Estimation Essentials: How to Nail Pricing for Development Projects
Posted on Developer Journey

Estimation Essentials: How to Nail Pricing for Development Projects

This Building Better Developers podcast episode focuses on a crucial and often tricky aspect of the developer journey—pricing and estimation. As developers progress in their careers, they eventually move beyond short-term tasks and need to estimate project-level work. This includes their own time and the time of other team members, system requirements, and environmental needs. Understanding how to accurately price and estimate a project is vital to ensuring both the success of the project and a healthy client relationship. Why Requirements Matter in Estimation One of the first points highlighted in this episode is the critical role of requirements in pricing and estimation. In any development project, gathering as many requirements as possible before starting is essential. While agile methodologies encourage flexibility,... Read more

Coding Standards: Understanding Their Importance in Software Development
Posted on Developer Journey

Coding Standards: Understanding Their Importance in Software Development

In the fast-paced world of software development, coding standards play a crucial role in ensuring that projects run smoothly and effectively. These guidelines help developers maintain code consistency and quality, leading to better collaboration and more efficient workflows. Our recent podcast episode discussed the significance of using coding standards on our developer journey. What Are Coding Standards? Coding standards are best practices and guidelines that dictate how code should be written and organized. They cover various aspects, including naming conventions, file organization, indentation styles, comment formats, and the proper use of frameworks. By establishing these standards, teams can ensure that their code is readable and maintainable over time. The Necessity of Coding Standards The absence of coding standards can significantly... Read more

DP803_S22E27 The Power of Clickable Demos in the Software Development Lifecycle
Posted on Developer Journey

The Power of Clickable Demos in the Software Development Lifecycle

One of the most valuable tools you can utilize in the journey of becoming a better developer is the clickable demo. This episode of our developer series delves deep into the importance of prototypes, wireframes, and proof of concept demonstrations, especially in the critical phases of requirements and design. Let’s explore how clickable demos can bridge the gap between your vision and your customer’s expectations, ensuring that both parties are aligned before any significant code is written. What is a Clickable Demo, and Why Does It Matter? A clickable demo is a prototype that goes beyond static documents or flowcharts. Instead of just reading through user stories or requirements, a clickable demo allows your users or customers to interact with... Read more

DP802_S22E26 Transform Your Projects: The Ultimate Guide to Effective User Stories
Posted on Developer Journey

Transform Your Projects: The Ultimate Guide to Effective User Stories

In this episode of the Building Better Developers podcast, the hosts delve into the critical role of effective user stories in software development. The discussion highlights how these stories serve as a powerful tool for conveying system requirements and improving both development and testing processes. What Are Effective User Stories? The podcast starts by addressing a common confusion: while many developers are familiar with the term “user story,” defining what constitutes an effective user story can be challenging. Effective user stories are concise narratives describing how a feature or function should behave from a user’s perspective. They are designed to simplify the communication of system requirements, making it easier for development teams to understand and implement them compared to traditional... Read more

Unpacking 'Psychopaths' Scenarios and Tough Coding Challenge
Posted on Developer Journey

Unpacking ‘Psychopaths’ Scenarios and Tough Coding Challenge

In this episode, we delve deeper into the developer’s journey, focusing on how to handle the toughest non-happy path scenarios—those we now refer to as “Psychopaths.” These are the rare, unpredictable issues that disrupt normal workflows and often present the biggest challenges for developers. Let’s explore what “Psychopaths” are, why they matter, and how you can improve your skills to handle them effectively. What Are “Psychopaths” in Development? The term “Psychopaths” was coined in a conversation with a client (whom we’ll call Melissa). During a discussion about navigating typical development challenges, Melissa pointed out that while developers often focus on the “happy path”—the ideal, problem-free user journey—it’s the outliers, or “Psychopaths,” that cause the most headaches. These scenarios aren’t frequent,... Read more

Building a Strong Developer Toolkit: Enhancing Skills and Productivity
Posted on Developer Journey

Building a Strong Developer Toolkit: Enhancing Skills and Productivity

In the fast-evolving world of software development, having a robust developer toolkit is essential for growth. This episode of our podcast dives deep into how developers can effectively build their toolkit, not just by learning new programming languages but by focusing on problem-solving techniques, productivity hacks, and leveraging automation tools like code generators. Let’s explore the key takeaways. Why a Developer Toolkit Is More Than Just Coding Skills A developer’s growth isn’t solely tied to learning a new language or framework. While mastering C, Java, Python, or Ruby can be beneficial, the real value lies in how well you solve problems. Your developer toolkit should include methods to streamline repetitive tasks, automate code generation, and utilize utilities that increase productivity.... Read more