All The Things I Did Wrong As A Developer

Website development isn’t easy. Over my 15 years of professional development I’ve failed. The most powerful lessons are learned through failure. Together we will relive the worst of the worst.

Transcript

1. AS A DEVELOPER ALL THE THINGS I DID WRONG
2. ASHEVILLE, NC ADAM SMITH - @ACODESMITH
3. FAILURE IS SIMPLY THE OPPORTUNITY TO BEGIN AGAIN, THIS TIME MORE INTELLIGENTLY. Henry Ford START PRESENTATION WITH INSPIRATIONAL QUOTE
5. TIMES HAVE CHANGED LET’S GET REAL
6. I’VE MADE A HUGE MISTAKE. Gob Bluth MODERN REALISTIC QUOTE ABOUT THE DAILY STRUGGLE TO BUILD SOFTWARE
8. EXPECTATION VS REALITY NAILED IT!
9. ESTIMATING UNDER
10. THIS IS THE LAST PRESENTATION, JUST KEEP IT TOGETHER CONFERENCE. ESTIMATION FAILS ▸ Hours to Complete a Project ▸ Business Makeover ▸ Investment in Research ▸ Neediness / Cluelessness of the client. ▸ Super-Programmer Burnout ▸ Personal Worth
12. ESTIMATED $500. GOT PAID $250.
13. TECHNOLOGY Failing Forward
14. <TABLE><TR><TD>WHY NOT USE A TABLE?</TD></TR></TABLE> TECHNOLOGY FAILS ▸ Not understanding how a technology works. #rtfm ▸ Not understanding why a technology exist. ▸ Relying too much on one technology. ▸ A new shiny toy! ▸ Relying too much on 
 stackoverflow.com
15. COMMUNICATION
16. CO-WORKERS COMMUNICATING WITH
17. COMMUNICATION FAILS ▸ No read me file. ▸ No comments in complex code. ▸ Brogrammer Syndrome. ▸ Only email or chat, never meet in person or video chat. ▸ Forgetting we are people. /** @returns bool|int|string|array|object|null **/
18. CLIENTS COMMUNICATING WITH
19. COMMUNICATION FAILS ▸ Over complicated jargon. ▸ Not taking the time to explain the solution or over explaining. ▸ Ignoring emails. ▸ No contract and explicit scope. ▸ Phased delivery and baby steps. ▸ Being afraid to say I don’t know. ▸ Forgetting they are people. I HAVEN’T HEARD FROM YOU IN WEEKS? ARE YOU STILL ABLE TO DELIVER MY SITE BY TOMORROW?
20. FAILING FORWARD DOESN’T ALWAYS WORK OUT.
21. SOMETIMES MISTAKES CAN BE AMAZING.
22. MOST OF THE TIME WE JUST END UP LOOKING DUMB.
23. I’M DUMB.
24. NO POT OF GOLD. NO HAPPY ENDINGS. SOMETIMES, WE JUST FAIL.
25. JUST BECAUSE YOU FAILED, DOESN’T MEAN YOU LEARNED.
26. SOMETIMES IT TAKES YEARS TO LEARN FROM YOUR MISTAKES.
27. EVERYONE HAS SOMETHING SPECIAL TO OFFER THE WORLD.
28. YES, YOU ARE FAILING, BUT YOU AREN’T THE ONLY ONE.
29. WE ALL FAIL 
 TOGETHER.