Developer Awareness (Shamsuddin Butt)

Many ATP tennis players can hit a service at a speed of about 200 km/h. Whow! As amateurs we are full of admiration for that, and we think that it has a lot to do with why those players are masters. But a tennis professional knows that it is much harder to be aware of where a 200 km/h service is going to touch the ground at what angle with what spin in what direction than to actually hit it. Similarly, if we think about what it takes to be a master software developer, is it really the doing aspect, is it technology or methodology X, Y or Z? Or is it the evolution of our awareness of qualities and quantities which are relevant for software development? In the session we are going to explore aspects of developer awareness and what helps us to build and maintain a high level. We will also consider other mental factors, like relaxed concentration, trust and responsibility, and their relevance for excellence in software development.

About the speaker

Shamsuddin Butt has worked in software development for 16 years. Starting as a passionate developer in the field of computer based training, he focussed on software architecture and object oriented design in the later nineties, only to rediscover his passion for programming by the turn of the millennium. Building upon his degree in psychology, he attended a number of coaching workshops led by renowned British sports and business coaches. He currently draws together all his development and communication skills to provide consulting and coaching services around agile software development to his customers.