Research Assessment #4

Date: October 27, 2017

Subject: Software Development

MLA or APA Citation: Rayome, Alison DeNisco. "10 Tips for Becoming a Better

Programmer." TechRepublic. CBS Interactive, 13 July 2017. Web.

Analysis:
After doing my last few research assessments on Software Development
principles, I wanted to read an article that would give me advice on how to improve
my coding skills as programming is evidently crucial for software developers.
Therefore, I found the article 10 Tips for Becoming a Better Programmer by Alison
DeNisco Rayome as interesting and apt for my purposes.
Rayome opened the article with a word of advice that I have grown too
familiar with due to interviews- developers need to consistently learn and adapt to
new technologies. Since I have heard this so many times, I realize that being
successful as a Software Developer will require for me to be open and adaptable to
new solutions and technologies. Additionally, I need to prepare myself for a career
that will entail an ample amount of study and research. I found it ironic that
technology- a method commonly utilized to make life easier- can cause difficulties
for programmers. Rayome discusses ten tips overall; however, I realized they fall
into three categories: teamwork, specialization, and practice.
The emphasis of teamwork in the technical industry implies that software
developers need to have strong soft skills. I find this interesting as technical careers
are not commonly associated with soft skills and are, as the name provides,
associated with technical skills. When I, personally, visualize a software developer, I
see coding; however, this sight is evidently limited as communication skills have a
major impact on success within the workplace. I learned in this article that
programmers need to have the ability to discuss their work with non-programmers.
I have never thought of that as a hindrance for those who can code. I did not realize
that the teamwork in computer science fields goes beyond just the IT sector. Outside
of the workplace, this article suggests collaboration through contributions to the
open-source communities. The article explains that the programs shared do not need
to be profound and that sharing code can welcome an ample amount of feedback. I
find that although this may be true, it is still nerve-wrecking to share code online. I
feel that it would be intimidating as the code is vulnerable to all types of comments
and criticism. Furthermore, I do not know if my programming is good enough to
post. However, I understand the importance of and love attaining feedback. If I post
code and it is reviewed, I will take that feedback seriously and utilize it to improve
myself. The article discusses the importance of taking all review seriously; however,
I know that my problem will not be not taking the review seriously. My problem
will be building up the confidence to share my work with such experienced and
distinguished developers. Another tip this article shares is to join groups and
mentorship programs. I have started on this tip already by take ISM this year.
Additionally, I will ensure to make use of internship opportunities in college so that
I can learn all that is possible from more experience programmers. The article
furthermore suggests programming with a partner as talking through problems can
cause a more meaningful learning experience and more significant growth in coding
ability. From this article, I am inferring that this is why the software industry is so
team-oriented. Discussions would benefit the programmers. I agree with this as I feel
that I learn more and perform better when I discuss different solutions with my
peers in my computer science classes. At the same time, I recall coming across one
article which suggested decentralized teams for the exact same reason. The other
article suggested that centralized teams would create too much of a dependency and
not allow programmers to solve problems for themselves. Additionally, the other
article suggested that decentralized teams make each member more accountable for
a certain task. I understand this perspective as well as I know that I exercise my
problem-solving skills more when I have to identify a solution by myself. This is an
issue that probably requires balance as I see merits in both cases.
The balance between quantity of programming languages and depth of the
programming languages is another issue this article provided me with insight into.
The article discouraged having a priority of specializing in a language. It suggests
that learning multiple languages can open doors. While I understand that certain
fields require an understanding of certain languages and that full-stack development
entails familiarity in a variety of languages, I am not sure I agree with this article
that the trick is to invest time into a multitude of languages. I have heard from a lot
of the people that I have interviewed that it is best to choose a language and learn it
well. This advice, which the professionals I conversed with provided me with,
makes more sense to me. When an individual has a solid understanding of a
language, it makes learning the other languages much easier as the programming
principles are the same. The article, however, suggests specialization within a field
within Software Development. I disagree with this as valuable knowledge can be
gained by working in a variety of sectors. One aspect of specialization that I agree
with the article about is ensuring to know about the business. I find this to be crucial
as coding may require a background understanding of principles in order to be
successful. If I am able to determine the area I would like to code in, I will probably
follow this advice and take some college courses in that area.
Of course, the most important piece of advice in this article is to practice.
Something interesting I learned in this article was the importance of understanding
how and why the data structures I use in my programming work. I have a
superficial knowledge of the functions of the data structures and have not
contemplated the composition of the structures. Taking a course in data structures
and algorithms will be useful in remedying this. The article furthermore advises to
save work in a portfolio. I need to start doing that as I never know when my code
can be reused. I have been more aware of keeping my code since reading some
articles this year; however, I need to build upon my code storage. Another
suggestion the article emphasizes is to always have a side project to code. This is
important for me to follow as it will allow me to enjoy myself while practicing and
developing my skills. A tip I have never heard of until now is to read books about
programming. This would help me with additional insight and keep my mind
engaged in programming. I will ensure to look into one of titles and absorb as much
as I can.
 Overall, I am glad I came across this article as it reinstated some pieces of
advice I have been hearing while also contrasting with some of the advice. I find the
differences in opinion interesting and will ensure to utilize this in the future.