This document provides an overview of a session on becoming a better programmer. The session will explore what it means to be a better programmer, examine different skill levels from novice to expert, and discuss practical methods for improvement. A number of guest speakers will provide insights and perspectives on developing skills and attitudes to advance as a programmer. The goal is to help attendees determine how to continuously learn and improve.

1. accu 2013
bristol, april
becoming a
better programmer
PETE GOODLIFFE pete@goodliffe.net @petegoodliffe

3. @petegoodliffe
pete@goodliffe.net
goodliffe.blogspot.com
www.goodliffe.net
PE TE G OODL
PROGRAMME
IFFE
R / AUTHOR / COLUMN IST / TEACHER ★ CON SCIENTIOUS CODER

5. you

6. this

7. We all want to be better programmers, right?
This entertaining session will help you to work out
how.
With the help of a number of special guests, we will
provide a series of practical, simple methods to
become a better programmer. We'll gain some real
insights from respected developers.
There will be plenty of hand-waving and jumping, a
little philosophy, and some twists.
Be the best programmer you can!

8. We all want to be better programmers, right?
This entertaining session will help you to work out
how.
With the help of a number of special guests, we will
provide a series of practical, simple methods to
become a better programmer. We'll gain some real
insights from respected developers.
There will be plenty of hand-waving and jumping, a
little philosophy, and some twists.
Be the best programmer you can!

9. the plan

10. people & wrap up
intro
(set the scene) stuff (what have we
learnt?)
(exploring themes)
you are here
you leave
entertained and
educated

12. becoming a
better programmer

13. ?
what does it mean?
better than what?
how do we do it?

14. does it matter?

15. yes

16. yes

17. yes!

18. why?

20. but why be better?

21. financial
build // rework // repurpose // maintain

22. professionalism / craft

23. personal pride

26. what does better look like?

27. better than what?
you are now // programmers around you // industry average

28. super awesome
you?
liability

29. super awesome
you?
liability

30. super awesome
skill b
skill a
skill c
you?
liability

31. skills design
attitudes communication
technologies
inter-personal
politics
techniques

33. a long learning process

34. useful models

35. FOUR
THE
LEVELS
OF
★
INCOMPETENCE

36. four levels of (in)competence
compe tence
Unc onscious in
ten ce
om pe
us inc
Co ns cio ce
p eten
co m en ce
c io us p et
Co ns c om
io us
n sc
Un co

37. THE
DREYFUS
MODEL SKILLS
OF
ACQUISITION

39. expert
proficient
competent
advanced beginner
novice

40. expert // authority, interlinked with other skills, intuition
proficient // corrects previous errors, learn from others, interprets maxims
has TACIT knowledge
competent // mental model, plan routes, solves unknown problems
advanced beginner // breaks from rules, gets stuck, can get answers, can’t filter
novice // rule-centric

41. super awesome
liability
where are you aiming?
(competent is good)

42. comparisons are dangerous

43. who do you want to be?
(today)

45. how do you get better?

48. 10,000

49. 10,000 expe
rt
8,000 s ho w
s p ot
entia
l
4,000 also-
ran

50. 10,000
= 10 years
* 3 hours

51. 10,000 hours of what?

53. be mindful that you
want to improve

54. determine what’s important to you?
work-required skills
skills for your personal pleasure

55. ?
know where you are now

56. ?
know where you want to be

57. work out how you’ll get there

58. people & wrap up
intro
(set the scene) stuff (what have we
learnt?)
(exploring themes)
you are now here

60. ALL★
U?
CAST
Steve Love Chris Oldwood
Frances Buontempo Anthony Williams
Didier Verna Matt Turner
Phil Nash Anna-Jayne Metcalfe
Seb Rose Greg Law

61. AS YOU LISTEN...
U?
does this apply to me
which is most appropriate to a novice?
which is most appropriate to a competent?

62. matt turner
become a manager!
@mt_inside

63. steve love
automation
@IAmSteveLove

64. didier verna
the music of programming
@didierverna

65. frances “dr love” buontempo
good feedback
@fbuontempo

66. phil nash
the art of balancing forces
@phil_nash

67. seb rose
developing using examples
deliberate practice
talking to your testers
@sebrose

68. greg law
realism // the motorbike rider
<strangely behind the times>

69. chris oldwood
the social programmer
@chrisoldwood

70. anthony williams
do things mindfully
@a_williams

71. anna-jayne metcalfe
if it ain’t broken do fix it
@annajayne

72. U
anyone else?
things and stuff and stuff and things
@audience//participation

76. QA
★★★
&
★★★
Pete Goodliffe @petegoodliffe pete@goodliffe.net

77. @petegoodliffe
pete@goodliffe.net
goodliffe.blogspot.com
www.goodliffe.net

78. BUMPH DULL, but important ★
THIS DOCUMENT WAS CREATED BY PETE GOODLIFFE
IT IS COPYRIGHT // © 2013 PETE GOODLIFFE
>> ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
>> ALL THOUGHTS ARE OWNED
>> IMAGE CREDITS FOLLOW
THANK YOU FOR READING // I HOPE IT WAS USEFUL
Version 1.0 2013-03-05

79. IMAGE CREDITS ★
ENGAGED http://stockarch.com/images/abstract/concept/engaged-toilet-2776
ANNOYED http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1327383
CAR http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1351165
EXIT http://www.sxc.hu/photo/9237
TEETH http://www.morguefile.com/archive/display/46415
LABCOAT http://www.flickr.com/photos/cannongod/3749758602/sizes/z/in/photostream/
PEN http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1380083
BUS http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1363811
DILBERT http://www.dilbert.com/strips/comic/2013-03-21/ (used without permission)
GUAGE http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1382510
TWIST http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1026751
SCIENTIST http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Scientist.jpg
HIPSTER http://hidari-pnk.deviantart.com/art/HIPSTER-347873661
POINTY-HAIRED BOSS http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Pointy-Haired_Boss.jpg
THE FONZ http://thegoodgreatsby.com/2011/04/19/happy-birthday-apollo-fonzarelli/
WINE http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1337577
CHEESE http://www.sxc.hu/photo/750248
EWE http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1174028

80. the dreyfus model ★
expert
proficient
competent
advanced beginner
novice

81. novice
have no k nowledge (yet)
want results
(fast)
hav e no experience
need rules
can ’t judge rules

82. a dvanced beginner
s ome experience
some learngieng
explicit knowled
can break free fro m rules a little
will g et quickly stuck
know where t o get answers
c an't focus out ir relevant details

83. competent
menta l model made
associa tions formed
und erstand relative importance of
aspects
can approach unkno wn problems thi
go s is
od
pla a
ethodical routes into problems to
be ce
plans m

84. proficient
be yond competency
understand big picture
frustrated by n ovice simplifications
can corr ect previous errors
& re flect on experiences
maxims
focus on important issues
tacit knowledge

85. expert
the pinnacle
th ere are very few
have authority
interlink skills
can teach others
have intuition
natura lly see an answer