Developers do more than code
People who define the role of the developer as “someone who writes code” may be surprised to learn that developers do much more than write code. Those of us who have lived the role know otherwise. So ...
Posts in work
DevOps and better ways of working, issue 16 of Beyond Writing Code
What is DevOps really about? Better ways of working together.
Developer's checklists
Posted just now about writer’s checklists – so let’s post about the developer’s checklists here too! As a developer, I maintained a checklist of troubleshooting tips. I would have conversations like t...
Job seekers beware of scams
Beware of the scams targeting job seekers. I’d say “it’s a new low” for scammers to target people who are looking for work, but no, unfortunately… the scammers seem to reside at those depths. Scammers...
Not getting started guarantees failure
I feel like an engine that won’t “catch.” You know what guarantees that I will fail at something? Not starting it.
Deliberately wrong estimates, issue 10 of Beyond Writing Code
Why would a developer deliberately provide an estimate they knew to be wrong?
When you ask for help, issue 7 of Beyond Writing Code
Understanding emotions as clues when asking for help, and the importance of emotional regulation.
Interview with an AI
Another post about AI? I just made one earlier this afternooooon… But then Forrest Brazeal posted this, which got me thinking: If we treat AI like a junior developer, do we interview AI the way we int...
How can I help?
My first full time job after college was as an administrative assistant at a health insurance company. I did a lot of what you might expect: directing incoming phone calls, keeping our office supply c...
Choosing a mentor (updated)
I’m happiest in a job when I’m learning from someone who knows more than I do. Last year \[this post is originally from August, 2023\], I started a new role on a team of engineers who all know boatloa...
Have you been giving your employer money?
I suspect most people would not spontaneously and voluntarily give back part of their salary to their employer. I don’t mean donating to a cause, or chipping in for board games to play at lunch. I mea...
The dangers of "who" and "why": post-incident reviews
Five valuable lessons, including one that really threw me for a loop when I read it.
Why people do what they do
I’m a huge fan of the Enterprise Technology Leadership Summit. Disney’s Jason Cox is a fine speaker and storyteller, and my favorite Disney character. His presentation on Creating Digital Magic gave m...
Boredom is an interesting thing
Okay, you’ve put off that dreaded task long enough. Finally, you get to work, but the time just drags on. You’d like to get it over with, but it’s just so… boring. Yes, it’s true that we all have work...
33 Things You Don’t Need on Your Desk
Friends, writing on Medium (and getting photos from Unsplash) taught me that I’ve been doing it all wrong. Back in 2021 \[…pause here while I yet again grapple with the fact that it’s not still 2020, ...
Naming things, in spades
Naming things is hard. One of the hardest things in computer science, as the saying goes. I once spent a full day trying to find the perfect name. Does that seem excessive? Well, consider these factor...
Why Everyone Else Knows More Than You Do, and What To Do About It
The developers you work with know stuff that you don’t, and you know stuff that they don’t. Obvious, right? So why does it seem like everyone else knows more, and you’ll never catch up? Why does it se...
Recognize your wall
I’m not saying it’s time to go stare at the wall. Well, maybe I am. Maybe you’ve been firefighting most of the day, one urgent situation after another popping up like ads on top of a recipe blog. Perh...
Something's gotta give
You’ve already got a full schedule when the boss asks you to take on a special project. Or maybe an urgent issue just jumped up above everything else you were planning to do this week. Or you’ve got m...