Onsite Software Engineer Onboarding: Targeted Plan for a Five-Person Team

Team Structure

• 1 Manager

• 4 Team Members (including you)

Day One: Establishing Your Presence

1. Workspace Setup

   • Arrive early to set up your physical workspace

   • Ensure your computer and necessary peripherals are functioning

   • Locate essentials: restrooms, break areas, meeting rooms

2. Team Introduction

   • Meet with your manager for an initial briefing (30-45 minutes)

     • Discuss team structure, your role, and immediate priorities

     • Understand reporting structure and communication preferences

   • Introduction to your three team members (15 minutes each)

     • Learn about their roles and current projects

     • Understand how your work will intersect with theirs

3. Environment Setup

   • Set up your development environment with help from a designated team member

   • Request access to necessary systems and repositories

   • Familiarize yourself with the office network and any VPN requirements

4. First Team Meeting

   • Attend your first team meeting (if scheduled)

   • Introduce yourself briefly to the whole team

   • Observe team dynamics and meeting structure

Week One: Deep Dive and Integration

1. One-on-One Sessions

   • Schedule 45-minute sessions with each team member:

     • Team Member 1 (Day 2): Focus on codebase structure and coding standards

     • Team Member 2 (Day 3): Discuss testing practices and CI/CD pipeline

     • Team Member 3 (Day 4): Explore system architecture and design patterns

     • Manager (Day 5): Review week's progress and set concrete goals

2. Hands-On Tasks

   • Complete a small task assigned by your manager

   • Aim to make your first commit and go through the team's code review process

   • Shadow a team member during a debugging or problem-solving session

3. Team Dynamics

   • Observe how the team collaborates during the day

   • Understand each team member's strengths and specialties

   • Identify the go-to person for different types of questions or issues

4. Local Environment Mastery

   • Ensure your local development environment mirrors production

   • Practice the full development cycle: from local changes to deployment

Week Two and Beyond: Contribution and Growth

1. Increased Responsibility

   • Take on a more substantial task or feature

   • Collaborate directly with one of your team members on a shared task

   • Start participating in code reviews for your peers

2. Regular Check-ins

   • Daily quick sync with your manager (5-10 minutes)

   • Weekly one-on-one with manager (30 minutes)

     • Discuss progress, challenges, and upcoming priorities

     • Seek and provide feedback

3. Team Contribution

   • Volunteer to lead a section of the next team meeting

   • Offer to document a process or update existing documentation

   • Propose an improvement to the team's workflow or tooling

4. Cross-Functional Interaction

   • Attend a meeting with a interfacing team (e.g., product, design, or ops)

   • Understand how your team's work impacts other departments

5. Continuous Learning

   • Set up a weekly knowledge-sharing session with rotating topics

   • Each team member (including you) presents on a relevant technology or concept

Targeted Interaction Plan

1. Manager

   • Daily: Quick morning sync to align on day's priorities

   • Weekly: In-depth one-on-one for progress review and feedback

   • Ad-hoc: Don't hesitate to ask for clarification on expectations or team dynamics

2. Team Member 1 (Codebase Expert)

   • Week 1: Deep dive into codebase structure

   • Week 2: Pair programming session on a complex feature

   • Ongoing: Go-to person for code organization questions

3. Team Member 2 (Testing Guru)

   • Week 1: Overview of testing strategy and tools

   • Week 2: Collaborate on writing tests for your first feature

   • Ongoing: Consult on best practices for test coverage

4. Team Member 3 (Architecture Specialist)

   • Week 1: System architecture walk-through

   • Week 2: Discuss how your current task fits into the larger system

   • Ongoing: Involve in discussions about scalability and system design

5. You

   • Week 1: Focus on absorbing information and establishing relationships

   • Week 2: Start contributing actively in discussions and code reviews

   • Ongoing: Rotate sitting next to different team members to learn from their workflows

Best Practices for Onsite Collaboration

1. Leverage Physical Proximity

   • Use face-to-face interactions for complex discussions

   • Observe and learn from your teammates' problem-solving approaches

2. Respect Shared Spaces

   • Be mindful of noise levels in open office areas

   • Keep shared spaces clean and organized

3. Utilize Whiteboarding Sessions

   • Suggest in-person brainstorming for complex problems

   • Practice explaining your ideas visually

4. Build Rapport

   • Join team members for lunch or coffee breaks

   • Participate in any team-building or after-work activities

5. Balance Digital and In-Person Communication

   • Use chat for quick questions, but don't shy away from walking over for longer discussions

   • Be present and engaged during in-person meetings

Remember, your goal is to become an integral part of this small, onsite team as quickly as possible. Focus on building strong, collaborative relationships with your manager and three teammates while rapidly coming up to speed on the technical aspects of your role.