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Be a Better Developer (no code required) (Arrrr...

Katherine Wu
October 02, 2014

Be a Better Developer (no code required) (ArrrrCamp)

Similar to my "How to be a Better Junior Developer" talk, with some new content, including incorporating my "Ask vs. Guess Cultures" talk.

Abstract:
Most developers focus on increasing their technical knowledge. However, there are many aspects to working as a professional developer besides coding proficiency. If you have interests or experience in other fields, you can pull in even those non-technical skills (like building relationships, project management) and immediately increase your impact on a project or team. When you mentor someone, you can help them play to their strengths and ramp up more quickly as a result.

Presented at ArrrrCamp 2014 in Belgium, ~30 minutes: http://youtu.be/u-LS1hMdSg4
Blog post: http://kwugirl.blogspot.com/2014/11/be-better-developer-no-code-required.html

Katherine Wu

October 02, 2014
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  1. Better relationships! 1. Get people to want to help you

    2. Make your team look good 3. Recognize Ask vs. Guess Cultures Better communication! 1. Make it easy for people to help you 2. Ask good questions 3. Give good feedback next: better relationships, step 1 @kwugirl Where We Are
  2. @kwugirl better relationships > get people to help you >

    get to know people the support team https://flic.kr/p/57gjkS
  3. @kwugirl “If you’re busy, who else could I talk to

    about this?” better relationships > get people to help you > show your work
  4. @kwugirl “Is there somewhere I could’ve found this answer on

    my own?” better relationships > get people to help you > show your work
  5. @kwugirl better relationships > get people to help you >

    show your work push out and extend https://flic.kr/p/86nc96
  6. Better relationships! 1. Get people to want to help you

    2. Make your team look good 3. Recognize Ask vs. Guess Cultures Better communication! 1. Make it easy for people to help you 2. Ask good questions 3. Give good feedback next: better relationships, step 2 @kwugirl Where We Are
  7. @kwugirl before: “We changed email reports to be sent at

    1am local time.” better relationships > make your team look good > status updates
  8. @kwugirl after: “We changed email reports to be sent at

    1am local time, allowing customers to receive data in the correct local time window.” better relationships > make your team look good > status updates
  9. Better relationships! 1. Get people to want to help you

    2. Make your team look good 3. Recognize Ask vs. Guess Cultures Better communication! 1. Make it easy for people to help you 2. Ask good questions 3. Give good feedback @kwugirl next: better relationships, step 3 Where We Are
  10. @kwugirl better relationships > ask vs. guess cultures You Jamie

    Taylor Ugh, this puts me in a difficult position.
  11. @kwugirl “I’ll just tell them no.” better relationships > ask

    vs. guess cultures “Ugh, this puts me in a difficult position.” Ask Culture Guess Culture
  12. @kwugirl it’s OK to ask for anything + you’re OK

    getting ‘no’ for an answer better relationships > ask vs. guess cultures > background ASK
  13. @kwugirl avoid asking unless the answer will be yes better

    relationships > ask vs. guess cultures > background GUESS
  14. @kwugirl “The Seattle No” better relationships > ask vs. guess

    cultures > examples https://medium.com/lessons-learned/the-seattle-no-177091f864a4
  15. @kwugirl Hey, I’m going to this party, do you want

    to come? better relationships > ask vs. guess cultures > examples > Seattle No
  16. @kwugirl better relationships > ask vs. guess cultures > examples

    > Seattle No Hmm that sounds interesting, I’ll have to check.
  17. @kwugirl Oh yeah, maybe… better relationships > ask vs. guess

    cultures > examples > Seattle No + don’t hear from them again about it
  18. @kwugirl better relationships > ask vs. guess cultures > examples

    > so much food Me: “Hmm, I don’t have time to make 
 lunch for next week.”
  19. @kwugirl better relationships > ask vs. guess cultures > examples

    > so much food Me: “Hmm, I don’t have time to make 
 lunch for next week.” Dan hears
  20. @kwugirl better relationships > ask vs. guess cultures > examples

    > so much food Me: “Hmm, I don’t have time to make 
 lunch for next week.” “Could you make extra meals so I have lunch for the week?” Dan hears
  21. @kwugirl better relationships > ask vs. guess cultures > examples

    > so much food Dan: “I’m going to cook 2 meals this 
 weekend.”
  22. @kwugirl better relationships > ask vs. guess cultures > examples

    > so much food Dan: “I’m going to cook 2 meals this 
 weekend.” I think
  23. @kwugirl better relationships > ask vs. guess cultures > examples

    > so much food Dan: “I’m going to cook 2 meals this 
 weekend.” “That’s so weird, Dan’s planning to make an extra meal this weekend, but ok.” I think
  24. @kwugirl better relationships > ask vs. guess cultures > examples

    > so much food Dan: “I’m going to cook 2 meals this 
 weekend.” “That’s so weird, Dan’s planning to make an extra meal this weekend, but ok.” I think What I did not say: “Oh, you don’t 
 " " " " " " have to do that.”
  25. @kwugirl better relationships > ask vs. guess cultures > examples

