Becoming Better Developers: A Retrospective on Season 21 of Our Developer Journey
Develpreneur: Become a Better Developer and Entrepreneur
Release Date: 06/20/2024
Coding Standards: Understanding Their Importance in Software Development
Develpreneur: Become a Better Developer and Entrepreneur
In the fast-paced world of software development, coding standards play a crucial role in ensuring that projects run smoothly and effectively. These guidelines help developers maintain code consistency and quality, leading to better collaboration and more efficient workflows. Our recent podcast episode discussed the significance of using coding standards on our developer journey. What Are Coding Standards? Coding standards are best practices and guidelines that dictate how code should be written and organized. They cover various aspects, including naming conventions, file...
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The Power of Clickable Demos in the Software Development Lifecycle
Develpreneur: Become a Better Developer and Entrepreneur
One of the most valuable tools you can utilize in the journey of becoming a better developer is the clickable demo. This episode of our developer series delves deep into the importance of prototypes, wireframes, and proof of concept demonstrations, especially in the critical phases of requirements and design. Let’s explore how clickable demos can bridge the gap between your vision and your customer’s expectations, ensuring that both parties are aligned before any significant code is written. What is a Clickable Demo, and Why Does It Matter? A clickable demo is a prototype that...
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Transform Your Projects: The Ultimate Guide to Effective User Stories
Develpreneur: Become a Better Developer and Entrepreneur
In this episode of the Building Better Developers podcast, the hosts delve into the critical role of effective user stories in software development. The discussion highlights how these stories serve as a powerful tool for conveying system requirements and improving both development and testing processes. What Are Effective User Stories? The podcast starts by addressing a common confusion: while many developers are familiar with the term “user story,” defining what constitutes an effective user story can be challenging. Effective user stories are concise narratives describing how...
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Unpacking 'Psychopaths' Scenarios and Tough Coding Challenge
Develpreneur: Become a Better Developer and Entrepreneur
In this episode, we delve deeper into the developer's journey, focusing on how to handle the toughest non-happy path scenarios—those we now refer to as "Psychopaths." These are the rare, unpredictable issues that disrupt normal workflows and often present the biggest challenges for developers. Let’s explore what "Psychopaths" are, why they matter, and how you can improve your skills to handle them effectively. What Are "Psychopaths" in Development? The term "Psychopaths" was coined in a conversation with a client (whom we’ll call Melissa). During a discussion about navigating...
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Building a Strong Developer Toolkit: Enhancing Skills and Productivity
Develpreneur: Become a Better Developer and Entrepreneur
In the fast-evolving world of software development, having a robust developer toolkit is essential for growth. This episode of our podcast dives deep into how developers can effectively build their toolkit, not just by learning new programming languages but by focusing on problem-solving techniques, productivity hacks, and leveraging automation tools like code generators. Let's explore the key takeaways. Why a Developer Toolkit Is More Than Just Coding Skills A developer’s growth isn't solely tied to learning a new language or framework. While mastering C, Java, Python, or Ruby can...
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Breaking Through Career Plateaus: Tips to Accelerate Your Growth as a Developer
Develpreneur: Become a Better Developer and Entrepreneur
In today’s episode, we’re diving deep into a topic many developers face but don’t always address: career plateaus. Whether you're a junior developer or a seasoned coder, hitting a plateau can feel frustrating. You're no longer learning at the same rapid pace, and the excitement of mastering new skills may have faded. But don’t worry; this episode explores how to break free from these plateaus and continue growing your software development career. Understanding Career Plateaus Career plateaus often happen after an initial period of rapid learning. When you first start coding...
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Supercharge Your Focus and Productivity: Expert Tips for Success
Develpreneur: Become a Better Developer and Entrepreneur
Maintaining focus and productivity is essential in today's fast-paced world, especially for high-intensity roles. In this podcast, Rob Broadhead and Michael Meloche of Develpreneur share their insights on mastering focus and productivity. Let’s dive into their expert advice on improving your workflow and achieving outstanding results. Tackling the Challenge of Focus and Productivity Rob and Michael start the discussion by addressing a common struggle: managing the overwhelming influx of tasks and information. They highlight that our brains aren’t designed to juggle multiple...
