Session: SumUp - Programmer !== Engineer
How do you measure the value of your work?
As an engineer, it can be tempting to put blinders on and focus on producing elegant code solutions to tackle the problem of the day. When a week or sprint comes along that doesn't provide you with the opportunity to contribute much code, you may find yourself feeling...less like an engineer. Unworthy, somehow, or perhaps like you aren't providing much benefit to your team or project. These are problems that often face people who identify as programmers, producers of code. However, there are so many crucial problems to be solved that require a curious mind and little to no code. How do we balance these less traditionally "technical" types of work with our desire to enhance our technical skills? How do we describe the value of this work? Through examples and personal anecdotes, in this talk we will:
- Highlight the critical role that "non-technical" work can play in a software team;
- Encourage a shift in mindset from focusing on the solution to focusing on the problem itself by showing how it can set you up for success;
- Discuss how to showcase the worthiness of this work and use it as a stepping stone for your career.
Ultimately, this talk is aimed at providing you with the fundamental tools to begin seeing and describing to others the value and necessity of "non-technical" work. Being a producer of code can be great, challenging, and fulfilling; being a solver of problems can be even better.
Bio
Jillian is a rock climber, coffee drinker, blog-writing procrastinator, and self-taught software engineer. Originally from the U.S., she is based in Berlin and enjoys the diversity of people and opportunities there (not to mention the healthcare!). She currently works at SumUp in Berlin, contributing to their web development projects