"12 Steps to being a Better Programmer" by Gregg Pollack from Code School gives a talk on the lessons they don't teach in programming class. Gregg talks on setting expectations, getting outside of your comfort zone, moving from independence to interdependence and understanding software development as a craft. Using examples from his own experience at his company Envy Labs, Gregg goes through these 12 steps very concisely sharing many anecdotes that offer a great perspective.

1. 12 Steps to be a Better Developer
(aside from the coding part)
Gregg Pollack
@GreggPollack

2. Code is not
Enough

3. “ technology alone is not enough”
- Steve Jobs

4. “ It is in Apple’s DNA that
technology alone is not enough
it’s technology married with liberal arts,
married with the humanities,
that yields the results that make
our heart sing.”
- Steve Jobs

10. “ technology alone is not enough”
- Steve Jobs

11. 12 principles

12. 1
SET EXPECTATION
even when you’re not asked to

13. Estimation is hard,
kinda like riding a bike

14. Why did your last project fail?

15. Client closer to Team

16. Client with the Team?

17. Short Feedback Cycles

18. Project Management Tools

19. Be mindful of your
engineering background
2

20. Listening to Ideas

21. Kills Collaboration

22. Often diagnosis sounds
like criticism

23. “In my wide association in life, meeting with many and great
people in various parts of the world, I have yet to find the person,
however great or exalted his station, who did not do better work
and put forth greater effort under a spirit of approval than he
would ever do under a spirit of criticism.”
~Charles Schwab

24. Beware of giving Diagnosis

25. “yes, and”

26. Give Attention

28. You might be shy

29. Be mindful of your
engineering background
2

30. 3
Software Development
is an art form

31. 3
Software Development
is an art form

32. 3
Software
Development
is a craft

33. "Craft means making useful objects with perhaps
decorative touches. Fine art means making things
purely for their beauty."
Richard Stallman

34. Beautiful Work

35. Beautiful Work

36. Insert Rant Here

37. Consulting
Is usually more challenging

38. Consulting takes
another set of skills

39. Scratching your own
itch is easy.
(see all the PM tools)

40. Want a challenge?
Scratch someone else’s itch.

43. 3
Software
Development
is a craft

44. 4
Learn how to delegate
and improve the system

47. Project Managers

48. Scheduling Meetings
Writing expectations
Invoicing
Organization

49. Can you think of things
you can delegate

50. Just because you CAN
do something doesn’t
mean you should!!!

51. Do the math

53. 80 people
average 1 cup a day
15 minutes wasted

54. 80 people
average 1 cup a day
15 minutes wasted
= 1200 minutes = 20 hours

55. Do the math

56. But I’m not running my own business!

58. If someone does a task
better than you

59. First Independence,
Then Interdependence

60. 4
Learn how to delegate
and improve the system

61. Continue to learn
5
inside and outside your company

62. INSIDE

63. Internal Presentations

67. Screencasts!

68. Retrospectives

69. OUTSIDE

71. http://ruby5.envylabs.com

76. 6
Stay out of your
comfort zone

77. Your Task List

78. The Difficult Tasks
= More Learning

79. But naturally we
gravitate towards
the easy

80. Example = Email Trap

81. Want to learn the most
while you work?

82. 6
Stay out of your
comfort zone

83. 7
Make friends
and build relationships

84. “Individuals and interactions
over
processes and tools”
-Agile Manifesto

85. More friendships = happiness

86. More friendships = happiness
happiness = better work

87. How much time do you
spend at work nurturing
friendships?

88. One way you can make everyone around you better:
Become a better friend.

89. One way you can make the Ruby community better:
Make more friends

90. People love talking about
themselves

91. Set a goal for yourself.
Try to meet 5 new people.

92. 7
Make friends
and build relationships

93. don’t be afraid to
ASK FOR HELP
8

94. 2
hours
es)mate

95. 4
hours
2
hours
es)mate

96. 8
hours
2
hours
es)mate

97. What would have happened if
you asked for help?

98. Is it better to fail after 2 hours,
or fail after 8 hours?

99. It’s natural

101. Kerplakistan

102. Kerplakistan

103. Kerplakistan

104. Kerplakistan

105. Kerplakistan

106. Kerplakistan

107. Kerplakistan

108. It’s human nature

109. Give yourself 30 Mins

110. If something is taking too much
time, you’re probably doing it wrong

111. Who do you ask?

112. Preempt the problem

113. 9
Learn to eliminate distractions
and get in the zone

114. It is not natural to be
productive 100% of the time

115. Optimally.....
20% Fun
80% Productive

116. Turn off
communication

117. Asynchronous
Communication

118. Alternative workspaces

121. 9
Learn to eliminate distractions
and get in the zone

122. 10
the most COMPLEX solution
is rarely the BEST solution

123. communicate better than
everyone else
11

124. “Creating quality software is x% code
and y% communication where
y is greater then x.”
~Carlos Souza

