Inspiration

Ed Catmull

Recently finished

Blood, Sweat, and Pixels: The Triumphant, Turbulent Stories Behind How Video Games Are Made

Jason Schreier

Standard Operating Chaos: How to unstick your team, build real momentum, and stop firefighting.

Stew Livingstone

The First 90 Days: Critical Success Strategies for New Leaders at All Levels

Michael D. Watkins

How Big Things Get Done: The Surprising Factors That Determine the Fate of Every Project, from Home Renovations to Space Exploration and Everything in Between

Bent Flyvbjerg

How to Listen to Anyone and Be Understood: 7 Essential Skills to Master Active Listening, Build Trust, Validate Emotions & Make Every Conversation Count ... Connections

Parker Lawson

The Decision Stack: How Strategic Clarity Unlocks Organizational Momentum

Martin Eriksson

Remote: Office Not Required

David Heinemeier Hansson

I Am Not a Robot

Joanna Stern

Addicted to Anxiety: How to Break the Habit

Owen O'Kane

Seven Tenths Of A Second: A behind-the-scenes look at McLaren’s comeback and the lessons in strategy, innovation and trust that fuel Formula 1

Zak Brown

All books →