- Acknowledge that Micro-decisions Matter It is true that this is a difficult part of learning to code, learning to name things appropriately and in advance so you don't have to go back into the HTML when you are styling in CSS.
- There were a couple I'd like to clump together. Learn Vim and Never Accept Freelance Work in Unfamiliar Technologies I liked the advice on upgrading tools as you progress, but keeping that outside freelance work. They resonated with me because of my experience in videography, but were not something I had intentionally thought about previously.
- Skip A Lot of Meetings resonated with me because it felt like a solid rule I could apply to maintain some balance in my work.
Reflection:
Making a checklist is really taking the time to walk through the steps and the complexities of a larger task that involve several steps in a process. It reminds me of the Top-Down Design and breaking down the larger task. A checklist can be grounding in a fast paced environment where often steps are missed and errors are made. I appreciate Gawande's mention that acknowledging everyone's name at the start of the project creates better teamwork because the acknowledged members of the team feel more comfortable communicating when an issue irises. I can relate. It takes me some time to get to know a group that I am working with before I feel comfortable chiming in. He also acknowledged that often the designated leaders of a team get the recognition over the team. The name acknowledgement and the list seemed to give recognition to the team by giving them a voice to mention an error when they recognized one. Most likely it gave the members validation and confidence in the corrections the spoke up about.
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What is your greatest strength and how do you know?
I like to puzzle for solutions and to see things from different angles. I love aha moments. The Pairin Survey confirms with my Top Thinking Style and my Highest Virtue class, but I know it because I have learned over the years how my mind and motivations work. -
How do you work best?
I work best when I am in a supportive environment where I am held accountable. This is why I chose Turing over some of the other options out there. I felt I needed the support Turning seems to offer over the others. -
What is your greatest area of improvement?
I am stubborn but open-minded. I will ask an annoying amount of questions and push back until an opposing view is presented in a convincing way, or until I have an aha moment. Though I am stubborn, I appreciate being shown a different angle or even being proven wrong. I love the realization when I finally see it differently because that is when/how I learn. This can be frustrating for other people working with me. I have been working on asking the questions to get me there without pushing back. The push back takes up too much space and does not aid in me hearing/seeing things differently. It is often my frustration with myself when I cannot see the reasoning clearly. -
How do you hope to maximize your strengths for your new career in software development?
The career I have chosen almost forces me to use my strength which is the love of constant learning. Software Development is an ever changing industry and there is always a new language or tool to learn about. Plenty of space for creativity, curiosity and exploration.
Nice job, @BrandyMello! I like your comparison between making a checklist and top-down design. No matter what the task is, it's helpful to divide it into smaller tasks to make it seem more achievable and to keep organized!