The document discusses the parallels between programming and creativity, emphasizing the importance of understanding problems before coding and the necessity of restarting projects for better outcomes. It highlights ideas from notable figures like Frederick P. Brooks Jr., Zed Shaw, and Gary Bernhardt on the iterative process of development and the value of creative practice. Additionally, it underscores the significance of taking breaks and engaging in unrelated activities to foster new ideas.

1. Code &
Creativity
Geoffrey Grosenbach @topfunky http://peepcode.com

2. “The programmer, like the poet, works only slightly removed
from pure thought-stuff. He builds his castles in the air, from air,
creating by exertion of the imagination.”
- Frederick P. Brooks, Jr.

3. Creating something
out of nothing.

4. Sketchbooks
Prototypes
Critique
Practice

5. “If I get halfway through fixing something and I realize there’s
something else I need to fix first I’ll just revert and start over.
“People find that weird. But they don’t get that it’s not about
the code. It’s your understanding of the problem that you’re
working on.”
—Zed Shaw

6. “Restarting a coding project with a better understanding of the
problem shouldn’t be a rare event that happens accidentally. It
should be a regular part of your workflow.”
—Gary Bernhardt

7. rm -rf *

8. “In most projects, the first system built is barely usable. There is
no alternative but to start again, smarting but smarter.
Where a new system concept or new technology is used, one has
to build a system to throw away, for even the best planning is not
so omniscient as to get it right the first time.”
- Frederick P. Brooks, Jr.

9. “Don't write code until you know what you're doing.
Now, you may not be able to ‘know what you are doing’ just from
thinking, in which case you should start a test project and write a
bunch of ugly code to make sure your ideas are correct.”
—Wil Shipley

11. “Perhaps this modern sorcery especially attracts those who believe in
happy endings and fairy godmothers.”
“This time it will surely run,” or “I just found the last bug.”
- Frederick P. Brooks, Jr.

12. Watch & critique
in person

14. Creative time is not
wasted time.

15. “I can never get used to the fact that most of the time it looks like
you’re doing nothing.”
- Mad Men

16. Laugh
Go Outside Exercise
Sketch Nothing
Nap

18. New ideas are often unrelated ideas.
a combination of

19. Prepare
Get Away
Aha!
Evaluate Implement

20. Sketchbooks
Prototypes
Critique
Practice

21. Q&A