<ul data-eligibleForWebStory="true">The article discusses the art of saying no in technical decision-making.Premature optimization can waste time and complicate architecture.Example of a junior engineer proposing unnecessary changes that were avoided through a more efficient solution.Saying no helps in clarifying trade-offs between product goals and technical constraints.Importance of protecting the codebase, team's sanity, and user experience through thoughtful decision-making.Providing tactical advice on making high-leverage decisions and resisting over-engineering.Illustration on using data-driven reasoning to support decisions and gain trust.Highlighting the shift in engineering focus towards making good decisions rather than just technical knowledge.