DPC2019: Senior Developer Development - Szymon Skórczyński

Developing senior developers requires focus, practice, and mentorship, as well as a willingness to learn and grow, with technical excellence and domain understanding being key factors in their development.

Key takeaways
  • Key Takeaways
  • Despite age being a common criteria for seniority, it is not the only one and may not always be the best predictor of individual performance.
  • To develop senior developers, opportunities for repetition and correction of errors are necessary.
  • With any skill, one starts as a novice and needs to practice deliberately to learn and develop expertise.
  • Influence of senior developers is important, as they can help guide and mentor others.
  • Focus is essential for learning and growth, as it helps to avoid distractions and maintain concentration.
  • Technical excellence and being good at software development are key factors in becoming a senior developer.
  • Practice is essential to learn any skill, and becoming an expert requires a significant amount of time and effort.
  • People are different, and different techniques work better for different individuals.
  • Understanding domain and interacting with people is important for software development.
  • Building a team that values each other and works well together is crucial for success.
  • Adapting to change and being flexible is necessary for continued growth and learning.
  • Giving talks and sharing knowledge can help with learning and growth.
  • Mental health is important, and taking care of one’s physical health and well-being can help with focus and concentration.
  • Respecting and trusting each other is important for effective collaboration.
  • Becoming a senior developer is not the end goal, as there is always more to learn and grow.
  • It is important to understand users and build software that helps them.
  • Giving back to the community is important for personal and professional growth.
  • There are many career paths, and choosing the right one can impact personal and professional success.
  • Learning to learn deliberately is important for continued growth.
  • Design patterns and technical excellence are important for software development.
  • Definitions of seniority vary, and different organizations may use different criteria.