Developing Developers Through Apprenticeship

Boston SPIN April 15th, 2014

The Industrial Age is over

https://flic.kr/p/uiR3

“The Information Age”

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“Software is all around us!”

https://flic.kr/p/5K9py8

“The future is NOW…”

But there’s no one here to build it…

https://flic.kr/p/7mDW2s

0

350000

700000

1050000

1400000

2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020

1.4 million computing jobs

400,000 CS Grads

Computer Science GradsAll Other Degrees

https://flic.kr/p/89bPVU

Between 2004 and 2009, the number of CS grads declined

https://flic.kr/p/9WaWEe

Jobs go unfilled, stifling innovation

“86 percent of institutions and education providers believe their graduates are adequately prepared for employment, yet only half of employers and graduates agree.”

McKinsey, 2013

We’ve been here before…

https://flic.kr/p/eTfeLi

We’ve been here before…

The Renaissance

• 608

Apprenticeship in the Renaissance

What is craftsmanship?

http://bit.ly/1n8pok8

Meet Mark

Foundations

https://flic.kr/p/8tWarG

Strong foundations…

Being a good mentor

https://flic.kr/p/mudtg4

Paint a picture

Constructive Criticism

https://flic.kr/p/gv2Fmz

Empathy

http://bit.ly/1eJIuVZ

Mindfulness and Empathy

Fast is slow

https://flic.kr/p/8rh94X

Moving fast is slow

Being a good mentee

Own what you don’t know

https://flic.kr/p/7UMvdx

Own what you don’t know

Own your spot on the team

https://flic.kr/p/aEfgGY

Be the worst person on the team

Do the uncomfortableDo the uncomfortable!

Stretch tasks

https://flic.kr/p/2brfxq

Stretch Tasks

“Menial” Tasks

Ask informed questions"Judge a man by his questions

rather than his answers." !

- Voltaire

Find a common bond outside of work

Love at first sightA match made in heaven

Find Peers

Find peers

https://flic.kr/p/7RuPTy

PracticeApprenticeship Secret Weapons

https://flic.kr/p/dGvAay

Not SMART

• Read “learn to program”

SMART• Complete Reading and Exercises of Chapters 1-6 of “Learn

to Program” by May 1st

• Review exercises with Dan by May 10th

• Incorporate exercise feedback by May 15th

• Complete Reading and Exercises of remaining “Learn to Program” contents by June 1st

• Review exercises with Dan by June 10th

• Incorporate exercise feedback by June 20th

MilestonesDecompose with milestones

https://flic.kr/p/dRG7g

Weekly 1on1’s

Weekly 1on1’s

https://flic.kr/p/7oWmVo

Reading List

https://flic.kr/p/zXqL6

Build a reading list…synthesize knowledge

Challenge List

https://flic.kr/p/9Lcbki

Plan projects and challenges

Celebrate completion

Rules to Guide You

The Business Comes FirstThe business comes first

Proximity Matters

http://bit.ly/1m5DXEZ

Proximity matters

Pairing and ShadowingPair Programming

Saturation and Diminishing Returns

Saturation and diminishing returns

Lots of work?

https://flic.kr/p/9qP8m2

Feel like a lot of work?

It is

A Brief, Personal Digression…

Be Like Larry…

Light a spark…

Thanks! !

@dpickett www.launchacademy.com