1) Useful plugins, technologies, tools, or resources for development. 2) New Platforms (hardware, app store, device) or policy (privacy) changes. 3) Inspiring projects, stories, or news. 4) Cool science, physics, math, or other explanations and stories.
TBH - most popular HN stories cause knee-jerk reactions but have little content.
Maybe a specific 'work' filter would prioritize links into these categories?