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Defining 'Done' in Agile: How to Stay on Track and Avoid Scope Creep
Develpreneur: Become a Better Developer and Entrepreneur
In a recent episode of the Developer Building Better Developers podcast, Rob Broadhead and Michael Meloche delve into the nuances of Agile development, with a particular focus on defining and achieving “done” within Agile frameworks. This discussion is critical for developers who aim to deliver functional software efficiently while avoiding common pitfalls like scope creep and burnout. Introduction: Why Defining 'Done' Matters in Agile In Agile project management, "done" is more than a checkbox. It's crucial for smooth project progress. A clear definition of "done" helps set...
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Mastering Scope Creep: Navigating the Hidden Challenges in Software Development
Develpreneur: Become a Better Developer and Entrepreneur
Welcome back to the Building Better Developers Podcast, where we continue to explore the developer journey—from novice to expert—focusing on practical skills and mindset shifts that turn good developers into great ones. In this episode, we dive deep into a critical topic that affects developers at every stage of their careers: scope creep, requirements management, and defining what it means to be “done.” Understanding Scope Creep Scope creep is a familiar challenge in software development. It occurs when the project’s scope expands beyond its original boundaries, often...
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Pivoting: How to Embrace Change and Fuel Your Professional Growth
Develpreneur: Become a Better Developer and Entrepreneur
In our latest podcast episode, we dive into the transformative power of pivoting in your career, particularly within the IT industry. Pivoting—making significant changes in your career direction or focus—is crucial for navigating the fast-paced tech world and achieving long-term success. The Art of Pivoting: A Personal Journey The episode starts with Rob sharing his journey through various pivoting phases. Beginning as a staff developer, he focused on coding, but his career took several turns. These pivots have significantly influenced his professional growth, from transitioning...
info_outlineIn the final episode of season 21, the Developer podcast hosts Michael and Rob reflect on the lessons they've learned about becoming better developers over the past few months.
Listen to Rob and Michael recap Season 21, Discussing Lessons Learned and Becoming Better Developers.
Here are some of the key takeaways on Becoming Better Developers:
Invest Time in Working ON Your Business, Not Just IN It
One of Rob's main realizations was that he spent too much time on client projects. He was not taking enough time to improve and market his consulting business. To address this, Rob instituted a weekly "business development" time. During this period, he would step away from client work and focus on branding, automation tools, marketing strategies, and other efforts. The goal was to grow his business, not just execute client projects.
Refocus and Redefine Your Brand
For Michael, the past season involved a lot of rebranding, soul-searching, and really defining who his core customer is and what services he wants to focus on providing. He pruned out the consulting work that didn't align with his new vision to build a more focused brand around his new Envision QA product line.
Get Organized
Along with redefining his brand, Michael had to get organized—going through old code repositories, archiving obsolete projects, and separating out components for his new products. This provided clarity on what assets were still relevant moving forward.
Keep Learning and Staying Current
Both Michael and Rob emphasized the importance of continuously learning and keeping your skills up-to-date in order to stay relevant and marketable. Michael cited examples of getting re-certified, learning new languages and frameworks, and studying emerging areas like cloud and AI.
Periodically Try Something New
Rob advised trying new things periodically. This could be a new programming language, new tools, or revisiting an old area you hadn't practiced recently. Trying new things helps keep you out of ruts. It can also reignite your passion for areas you drifted away from over the years.
Do What You Enjoy
A recurring theme was the importance of finding enjoyable work. The work should energize you rather than drain you. Rob said, "We are not serving ourselves, our customers, or our families if we're not doing stuff we enjoy." He added, "That's what we're going to do best." Doing work you enjoy was emphasized as crucial.
Reflect on Progress
The hosts recommended periodic reflection. Look back at where you were six months or a year ago. Appreciate the progress you've made. Evaluate areas with less progress. Refocus your efforts in those areas. Celebrate your wins. But don't settle for where you are now.
Get Feedback, Make Adjustments
Finally, they advocated proactively getting feedback - whether from a manager, customers, or just self-evaluating strengths and weaknesses. Use that feedback to make adjustments, invest in training to shore up weaknesses, and optimize your strengths. Consistently re-calibrating based on feedback is key.
A final thought on becoming better developers
The main message? Consistent self-reflection, redefining priorities, continuous learning, and aligning your work with your skills and passions are crucial to purposefully growing as a developer over the long run. With intentionality and wisdom, the journey to becoming better developers can be an ever-rewarding one.
Stay Connected: Join the Developreneur Community
We invite you to join our community and share your coding journey with us. Whether you’re a seasoned developer or just starting, there’s always room to learn and grow together. Contact us at [email protected] with your questions, feedback, or suggestions for future episodes. Together, let’s continue exploring the exciting world of software development.