Balancing Act
Writing and debugging software can, at times, feel like walking a high-wire while reciting Shakespeare. There are so many moving parts and so much you have to maintain focus on at any given moment. This is where the analytical mind of a software engineer lives and thrives. We have to take measured, sure steps forward, ever mindful of the fall, while keeping our eyes on the destination, and reciting from memory the story we’re telling with code.
Intuition and Experience
Intuition can, at times, be considered a dirty word in the technology industry. In the field of “computer science” in particular. There is, however, something to be said for having the ability to make leaps of judgment built on years of experience to inform an outcome. Allowing ideas to form organically and then be grounded in formalized testing and analysis is how we’ve achieved the remarkable advancements we’ve seen in just the last few decades. If nothing else, once you’ve given yourself a chance to prove what doesn’t work, you’re left with what does.
Building a Bridge to Somewhere
A complex piece of software is not unlike any other complex piece of engineering. A suspension bridge like the Manhattan Bridge, or the Golden Gate, can be built to last and withstand the test of time, or crumble and collapse like the Tacoma Narrows bridge. The same thing applies to software. There are fault tolerances and quality control, an architect with the vision, and a project manager with the details, as well as the craftsman doing the heavy lifting. Each person plays their role, and each must remember to tread carefully or else something will get missed and it will collapse under its own weight. Writing good software takes creativity, enterprise, and the perception to recognize one’s own weaknesses.
Ingenuity of the Collective
No one is as smart as everyone. More ideas, more insight, more perspectives, means more inspiration. Ingenuity is how we keep making new things. It’s how we all grow and learn and embrace change. We use our ingenuity in the service of our customers to see their vision and bring it to life. Along the way we hope we are able to inspire them to do more, the way they inspire us.