    > so much food End Result Me “Why do we have so much food in the fridge??” Dan
  26. @kwugirl better relationships > ask vs. guess cultures > examples

    > so much food End Result Me “Why do we have so much food in the fridge??” Dan “I’m such a
 ..good husband.”
  27. @kwugirl Ask Culture better relationships > ask vs. guess cultures

    > pros/cons Prioritizes efficiency No ambiguity
  28. @kwugirl Ask Culture better relationships > ask vs. guess cultures

    > pros/cons Prioritizes efficiency No ambiguity Gets what you want
 (in the short-term)
  29. @kwugirl Ask Culture better relationships > ask vs. guess cultures

    > pros/cons More open conflict Prioritizes efficiency No ambiguity Gets what you want
 (in the short-term)
  30. @kwugirl Ask Culture better relationships > ask vs. guess cultures

    > pros/cons More open conflict Can make people feel uncomfortable Prioritizes efficiency No ambiguity Gets what you want
 (in the short-term)
  31. @kwugirl Guess Culture better relationships > ask vs. guess cultures

    > pros/cons Prioritizes not 
 hurting feelings
  32. @kwugirl Guess Culture better relationships > ask vs. guess cultures

    > pros/cons Prioritizes not 
 hurting feelings More polite
  33. @kwugirl Guess Culture better relationships > ask vs. guess cultures

    > pros/cons Hard if you’re bad at 
 reading social cues Prioritizes not 
 hurting feelings More polite
  34. @kwugirl Guess Culture better relationships > ask vs. guess cultures

    > pros/cons Hard if you’re bad at 
 reading social cues Can feel like no one is listening to you Prioritizes not 
 hurting feelings More polite
  35. @kwugirl If you’re from Ask Culture… better relationships > ask

    vs. guess cultures > strategies Make a Guess Culture close friend
  36. @kwugirl If you’re from Ask Culture… better relationships > ask

    vs. guess cultures > strategies Make a Guess Culture close friend Listen more closely
  37. @kwugirl If you’re from Ask Culture… better relationships > ask

    vs. guess cultures > strategies Make a Guess Culture close friend Listen more closely Apologize if you realize >1 interpretation
  38. @kwugirl If you’re from Guess Culture… better relationships > ask

    vs. guess cultures > strategies Remember that people might be 
 unaware of “the rules”
  39. @kwugirl If you’re from Guess Culture… better relationships > ask

    vs. guess cultures > strategies Remember that people might be 
 unaware of “the rules” Resist the urge to “soften” a “No”
  40. @kwugirl “Hey, I have a request, 
 but it’s totally

    cool 
 if you want to say no.” better relationships > ask vs. guess cultures > strategies
  41. @kwugirl Better Relationships 1. Get people to want to help

    you 2. Make your team look good 3. Recognize Ask vs. Guess Cultures next: better communication
  42. @kwugirl “You had me up until ______.” better communication >

    make it easy > articulate why you’re confused
  43. @kwugirl “I’m confused, because I thought you said a==b, and

    b==c, but here… a!=c ?” better communication > make it easy > articulate why you’re confused
  44. @kwugirl “I am trying to ___, so that I can

    ___. I’m running into ___. I’ve looked at ___ & tried ___.” better communication > make it easy > articulate why you’re confused
  45. @kwugirl better communication > make it easy > articulate why

    you’re confused courage to say! “I don’t know”
  46. @kwugirl “Wait, I actually don’t even know what that word

    means.” better communication > make it easy > articulate why you’re confused
  47. Better relationships! 1. Get people to want to help you

    2. Make your team look good 3. Recognize Ask vs. Guess Cultures Better communication! 1. Make it easy for people to help you 2. Ask good questions 3. Give good feedback next: better communication, step 2 @kwugirl Where We Are
  48. @kwugirl “Is there a reason we’re doing it this way?”

    better communication > ask good questions
  49. Better relationships! 1. Get people to want to help you

    2. Make your team look good 3. Recognize Ask vs. Guess Cultures Better communication! 1. Make it easy for people to help you 2. Ask good questions 3. Give good feedback next: better communication, step 3 @kwugirl Where We Are
  50. @kwugirl Better Communication 1. Make it easy for people to

    help 2. Ask good questions 3. Give good feedback next: pitfalls to avoid
  51. @kwugirl Recommended Resources Team Geek: A Software Developer's Guide to

    Working Well with Others (http://amzn.to/1gyRzAH) The Up Side of Down: Why Failing Well Is the Key to Success
 (http://amzn.to/1kJC0vK) “How to Survive Your First Year as a Programmer” (http://bit.ly/1mSoyYI) “5 Undervalued Skills in Tech & Why You Should Master Them Anyway” (http://bit.ly/1hu796E) “Self-promotion for Game Developers” (http://bit.ly/1kdVsmH) “Becoming an Influencer” (http://bit.ly/1htNrlt) next: recap, Q&A
  52. Katherine Wu @kwugirl ! ! Software Engineer Better relationships! 1.

    Get people to want to 
 help you 2. Make your team look good 3. Recognize Ask vs. Guess Better communication! 1. Make it easy for people 
 to help you 2. Ask good questions 3. Give good feedback ?