From FrontendConf Zurich 2016
As the web development landscape rapidly changes, good communication and collaboration between multiple job functions is key to not just a project’s success, but to a successful career as a front end developer. In this talk, we’ll discuss why it is important to grow yourself into a “T-shaped” developer - someone with deep knowledge in front end development, who can collaborate across multiple other disciplines. You'll leave knowing how to incorporate essential empathy and communication skills into your daily work life, leveling up your career, and the career of those around you.
12. The Agile Manifesto
• Individuals and interactions over processes and tools
• Working software over comprehensive documentation
• Customer collaboration over contract negotiation
• Responding to change over following a plan
12 agilemanifesto.org
13. The Agile Manifesto
• Individuals and interactions over processes and tools
• Working software over comprehensive documentation
• Customer collaboration over contract negotiation
• Responding to change over following a plan
13 agilemanifesto.org
21. I - Shape
Deep knowledge in a
single functional area
21
I
22. I - Shape
Deep knowledge in a
single functional area
Deep expertise, plus
ability and desire to
collaborate across
related disciplines
T - Shape
22
I T
27. World Economic Forum - Future of Jobs 2016
“Social skills—such as persuasion, emotional intelligence
and teaching others—will be in higher demand across
industries than narrow technical skills, such as
programming or equipment operation and control. In
essence, technical skills will need to be supplemented
with strong social and collaboration skills.”
27 WEF Future of Jobs 2016 executive summary
28. OLIN COLLEGE
OF ENGINEERING
USC THIRD SPACE
D SCHOOL AT
STANFORD
MICHIGAN STATE
UNIVERSITY
DUBLIN CITY
UNIVERSITY
UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY
OF COMPIÈGNE
AALTO UNIVERSITY
HANZE UNIVERSITY
GRONINGEN
ZHEJIANG UNIVERSITY
VIRGINIA TECH
T-shaped Education
29. Engineering Education
“The intrinsic value of knowing things has declined
drastically—and permanently. To a large extent today, it
matters much less what you know than it does what you
can do with what you know.”
29
-Richard K. Miller, Dean of Olin College of Engineering
30. How do you cross your T?
(instead of dotting your i)
30
36. Imagine things from another person’s point of view
• What are they thinking?
• What are they feeling?
• What is motivating them?
• What are their values?
36
Practicing empathy
40. • Surround yourself (both in person and on social
media) with people who are different than you
• Read fiction
Practicing empathy
40
41. A reader lives
a thousand lives
before he dies.
The man who never reads
lives only one.
GEORGE R.R. MARTIN
42. • Surround yourself (both in person and on social
media) with people who are different than you
• Read fiction
• Play video games!
gamesforchange.org
Practicing empathy
42
43. Practicing empathy
43
• Surround yourself (both in person and on social
media) with people who are different than you
• Read fiction
• Play video games!
gamesforchange.org
• Open up
46. The most efficient and effective
method of conveying information
to and within a development
team is face-to-face
conversation.
PRINCIPLES BEHIND THE AGILE MANIFESTO
47. Actually listening to what another person is saying, and
not just thinking about how you are going to respond.
Active Listening
47
48. Actually listening to what another person is saying, and
not just thinking about how you are going to respond.
• Acknowledge what they are saying - nod, say “yes”
or “uh huh”
• Ask for clarity “Help me understand…”
• Reflect back “So what I’m hearing is…”
• Defer judgement till the end
Active Listening
48
54. Practice Collaboration
• Put your own ideas out there
• Share what you know - wikis, documentation,
code comments
54
55. Practice Collaboration
• Put your own ideas out there
• Share what you know - wikis, documentation,
code comments
• Look for similarities, not differences
55
76. Adaptability
• Never say “this is how we’ve always done it”
• Anticipate and embrace failure and change
76
77. Adaptability
• Never say “this is how we’ve always done it”
• Anticipate and embrace failure and change
• Everyone fails, it’s how you recover from failure
that matters.
77
78. Your code and your ideas
are not you. Be willing to let
go of them.
Adaptability
78