Dev Academy Learning Plan

Strengths & Limitations

I have lots of both! I belive my biggest strengths to be curiosity and a need to try and understand as much as possible about a concept.This can also be my biggest limitation, as I can get 2stuck down google rabbit holes for days. It also lends itself to impostor syndrome - I often feel like a fraud unless I understand every little thing that's happening in a given scenario. In tech, it seems like nobody ever understands with this level of detail, so this is something I will have to learn to get around.

I work well with other people, and I think I have a friendly manner and am easy to get on with (please feel free to give feedback on this!) I'm not used to collaborating at a detailed level with others though, and I'm really looking forward to seeing how teams work together on software and what the dynamic is like. Hopefully I can pick up these skills, as I think that they are probably the key to having a successful career in development, rather than just understanding and generating code.

I find it pretty easy to get into a 'flow' once I get started on something, and can produce quality work in a reasonably short period of time once the creative juices get flowing. My issue here is not being willing to admit that something was a bad idea if it doesn't go the way I want it to, and forcing myself to stick with it even if I know it's not the best way to get the desired outcome. When I'm in the 'zone' minutes can turn into hours very quickly, so I need to learn to manage my time better and turn off every now again. I'm planning to take advantage of Toggl to do this!

I can be quite negative at times, so I'm trying to be more understanding and receptive to other people's needs. Other people have problems too, Pete! The last few years have been really stressful, so I'm trying to break out of that slump and into a more positive and productive mindset. I'm sure this will help my teamwork moving forward as well.

Workload Management & Getting Help!

As discussed above, it's easy for me to lose track of time or get over-focussed or obsessed with relatively unimportant things/tasks. I'm going to do my best to get used to using Toggl and the Pomodoro technique to manage my time better and ensure consistent progress through the course.

I like to think I always treat others with kindness and respect, but as I move into a new stage of my career I will be reasessing how I interact with others to make sure they always feel safe, secure and heard. I think it's one thing to understand the importance of this, but quite another to put it into practice. As someone who is White/Male/Cis/Het it can be difficult to fully understand the issues that other people may be facing, so I'm going to try and be as receptive as possible to the situations of those around me. This includes other students and peers, facilitators on the course, and any other industry or community representatives I may have the pleasure of meeting.

As we all progress through the coursework, I feel we are all going to come to rely on each other more and more. When working in groups, it's really important to me that I pull my weight and not let the others in my team down (or worse, rely on them to do my work for me!) so I've already put a plan in place to ensure I can be present and focussed throughout the program. My partner and in-laws are behind me all the way, and are aware that during work hours I will be completely unavailable to help with the kids or any other tasks so I can be completely dedicated to work and study.

When things get too much, I love to switch off and go for a walk. Walking (or movement of any kind) really helps me reflect on any issues I'm having and come back to a problem with fresh eyes, so I plan to take frequent short walks around the block to keep me refreshed. At times when I'm struggling with technical issues, I will limit my googling and thinking to fifteen minutes before reaching out to a facilitator in the discord for assistance. I think solutions stick better when discovered for yourself, but in time-sensitive scenarios I think this is important.

I expect the faciliation team to be available at all times to assist with any problems (technical or otherwise) we may find ourselves getting into. Rather than being handed answers, I prefer being taught by being steered in the right direction so I can come to the correct solution by myself. Another thing I want from the facilitators is the experience of working with and learning from people skilled in both tech and human skills, so that they can demonstrate the interplay between the two - which I believe lies at the core of all successful development.