Creating a Sustainable Career in Software Development

September 6, 2024

TIME: 3:30 PM

LOCATION: GMCS 314

SPEAKER: Brian Moelk

ABSTRACT:

Whether or not you believe in a forthcoming AI revolution, there are still some aspects of Software Development that will be true for the next decade: Most software is written for humans. Understanding what humans need and wisely applying technical solutions is what delivers the most value and impact. Maintaining and evolving those solutions over time requires judgment and creativity.

Despite various best practices emerging from a maturing industry, there are still a significant number of projects that simply fail. Too often team practices are adopted to maximize short-term productivity rather than commit to long-term excellence.

What separates successful teams from others has less to do with methodologies and more to do with human dynamics. Understanding the different motivations and perspectives of all participants can help increase the likelihood of success. Navigating this landscape in a sustainable way requires a holistic sense of context, a dose of humility, and a dedication to self care.

In this talk, I’ll share some of my observations about the most enduring aspects of what makes a project successful and what can lead to failure. I’ll discuss some of the most valuable lessons and insights into what I’ve done to stay technically relevant, productive in purpose, and relatively healthy over decades of working for different kinds of organizations.

HOST: Miguel Dumett

VIDEO: