Intuit's iOS Software Engineer, Kristina Thai, presents 4 writing channels that help engineers at the 2015 Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing Conference.

1. 2015
Become a
Better Engineer
Through Writing
Kristina Thai
iOS Software Engineer
Intuit
#GHC15
2015
@kristinathai

2. 2015
Hi, I’m Kristina!
@kristinathai
💻 📱 🎓

3. 2015
What makes a good
engineer?
@kristinathai

4. 2015
Engineer Checklist*
Technical skills
 Strong coder
 Domain expert
 Problem solver
“Soft” skills
 Communicates well
 Passion for learning
 Learns from
mistakes
 Teacher/mentor
@kristinathai
*Not a comprehensive list

5. 2015
What does this have to
do with writing?
@kristinathai

6. 2015
4 Writing Channels That
Help Engineers
@kristinathai

7. 2015
📓 Personal Journal
❓ Question & Answer Forums
📖 Blogging
📝 Technical Tutorials
@kristinathai

8. 2015
Personal Journal
@kristinathai
📓
 What is it?
− Private place to record your technical
challenges

9. 2015
Personal Journal
@kristinathai
📓
 Benefits
− Reflection time
− For your eyes only
− Easy to get started
 Challenges
− Hard to keep up
− Doesn’t benefit
anyone else
− No one to correct
you if you’re wrong

10. 2015
Developer Q&A Forums
@kristinathai
❓
 What is it?
− Places where people go to for help with their
technical problems
− Knowledgeable experts answer questions

11. 2015
Q&A Forums
@kristinathai
❓

12. 2015
Q&A Forums❓
@kristinathai

13. 2015
Q&A Forums
@kristinathai
❓
 Benefits
− Learn what others
are struggling with
− Easy to pick up
whenever you want
− Bite-sized chunks
− Builds reputation
 Challenges
− Negative comments

14. 2015
Blogging
 What is it?
− Public place to record your technical
challenges
− Your own personal site, or a part of a
blogging community
− Most popular form of technical online writing
@kristinathai
📖

15. 2015
Blogging
@kristinathai
📖

16. 2015
Blogging
@kristinathai
📖

17. 2015
Blogging
@kristinathai
📖

18. 2015
Blogging
 Benefits
− Public exposure
− Builds reputation
− Reflection time
 Challenges
− Lots of time &
commitment
− Keeping your blog
fresh & unique
@kristinathai
📖

19. 2015
Technical Tutorials
 What is it?
− Step-by-step technical walkthroughs that teach
others how to do something
− Usually has a working demo project at the end
− Your own personal site, or a part of a tutorial
community
@kristinathai
📝

20. 2015
Technical Tutorials
@kristinathai
📝

21. 2015
Technical Tutorials
@kristinathai
📝

22. 2015
Technical Tutorials
 Benefits
− By far the absolute
best to build
reputation
− Reinforces learning
− Build full projects
 Challenges
− Even MORE time
and commitment
− Find
unique/undiscovered
solutions
@kristinathai
📝

23. 2015
That’s a lot!
@kristinathai
🙎
❓❓❓

24. 2015
My Journey
@kristinathai

25. 2015@kristinathai

26. 2015
My Posts
@kristinathai

27. 2015
Website Stats
@kristinathai
As of Oct 4, 2015

28. 2015
Blog Contributor
@kristinathai

29. 2015
Invites to Speak
@kristinathai

30. 2015
Benefits
@kristinathai

31. 2015
Getting Started
@kristinathai

32. 2015
Engineer Checklist
Technical skills
 Strong coder
 Domain expert
 Problem solver
“Soft” skills
 Communicates well
 Passion for learning
 Learns from
mistakes
 Teacher/mentor
@kristinathai

33. 2015
Tips for Getting Started
@kristinathai
🎓
👭
💻
Don’t have to be THE expert
Check out your side projects
Find a blogging buddy

34. 2015
More Resources
@kristinathai
 Websites & apps for personal journals
 Great beginner question and answer sites
 Blogging & tutorial writing platforms
 Tips on how to keep it up
kristinathai.com/writing

35. 2015
Thanks!
Kristinathai.com
@kristinathai
her@kristinathai.com
@kristinathai

36. 2015
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