About

Welcome to Knight Shift! I'm Dr Claire Knight, CTO/VP Engineering with over 20 years of experience in technology. This space serves as my digital platform where I share insights on technical leadership, engineering management, and the strategic shifts that drive successful technology organizations.

As a full-stack native and cloud developer across many languages and technologies, I've evolved from hands-on development to leading engineering teams and driving organisational transformation. I'm known as "Dr Claire" to my ex-colleagues from Netlify, "krider2010" when I was at GitHub, and now "Claire" to my colleagues at Odin where I focus on building high-performing teams and scalable technology strategies.

The Knight Shift Philosophy

The name "Knight Shift" encompasses multiple meanings that reflect my approach to technology leadership:

  • Paradigm Shift: Creating fundamental changes in how teams think and operate. Autonomous product engineering teams are the future.
  • Shift Left: Moving testing, security, and quality earlier in the development process
  • Strategic Shift: Guiding organizations toward new technological directions. It's not 2002 anymore!
  • Cultural Shift: Transforming team dynamics and company culture for better outcomes
  • Technology Shift: Navigating transitions between tech stacks and platforms

What You'll Find Here

  • Technical Leadership: Vision, strategy, and architectural decision-making
  • Engineering Management: Building teams, culture, and sustainable practices
  • Technology Insights: Deep technical knowledge across multiple domains and platforms
  • Career Journey: Lessons learned from developer to executive leader
  • Industry Analysis: Strategic thoughts on engineering practices and technology trends

About the Handle

You'll find me as krider2010 across platforms — a handle I coined back in 1998, long before the year 2010 arrived. It combines "krider" from Knight Rider (because Quake wouldn't let me have a name of 12 characters!) and "2010" from Arthur C. Clarke's "2010: Odyssey Two," reflecting my longtime fascination with both sci-fi and technology themes. And because some person on the internet (how rude!) was already using krider I needed to add something!

My Journey

Over two decades in technology, I've worked across the full spectrum—from individual contributor to CTO/VP Engineering, from startups to enterprise scale. Though I am much more comfortable in orgs of under 500 people. I believe in continuous learning, strategic thinking, and the power of well-led engineering teams to create meaningful impact.

Consulting Services

I offer consulting services through Moggy Tech, helping organizations with technical leadership, engineering strategy, and team transformation. Whether you need guidance on scaling your engineering organization, implementing best practices, or navigating complex technical decisions, I bring decades of hands-on experience to help you succeed.

Let's Connect

I'd love to hear from you! Whether you have questions about something I've written, want to discuss a project, or just want to say hello, you can find me on the social platforms below.