I've been building software professionally for 20 years. I started with ANSI C and worked with just about every technology in-between. After all of this time, I've come across a few things that have dramatically changed how I approach software development. These are serious "ah ha" realizations; ultimate truths that have completely changed how I approach software design and define success. In this session I'm not going to talk to you about the latest and greatest technology trends or show you the latest HTML5 code library – I'm going to share with you some of my realizations and learning from over 2 decades of professionally building software and running companies and teams.

2. Hi…
My Name is Joel

3. 20 Years ….
What have I learned?
(crap I’m old)

4. Why am I here?

5. … because I turned 40
… and that sucked

6. In the beginning…
… I thought I knew it all

7. Now…
… it feels like I knew nothing
at all

8. I’ve done some stuff…

9. From a hick town

10. Computer Science Degree

11. Military Intelligence

12. IntraX Technologies

13. Contract Trainer

14. Independent Contractor

15. Imaginet

16. Microsoft RD/MVP

17. .NET UG

18. 4 books

19. Speaking/Lecturing

20. Telerik TeamPulse
.. And now EVP of Innovation

21. ChassisFinder

22. eReferral

23. AccelleratorHK

24. NewPort Group

25. Everest a few times

26. And I think I’ve learned a
few things…

27. Here are some thing I think
are important
… in no particular order

28. Success in our industry
comes from…
…combining knowledge of
technology With the need of
a customer

29. Building software starts
with…
… a deep understanding of
the PEOPLE using that
software

30. Instead of focusing on
building features…
… focus on allowing the users
who user your software flow
through to the achievement of
their goals

31. Don’t give users what they
want…
… give them what they need

32. Building great software is a
function of …
…How you work with others
not how well you write
code

33. Being a successful Software
Engineer is really more
about…
… managing the way people
work and interact

34. The process by which you build
amazing software is…
… more important to success
than any aspect of
technology

35. Planning is…
… Guessing
Learn to validate and measure
instead of guess

36. Detailed estimation of
software projects is…
… almost a waste of time

37. Instead of over planning and
overthinking its better to…
… try, measure, adjust and
try again

38. Constraints on your
software project are…
…WONDERFUL!!!

39. Software that is just “Good
enough”…
… is fantastic

40. Being a good Software Engineer
/ Craftsman means…
… knowing when to make
tradeoffs

41. Software architecture and
methodologies are not…
… religions
There is no right way all the
time

42. Air…
… fills its container.. And so
does work

43. Student syndrome…
… does not just apply to
students

44. Don’t confuse priority
with…
… enthusiasm

45. Ship your software…
… now!

46. To grow and advance you
must…
…Push yourself to
exhaustion, then rest and
reflect

47. The most important
commodity is…
.. Trust. Its something you must
earn.. And something you
should fight to keep

48. Know more than just the
trendy cool stuff…
… know SQL, database tuning,
design patterns, back end
development, performance, know
infrastructure and constraints

49. Agile basics…
… just aren’t enough to keep
the fly wheel spinning

50. The Agile movement should
have started with…
… Lean thinking

51. Learn to throw away…
… everything you know in
search of something better

52. In the same light.. learn to
be good at…
… unlearning

53. The ONLY constant in life
and career is…
… change. Embrace
this, don’t fight it

54. However.. Look for things
that…
… don’t ever change

55. Going from good to great
means…
… sweating the small stuff

56. What’s more important than
knowledge?
Passion combined with the
ability to learn

57. Leadership is about…
… working yourself out of a
job

58. The best team is…
… one that can self organize

59. High performance is about…
… managing energy not your
time

60. Interruptions …task
switching …
… death to productivity

61. Want to be super
creative, energized, focused and
operating at peak performance?
Work out

62. Getting ahead in your career
means you should…
… work ON your job as much
as you work IN your job

63. Ego…
… destroys teams
and then destroys the
software the team is building

64. Some things that will kill
your projects are…
Silos
Handoffs
Long feedback cycles

65. The most important and only
process you should follow is…
…kaizen

66. Smart people learn from
their mistakes.. But…
… Wise people learn from
the mistakes of others

67. Most people are smart…
… use inception to influence

68. DONE

69. Questions?

70. How to reach me
• Facebook.com/joelfromcanada
• Joelfromcanada.com
• Twitter: JoelSemeniuk
• JoelFromCanada@gmail.com

71. Good stuff
• The Power of Full Engagement
• Good to Great
• The Logic of Life
• Outliers
• Peopleware
• Dynamics of Software Development
• The Goal