Hack your workday to maximize learning/ It's Bigger on the Inside: Creating Learning Opportunities

In an industry where Github is your resume and you're required to know the latest tools and technologies, finding the time to learn can be difficult when balancing responsibilities outside of work. Much of the advice on learning and staying sharp within the industry depends on the availability of an abundance of time which is not a privilege many have. But learning keeps us interested, engaged and at the top of our game. Discover actionable tools, tips, and strategies to maximize the amount of learning you can accomplish within the confines of the work day. Learn how to make the most of the time while still accomplishing your daily responsibilities to advance yourself and your career as a developer.

Presented at MagmaConf 2017 and Ship It 2017

Transcript

1. It’s Bigger on the Inside:
   Creating Learning Opportunities
   Allison McMillan
   @allie_p
   

   View Slide

2. View Slide

3. View Slide

4. View Slide

5. View Slide

6. View Slide

7. View Slide

8. wocintechchat.com
   

   View Slide

9. View Slide

10. View Slide

11. View Slide

12. View Slide

13. View Slide

14. View Slide

15. View Slide

16. View Slide

17. View Slide

18. View Slide

19. View Slide

20. View Slide

21. View Slide

22. View Slide

23. View Slide

24. View Slide

25. View Slide

26. Question Time
    

    View Slide

27. Question 1:
    You are helping someone who wants to go to
    your airport, the center of town or railway
    station. You would:
    a. go with them.
    b. tell them the directions.
    c. write down the directions.
    d. draw, or show them a map, or give them a
    map.
    

    View Slide

28. Question 2:
    A website has a video showing how to make a
    special graph. There is a person speaking, some
    lists and words describing what to do and some
    diagrams. You would learn most from:
    a. seeing the diagrams.
    b. listening.
    c. reading the words.
    d. watching the actions.
    

    View Slide

29. Question 3:
    You are planning a vacation for a group. You
    want some feedback from them about the
    plan. You would:
    a. describe some of the highlights they will
    experience.
    b. use a map to show them the places.
    c. give them a copy of the printed itinerary.
    d. phone, text or email them.
    

    View Slide

30. Question 4:
    You are going to cook something as a special
    treat. You would:
    a. cook something you know without the
    need for instructions.
    b. ask friends for suggestions.
    c. look on the Internet or in some
    cookbooks for ideas from the pictures.
    d. use a good recipe.
    

    View Slide

31. Question 5:
    A group of tourists want to learn about the parks
    or wildlife reserves in your area. You would:
    a. talk about, or arrange a talk for them about
    parks or wildlife reserves.
    b. show them maps and internet pictures.
    c. take them to a park or wildlife reserve and
    walk with them.
    d. give them a book or pamphlets about the
    parks or wildlife reserves
    

    View Slide

32. Question 6:
    You are about to purchase a digital camera or
    mobile phone. Other than price, what would
    most influence your decision?
    a. Trying or testing it.
    b. Reading the details or checking its features
    online.
    c. It is a modern design and looks good.
    d. The salesperson telling me about its features.
    

    View Slide

33. Question 7:
    Remember a time when you learned how to do
    something new. Avoid choosing a physical skill,
    eg. riding a bike. You learned best by:
    a. watching a demonstration.
    b. listening to somebody explaining it and
    asking questions.
    c. diagrams, maps, and charts - visual clues.
    d. written instructions – e.g. a manual or book.
    

    View Slide

34. Question 8:
    You have a problem with your heart. You
    would prefer that the doctor:
    a. gave you something to read to explain what
    was wrong.
    b. used a plastic model to show what was
    wrong.
    c. described what was wrong.
    d. showed you a diagram of what was wrong.
    

    View Slide

35. Question 9:
    You want to learn a new program, skill or game
    on a computer. You would:
    a. read the written instructions that came with
    the program.
    b. talk with people who know about the
    program.
    c. use the computer controls or keyboard.
    d. follow the diagrams in the book that came
    with it.
    