126. HIRE GREAT WRITERS

127. HIRE GREAT WRITERS
Clear writing is a sign of clear thinking.

128. How do you communicate more
effectively?

129. Leverage the right PM tool

130. Force yourself to communicate

131. Be more effective with
Skitch and Jing
Mon
osna
p

132. Communicate through images
and video. Not words.

133. communicate better than
everyone else
11

134. understand what will
12
bring you happiness

135. People aren’t usually good at choosing
what will make them happy

136. It’s not money

137. It’s not fame

138. It’s not fame

139. It’s not ONLY code

140. “ technology alone is not enough”
- Steve Jobs

141. Doing meaningful work

142. 1
SET EXPECTATION
even when you’re not asked to

143. Be mindful of your
engineering background
2

144. 3
Software
Development
is a craft

145. 4
Learn how to delegate
and improve the system

146. Continue to learn
5
inside and outside your company

147. 6
Stay out of your
comfort zone

148. 7
Make friends
and build relationships

149. don’t be afraid to
ASK FOR HELP
8

150. 9
Learn to eliminate distractions
and get in the zone

151. 10
the most COMPLEX solution
is rarely the BEST solution

152. communicate better than
everyone else
11

154. Each of these can create
more meaning in the work
that you do

155. understand what will
12
bring you happiness

156. Creative Commons
name
author
URL
Canon EFS 17-85mm
nickwheeleroz
http://www.flickr.com/photos/nickwheeleroz/2663377622
NEGATIVE APPROACH
ALL CHROME
http://www.flickr.com/photos/allchrome/5049275868
Kup,Kup & Chloé
Kup Kup Land
http://www.flickr.com/photos/13937854@N00/416735964
Disney - Partners at Dusk
Express Monorail
http://www.flickr.com/photos/23322134@N02/3108405260
Darkening Clockwork
matthelio
http://www.flickr.com/photos/matthileo/3552898254
afternoon perfection
janhamlet
http://www.flickr.com/photos/janhamlet1/4647870872/
friendship bracelets.
amanda.venner
http://www.flickr.com/photos/amandavenner/4939925977
SAF#2
Robby Ferarri
http://www.flickr.com/photos/roberto_ferrari/281640001
Meeting Table
mnadi
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mnadi/32325828
Money!
Tracy O
http://www.flickr.com/photos/37108241@N00/61056391
CareerTech Hall of Fame
okcareertech
http://www.flickr.com/photos/okcareertech/2234107433

157. Creative Commons
name
author
URL
diary
Calinago
http://www.flickr.com/photos/65691836@N00/221416101
BarCamp Vancouver
kk+
http://www.flickr.com/photos/49503002894@N01/230544325
The Grotto
Stuck in Customs
http://www.flickr.com/photos/95572727@N00/161483435
His Holiness Dagchen
Wonderlane
http://www.flickr.com/photos/71401718@N00/3242519210
poor walter
JKonig
http://www.flickr.com/photos/83156837@N00/470817175
Project Opus Launch
D’Arcy Norman
http://www.flickr.com/photos/51035644987@N01/398070036
Flickr Mints
Neal.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/31878512@N06/4704140020
Máquina de Rube Goldberg freshwater2006
http://www.flickr.com/photos/freshwater2006/693945631
Communist Unicorn
zoomar
http://www.flickr.com/photos/zoomar/141098807
Planet Express
gabrielsond
http://www.flickr.com/photos/41819939@N00/4665230659
Return Undefined
nyuhuhuu
http://www.flickr.com/photos/nyuhuhuu/4443886636/
Human Reproduction
Vinicius Teles
http://improveit.com.br

158. Presentation by:
@GreggPollack
Gregg@EnvyLabs.com
http://www.CodeSchool.com
Ruby5 Podcast
http://envylabs.com
http://ruby5.envylabs.com