Developer, Value Thyself

Programmers don't get enough respect - and it's our own fault. In this presentation, I talk about how to value your skills, your product, your business, your time, your health and yourself. Topics covered include accepting help, competing on vision instead of features, pricing for survival, firing your customers, and optimising your environment for creativity.

Transcript

1. Developer, Value Thyself Matt Gemmell mattgemmell.com @mattgemmell
2. Programmers don’t get enough respect.
4. We’re under-valued.
6. Whose fault is it?
8. It’s my fault.
10. Respect: Due regard for feelings, wishes, or rights.
11. Value your Skills
12. What are you really good at?
13. What do you really like doing?
14. Do you spend most of your time doing that stuff?
16. What am I good at? • Having ideas. • Making things easy to use. • Writing.
17. What am I bad at? • Programming. • Art. • (Sports.)
18. Stuff I’m Bad at Stuff I’m Good at
19. Programming UI design Server Web site Marketing Graphic design App Store Support Management The idea Debugging ? Documentation
20. Talent is an optimisation problem.
21. Accept help.
23. Skill is a specialist.
28. Wisdom is knowing your weaknesses.
29. Value your Product
32. Home Ultimate Super Professional Salt & Vinegar Syphilis Edition Stockholm Syndrome Fancy Widget HyperPro MegaPlus Gives you syphilis ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔
33. Complexity is disrespectful.
34. Compete on vision.
36. Be autocratic.
37. You can’t please everyone.
38. Don’t imitate.
40. Value your Business
41. Care.
43. Seek compulsion.
44. Fire your customers.
45. ˒ˑˑˑˑ
46. Breakages • Vision. • Implementation. • Customer.
47. You can’t be bad at the right job.
48. Fire your coworkers.
49. Price for survival.
50. €0,89 £0.69 $0.99 You deserve more.
52. Value your Time
54. Time is irreplaceable.
56. Manage your focus.
58. Optimise for creativity.
61. Value your Health
62. Move.
63. Eat.
67. Skive.
70. Sleep.
72. z Z Z • Have a bedtime. • Stop work 2 hours before. • Don’t skip sleep, ever.
73. Skipping sleep is cheating yourself.
74. Be future-proof.
75. Value Yourself
76. Self-respect.
77. Curate your life.
78. Love your work.
79. Happiness is a journey.
80. You’re amazing.
82. Thank you. Matt Gemmell mattgemmell.com @mattgemmell