develpreneur podcast
Posted on Podcast

Evaluating Vendors and Selecting Solutions – More Than an RFP

Even the lowliest of developers will come to a point where they are asked to look into a potential decision.  Their role may only be as an advisor.  However, evaluating vendors to some extent falls into our lap as a task to perform.  There are “big” approaches to these evaluation requests, but proper use of free tools can be as valuable. The Vendor Is as Important as The Tool A typical error in evaluating a tool is minimizing the vendor that created it.  Yes, tools are more than just the vendor.  However, an unstable vendor is more likely to build a questionable product than one that is a financial success.  Issues with the vendor often can be harbingers of hidden... Read more

learning a new language
Posted on Become a Better Developer

Stay Practical When Learning a New Language And Build Experience

One of my goals early on that I often attribute to my lengthy resume of development languages was to learn two new ones every year.  This achievement may seem like an unrealistic goal.  However, it is not as hard as it looks.  Learning a new language can take months, but it does not have to.  When you stick to the core language and practical applications, it can all be done along with your typical workload. The Beauty of Utilities The best way I have found to get to know a new language is to write an application with it.  Not necessarily a big, full-featured one, a utility can often be a great start.  Think about what most utility programs contain as... Read more

develpreneur podcast
Posted on Podcast

Logging Your Work – Best Practices in Learning From Mistakes and Reproducing Success

There are a broad range of reasons for logging or tacking the work we do.  In technology work, we have such a varied bunch of tasks we perform that this becomes a crucial habit for avoiding re-inventing the wheel.  At a high level, logging your work is a good habit.  Thus, let’s look at the ways this can be a benefit that more than pays for the time spent. Trial and Error There are times that we fall into the trial-and-error approach to solving problems.  We know that this is not the best practice.  However, sometimes the brute force approach is the only one we can think of.  These times are the ones where logging your work is critical to a... Read more

develpreneur podcast
Posted on Podcast

Thinking Big – When The End Overwhelms The Means

Hope is a critical factor in a happy life and, in my opinion, that includes thinking big.  The challenge is in remembering that any goal we set is a journey, not a “beam me up, Scotty” teleportation to that end.  This can crush our hopes if we see that goal as too big to get to from here.  Do not throw out your goals for being too big.  Find a waypoint (or several) to help you avoid being overwhelmed. Can’t Get There From Here There are cliches shown at times where someone is lost and asks for directions.  The first answer is that the destination is not reachable from the current location.  Technically, that is impossible, but a very similar... Read more

develpreneur podcast
Posted on Podcast

Recording Users and Heat Maps

One of the most influential ways to improve your site is through recording users.  When I say record, this is not just noting where they clicked.  This is a recording that allows you to see the site as they do and watch as they navigate around.  It is data that can be viewed on a per visit basis or aggregated to produce a heat map of common destinations. Tools Aplenty The good news for us modern developers is that there are several tools available to perform this task.  They make it easy and affordable.  A few that are mentioned and reviewed include: Hotjar CrazyEgg LuckyOrange MouseFlow Honestly, each of these tools has its target market and price range that make... Read more

Service provider
Posted on Become a Better Developer

3 Ways to Become a Service Provider as a Side Hustle or Full-time Job

In my experience, a service provider is the best way to start a business.  The ramp-up is short.  There is also the benefit that providing a service is an excellent way to do market research on a product.  Some of the best product ideas I have come across grew out of lessons learned while providing a service. For example, one of the first products I worked on was a library of tools that consultants put together as part of their daily work for clients.  Those tools just needed some organization and refinement to turn them into a product.  The market demand was already confirmed as these tools were solutions to everyday business problems faced in the field. Service Provider Options Here... Read more