Modern Software Engineering • Dave Farley & Steve Smith

Learn modern software engineering best practices with this talk on iterating quickly, separating concerns, and cultivating craftsmanship, featuring Dave Farley and Steve Smith.

Key takeaways

The importance of shipping small and iterating fast: “You try something out, you say is that, does that get me closer or further away from my hit the target.”
The limitations of perfection: “You don’t have to understand how you get to the destination. That’s the beauty of engineering.”
The role of books and learning: “I would never be exposed to that kind of change because I was lucky enough to have a book that pointed me in the right direction.”
The value of separating concerns: “Each step that we’d like to take? How would we understand that step? How would we control that step?”
The need to work in small steps: “One of the things that I talk about in the book is I don’t think you can achieve anything without iteration.”
The importance of feedback: “It’s not about being a genius or a rockstar, it’s about getting feedback.”
The role of experimentation: “If you want to work experimentally, you’ve got to be willing to take risks and try new things.”
The importance of craftsmanship: “I think craftsmanship is vital. It’s the ability to do something that nobody else can.”
The need to be willing to learn: “If you don’t know, you’ve got to be willing to learn.”
The importance of tools: “I don’t think people understand that most of the time, the biggest bottleneck is not the technology itself, but our understanding of how to use it.”
The need to iterate: “You’ve got to be willing to iterate. You’ve got to be willing to make changes.”
The importance of fitting in with the system: “You’ve got to be able to fit in with the system, with the technology, with the way the team is working.”
The importance of non-technical knowledge: “I think sometimes people get so focused on the technical bits that they forget that engineering is a social activity.”
The importance of reflection: “The whole book, in a way, is about how you can get better at creating software and how that can come through reflection.”
The importance of Continuous Delivery: “It allows you to make a change and then get feedback and then make another change…”
The value of small, incremental improvements: “One of the things that I think is important is small, incremental improvements. That’s where you get the big gains.”

Modern Software Engineering • Dave Farley & Steve Smith

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