Beyond Coding How We Get More Done with Fewer Engineers
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Nov 26, 2025 Michiel Overeem, Engineering Manager at AFAS, shares insights from his experience building efficient teams with just 10% of their employees as developers. He discusses the power of standardization in enhancing productivity and reveals how they hire two key types of engineers: 'craftsman' and 'product'. Michiel also explains the benefits of a four-day work week and how it fosters a culture of responsibility. Additionally, he highlights the importance of keeping engineers close to customers to drive success.
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Standardize To Multiply Engineering Output
- Standardization reduces repeated decisions and speeds onboarding for new projects.
- Michiel Overeem says fixed frameworks let engineers focus on business value instead of tooling.
Two Engineer Archetypes Drive Balance
- Two complementary engineer archetypes power AFAS: deep craft specialists and product-focused builders.
- Michiel Overeem assigns craft engineers to infrastructure and product engineers to customer-facing teams.
Feeling Responsible Trumps Formal Ownership
- Even without full end-to-end ownership, proximity to customers creates a felt responsibility that drives results.
- Teams at AFAS hunt down stakeholders and push solutions forward because they feel accountable.