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.
Continue reading Importance of Building Internal ToolsWhy a Process is Important
A Software Development Perspective
A process is important as it creates an expectation of an outcome. Outcomes can measure a process and result in different ways making the process essential to follow. Without a strategy, we will not confidently be able to measure. Without measurement, we will not know we are doing something correctly.
Continue reading Why a Process is ImportantAbout Andrew Pallant
I am the Director of Research and Development ( R&D or Engineering ) at Doxim. My team creates FinTech solutions for Loan Origination and CRM. I have six teams comprising of about 43 developers worldwide, and we are all remote. I have some people in India and others in London, Ontario. I still code and architect solutions. I am just one person in the team with a slightly different role than the rest ( we are all important ).
Continue reading About Andrew PallantMy 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.
Continue reading My Favourite ToolNew Year is a Time to Have a Retrospective
New Year is a time to reflect on the passing year. If you are like me; you will have experienced many changes and challenges throughout 2019. I like to take time every January to reflect on the passing year and make goals and challenges for myself. One way to reflect is by using the retrospective idea used in agile software development processes. Continue reading New Year is a Time to Have a Retrospective
Pause for a Commercial Break
Hey everyone. Life has been a little busy lately.
I have every intention to start blogging again soon.
If you have questions about where I have been, it means you probably do not know me well ( and that is ok ).
I can be found on Twitter and LinkedIn if you want to connect.
Look for some changes soon and new blog content.
Kind Regards
Andrew ( LdnDeveloper )
Podcasts I Follow
These are the Podcasts I follow and listen to most often. They range from business, design and general interests. They are not ranked in an particular order, but my favourite is James Altucher and Jordan Harbinger. I would challenge everyone to listen to one or both of these regularly. Continue reading Podcasts I Follow
Long Time – No Post
It has been a long time without a post. It is not because I did not want to, but I have been very busy converting applications from windows to web. SaaS is the new buzz word with many companies and has many pros and cons. The hardest is for the customers to give up control and trust the companies. I have gained a new understanding in why the resistance to change. Two of the biggest is privacy and the lack of ability to touch ones own data or even given up the security of their data to a 3rd party company.
Continue reading Long Time – No Post
7 Soft Skills That Senior Developers Should Have
Developers often ask what they need to do to make it to the level of a senior developer. They can gain all the programming skills in all the popular and new software frameworks, but they will not be anything more than just a developer. A Senior Developer needs to have some fundamental soft skills.
What are soft skills?
Soft skills are how you interact with people, tasks and projects where hard skills are the skills we learn at college, online tutorials or books ( “HOW TO DO” skills ). Soft skills are tough to achieve and are often part of a persons natural tendencies. Soft skills like hard skills can be learned, but not easily. Soft skills can get better through practice and time just like hard skills. An example of hard skills is carpentry. An example of soft sills is a skill that is transferable to any job like being a team player.
Continue reading 7 Soft Skills That Senior Developers Should Have
Developer Engagement
I was throwing ideas around in how to increase our developer engagement. I was also thinking of a way to give our product development a little boost. I love the developers that I work with and would like to support their passions and boost their care for their jobs.
One idea I had was to take a day or two a month and let developers work on a pet project. The only caveat was that the pet project had to be related to the company somehow. Continue reading Developer Engagement