Category: Creativity

The Role of Critical Thinking in Software Development

Introduction

Software development and innovation is moving faster than ever before, but there is a skill that developers, architects, and coders need adopt to stay competitive. This skill is Critical Thinking. In this article, we will confidently explore its importance and practical applications. The Critical Thinking skill will help you be a better developer, coder, problem solver, and valuable team member. Innovation should become more naturally when Critical Thinking is practiced and less gaps should be filled in the final product.

Let’s dig into it…

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Importance of Building Internal Tools

I recently sat through a few meetings where we described doing the same thing many times and in the same way. I was seeing a pattern that could be automated. Since seeing a pattern, I began to think about tools I could build that would replace these repetitive multiple step processes.

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My Favourite Tool

My favourite tool goes wherever I go. I keep it beside the bed, and it is the first thing I put in my suitcase or backpack. My favourite tool knows more about me than anything or anyone else. It carries my thoughts, my dreams, my annoyances and my happiness. My favourite tools never need to be charged. My favourite tool, my wife says I have too many of them.

My favourite tool is a notebook and a fountain pen.

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Have an Idea – Let Us Talk

Do you have an idea? Let us talk!

Many people have ideas for a website, blog, forum or new software to make their life and business processes better. Often, people do not know who to contact or how to go about getting their ideas accomplished. Sometimes, people are afraid that by telling someone their ideas, someone may steal the idea. Everyone needs someone to help them and to trust with their ideas.
Continue reading Have an Idea – Let Us Talk

Letter of Gratitude and Kudos to People Who Helped Me

Kevin Douglas, Wayne Thayer and Jas Romain all assisted me with designing the Breaking the ICE Conference website. This conference is about empowering
by breaking down the communication barriers and is a very good cause. I give kudos to these gentleman as they helped me with the design and the ideas. I have attached the letter of gratitude for all to read.

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Do Not Forget The Customers

New developers often design and develop what they believe is cool and cutting edge.  What is forgotten is how the customer or the user will think about the experience.  If the customer or user refuses to accept what you have built, you have just wasted time and money.  Potentially you are out of business. Continue reading Do Not Forget The Customers

Should Children be Taught Cursive Writing

Cursive writing is the linking of hand-written characters.  It is the penmanship that was taught to us in school after we learned to print.  Some will argue that it is an old irrelevant craft due to the modern us of technology; after all, when was the last time you received a hands-written letter in the mail?  It is a fact that we do not use hand written notes very often.  In meetings, I bring my iPad, accounting we use computers and letters received are either written on the computer and printed or sent by e-mail.   Continue reading Should Children be Taught Cursive Writing

What is Trending – Are you listening

Do you know what is trending today?   Do you know what is new?  Do you care?

As developers we live in a crazy world where technologies and ideas fly at the speed of light.  If you are not paying attention you will miss out on the new ideas.

Hash-tags, Twitter, blogs, LinkedIn and Facebook; these are some tools of the modern world and they can help define our chosen professions.  If you have not embraced these fore mentioned tools, you will miss out.  How are you keeping up?  Are you relying on your everyday work or are you digging into the realms of social media to see what is trending?  The printed press like magazines, journals and newspapers are not cutting any more because of the pace of change.  By the time you read it, it is history.

Social media is trending the new ideas, tools and techniques at a pace that is baffling.  If you are a developer and you have not embraced social media, you are probably missing out on a lot of great stuff.  Managers are now asking you in interviews; How you are learning new things and keeping in the know?  If you are not saying social media as a tool, you would be foolish.  It is great to ramble of magazine names and school courses, but most of what is learned there I consider as historical background knowledge; you need social media to enhance your knowledge.

Are you looking for the next great idea?

Here are some interesting trends to watch:

There are a million of trends happening every second of every day.  Pick one or two a day and watch.  If you find something interesting dig for it and dig deep.  LinkedIn also has groups that could help you define who you are, what you want to do and how to do it.    There is a lot happening and you will never know what will trigger your next big idea.   Once you have watched, participate and that is the ultimate way of learning what is new.

Creativity and Love Flows in London

London Ontario boasts creativity and cutting edge ideas with companies like rTraction, Voices.com, Echidna and many others.   These companies are bleeding edge when it comes to employee management, project management and their technologies and methodologies.   I have seen many good things come from these companies and believe London Ontario should be applauded for its support in the technology sector.

Between foosball, MeetUps, OpenData and the UnLab activities, these companies share a bond, that only the technology world can understand.   These companies together will put London Ontario on the same playing field with other technology centres of Ontario, Canada and the rest of the world.  Socially London tech companies are more advanced.  They see the trends and move with and ahead of them at a rapid pace.

I have also noticed a new trend of technology companies in London also getting actively involved social causes, like reforesting, helping homeless, helping students, garbage clean-up and much more.  These people and organizations love London, they love Ontario and they love Canada.  Even politics tend to be a centre point of beliefs and passions for employees and leaders of the tech community.

Now, I have mentioned the tech companies, but it is not without the employees, will these companies advance on to the world stage.  The employees are the heart and soul of the companies that support the leaders of these companies.  These employees are independently trying new ideas and concepts through the support of their employers. These people are truly amazing with their talents.  London has some of the best technology employees around.

Aaron McGowan, is another person to be watching who makes up our community.  Aaron is a champion for OpenData which is a moving trend with our local governments to share data with the development world.  He is full of passion to have more data open to everyone to use and develop software freely.

Applaud the tech community, join in the social movements and hug a geek today.   It is not without each other can we move forward to do even greater things.