    View Slide

36. Question 10:
    I like websites that have:
    a. things I can click on, shift or try.
    b. interesting design and visual features.
    c. interesting written descriptions, lists and
    explanations.
    d. audio channels where I can hear music,
    radio programs or interviews.
    

    View Slide

37. http://vark-learn.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/The-VARK-Questionnaire.pdf
    

    View Slide

38. View Slide

39. View Slide

40. View Slide

41. View Slide

42. Tailor strategies to
    how you learn
    

    View Slide

43. Action Accountability Incorporate Assess Reflect
    Goals
    Steps
    1. Goals
    

    View Slide

44. Action Accountability Incorporate Assess Reflect
    Goals
    

    View Slide

45. SMART
    Specific
    Measurable
    Attainable
    Realistic
    Time-constrained
    Action Accountability Incorporate Assess Reflect
    Goals
    

    View Slide

46. Lines of Code
    Features Completed
    Action Accountability Incorporate Assess Reflect
    Goals
    

    View Slide

47. Action Accountability Incorporate Assess Reflect
    Goals
    

    View Slide

48. Action Accountability Incorporate Assess Reflect
    Goals
    

    View Slide

49. Action Accountability Incorporate Assess Reflect
    Goals
    

    View Slide

50. • Learn to put search functionality into the user
    homepage
    • Feel more comfortable with defining my
    abilities
    • Commit something to OSS
    • Build something using JavaScript
    Bad Goals
    Action Accountability Incorporate Assess Reflect
    Goals
    

    View Slide

51. • Write a useful script
    • Continue to improve in testing and learn more about testing
    concepts like stubbing, mocking, and message chains
    • Understand the basics of relational data modeling and
    relational data
    • Become more of a go-to person for pairing and getting
    unstuck
    Better Goals
    Action Accountability Incorporate Assess Reflect
    Goals
    

    View Slide

52. Goals Accountability Incorporate Assess Reflect
    Action
    1. Goals
    2. Actions
    Steps
    

    View Slide

53. A goal without a plan
    is just a wish
    -Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
    Goals Accountability Incorporate Assess Reflect
    Action
    

    View Slide

54. How will I know if I’m making progress?
    What are the smaller things that need to be learned or
    done in order to accomplish this goal?
    What is my plan for breaking this goal down into
    smaller parts in order to accomplish the goal one step
    at a time?
    Goals Accountability Incorporate Assess Reflect
    Action
    

    View Slide

55. Goals Accountability Incorporate Assess Reflect
    Action
    

    View Slide

56. Learn 4 testing frameworks
    Continue to improve in testing and learn more
    about testing concepts like stubbing, mocking,
    and message chains
    Read a blog post about
    mocking
    Bad Action Steps
    Goals Accountability Incorporate Assess Reflect
    Action
    

    View Slide

57. Become more of a go-to person for pairing and
    getting unstuck
    Ask everyone all the time if
    they have questions
    Try to drive all the time
    Bad Action Steps
    Goals Accountability Incorporate Assess Reflect
    Action
    

    View Slide

58. Continue to improve in testing and learn more about testing
    concepts like stubbing, mocking, and message chains
    Become more of a go-to person for pairing and getting unstuck
    Find scenarios that require complex testing concepts
    Do test set-ups from scratch
    Pair with interns and let them ask questions
    Determine what areas are good for me to be a
    go to person
    Better Action Steps
    Goals Accountability Incorporate Assess Reflect
    Action
    

    View Slide

59. Continue to improve in testing and learn more
    about testing concepts like stubbing, mocking,
    and message chains
    2. Find scenarios that require
    complex testing concepts
    1. Do test set-ups from scratch
    Better Action Steps
    Goals Accountability Incorporate Assess Reflect
    Action
    

    View Slide

60. Goals Action Incorporate Assess Reflect
    Accountability
    1. Goals
    2. Actions
    3. Accountability
    Steps
    

