A Missing README Isn't a Missing README
A missing README is rarely just missing documentation. It usually signals other things, too. ...
Communication
"What's Wrong With This Idea?"
One of my favorite problem-solving questions is: “What’s wrong with this idea?” It drives the conversation away from why the idea might work, and toward why it might fail. That perspective is invaluable when building. ...
A Talk on Twelve Factors
Today I gave a talk to my team about the Twelve-Factor App Methodology. ...
Banishing "Random" for Better Software Communication
“I’m still getting this random 404.” Want to sound pro? Banish “random” from your software engineering vocabulary. ...
Why I Write for Software Engineers and Engineering Leaders
Eight years ago I wrote a post called You Should Blog. In it, I made an argument that I still believe in: public, professional writing is something every engineer should try. Today, I want to share why I write, and have for over a decade. ...
How I Approach Feature Requests
Receiving feature requests is part of running a software team. Here’s how I handle them. ...
Your Software Is Confusing
If something in your software is confusing to a customer, it is confusing. ...
Two-Follow-Up Rule for Closing Support and Internal Tickets
I recently learned a practice for customer communication that I’d like to document. It’s called “Hit It Twice.” ...
How to Start a Meetup Group (Lessons from Running One for 10 Years)
I’ve been organizing Meetups for a decade, starting with Vim Chicago and Chicago Elixir, and now running Maine JS from Portland, Maine. In honor of our most recent Meetup, here’s my practical guide on how to start a Meetup group, based on what’s worked for me. ...
Practical Ways to 'Learn in Public' Now
I’ve been a practitioner of Shawn Wang’s ‘Learn in Public’ for years. In this post, I’ll share a list of ways I’ve found to learn in public. ...