    View Slide

61. Goals Action Incorporate Assess Reflect
    Accountability
    

    View Slide

62. Goals Action Incorporate Assess Reflect
    Accountability
    

    View Slide

63. Goals Action Accountability Assess Reflect
    Incorporate
    1. Goals
    2. Actions
    3. Accountability
    4. Incorporate
    Steps
    

    View Slide

64. Goals Action Accountability Assess Reflect
    Incorporate
    

    View Slide

65. Pick up the story
    most related to your
    learning goal(s)
    Goals Action Accountability Assess Reflect
    Incorporate
    

    View Slide

66. If you can’t:
    Ask to pair with whomever does
    Goals Action Accountability Assess Reflect
    Incorporate
    

    View Slide

67. If you can’t:
    Ask to pair with whomever does
    Code review the pull request
    Goals Action Accountability Assess Reflect
    Incorporate
    

    View Slide

68. Incorporate your goal
    into the tickets you
    DO pick up creatively
    Goals Action Accountability Assess Reflect
    Incorporate
    

    View Slide

69. Do tests exist?
    What do you think of them?
    How do the tests relate to the methods being tested?
    Look at a similar file to compare and contrast
    Goal: Continue to improve in testing and learn
    more about testing concepts like stubbing,
    mocking, and message chains
    Goals Action Accountability Assess Reflect
    Incorporate
    

    View Slide

70. Test Drive the ticket
    Add tests after
    OR
    Goal: Continue to improve in testing and learn
    more about testing concepts like stubbing,
    mocking, and message chains
    Goals Action Accountability Assess Reflect
    Incorporate
    

    View Slide

71. Ask specific questions on your pr to make it
    easy to get feedback
    Goal: Continue to improve in testing and learn
    more about testing concepts like stubbing,
    mocking, and message chains
    Test Drive the ticket
    Add tests after
    OR
    Goals Action Accountability Assess Reflect
    Incorporate
    

    View Slide

72. Goals Action Accountability Assess Reflect
    Incorporate
    

    View Slide

73. Goals Action Accountability Assess Reflect
    Incorporate
    

    View Slide

74. Goals Action Accountability Assess Reflect
    Incorporate
    

    View Slide

75. Goals Action Accountability Incorporate Reflect
    Assess
    1. Goals
    2. Actions
    3. Accountability
    4. Incorporate
    5. Assess
    Steps
    

    View Slide

76. Goals Action Accountability Incorporate Reflect
    Assess
    

    View Slide

77. Leverage meetings
    Goals Action Accountability Incorporate Reflect
    Assess
    

    View Slide

78. Sprints
    What did you learn over the past sprint?
    What do you want to try to read more about?
    Goals Action Accountability Incorporate Reflect
    Assess
    

    View Slide

79. Goals Action Accountability Incorporate Reflect
    Assess
    

    View Slide

80. Goals Action Accountability Incorporate Reflect
    Assess
    

    View Slide

81. Goals Action Accountability Incorporate Reflect
    Assess
    

    View Slide

82. Retrospectives
    Make your own additional retro
    Liked, Learned, Lacked
    Goals Action Accountability Incorporate Reflect
    Assess
    

    View Slide

83. Goals Action Accountability Incorporate Reflect
    Assess
    

    View Slide

84. Goals Action Accountability Incorporate Reflect
    Assess
    

    View Slide

85. Goals Action Accountability Incorporate Reflect
    Assess
    

    View Slide

86. Goals Action Accountability Incorporate Assess Reflect
    1. Goals
    2. Actions
    3. Accountability
    4. Incorporate
    5. Assess
    6. Reflect
    Steps
    

    View Slide

87. Goals Action Accountability Incorporate Assess Reflect
    

    View Slide

88. Goals Action Accountability Incorporate Assess Reflect
    

    View Slide

89. Goals Action Accountability Incorporate Assess Reflect
    

    View Slide

90. View Slide

91. View Slide

92. View Slide

93. Thank you!
    

    View Slide

94. @allie_p
    allison.p.mcmillan@gmail.com
    www.collectiveidea.com
    www.daydreamsinruby.com
    

    View Slide