Care and Feeding of Ruby Developers

LoneStarRuby Conf 2008

Steve Sanderson

2 talks

#ruby-community

#collaboration

#software-development

#developer-experience

#open-source

#team-dynamics

Care and Feeding of Ruby Developers

by Steve Sanderson

Care and Feeding of Ruby Developers

In the talk "Care and Feeding of Ruby Developers" presented by Steve Sanderson at the LoneStarRuby Conf 2008, he explores the community and characteristics of Ruby developers, emphasizing a blend of aesthetics, collaboration, and adaptability in their work culture.

Key Points Discussed:

Informal Discussion Format: Steve encourages audience interaction throughout his presentation, making it a soft talk that diverges from formal presentations.
Aesthetics in Development: A central theme is the importance of aesthetics in the Ruby community. Steve share his experiences from various tech communities, highlighting how the Ruby community exhibits both a high regard for visual design and the aesthetics of the work environment.
Collaboration: Steve describes collaboration as a fundamental aspect of Ruby development. He underlines that teamwork and communication across departments foster a culture of continuous feedback and improvement.
Visibility and Engagement: He stresses that developers must maintain their presence in the community through contributions, as visibility can influence collaboration opportunities.
Planning and Execution: Steve draws a distinction between management and execution; he argues that developers in the Ruby community are involved in the planning stages due to the frameworks they use, which encourage shared ownership of ideas.
Emphasis on Innovation: Living on the cutting edge of technology allows the Ruby community to embrace rapid changes and innovations that enhance coding practices and project outcomes.
Community and Culture: He points out the community's movement towards monetization of passion, reflecting a service-oriented approach influenced by successful companies like 37 Signals.
Idealism in Developer Practices: Steve advocates for understanding the qualities of the community to foster better decision-making and care for developers, emphasizing the integration with other teams (e.g., marketing and sales).
Work Environment: The significance of aesthetics extends to the workspace itself; a vibrant environment can significantly impact developer satisfaction and productivity.

Conclusions and Takeaways:

Steve encourages developers and organizations to recognize the importance of aesthetics, collaboration, and a satisfying work environment in nurturing Ruby developers. He promotes the idea that by fostering an engaged and aesthetically pleasing community, organizations can enhance their productivity and innovation, ultimately leading to a more fulfilling atmosphere for developers.

The discussion wraps up with an invitation for questions, reinforcing the informal and engaging nature of the talk while allowing further exploration of the concepts presented.

00:00:06.359 The video equipment rental cost was paid for by Peep Code.

00:00:18.600 Today, I'm going to give a soft talk. I'm not going to give a hard talk; rather, I will discuss the care and feeding of Ruby developers.

00:00:24.320 As we go along, please feel free to jump up with questions. This isn't the kind of talk where we need to wrap up all the questions at the end. It's going to be pretty informal.

00:00:36.719 I've thrown together some notes and ideas from my experience. One of the great things about giving a soft talk like this, as opposed to a hard talk, is that you can't really prove me wrong.

00:00:49.760 I may not remember the second thing I wanted to say, but let’s dive into the premise of the talk: it's useful to know more about ourselves and our community as developers. I'll explain why it’s useful at the end as a bit of a cliffhanger.

00:01:15.280 Let me tell you what’s going to happen in this talk. I'll cover a few key areas, including some important qualities. I'll talk about aesthetics first, even though it's listed last.

00:01:27.920 We will discuss collaboration, planning, stars, and care and feeding. These qualities characterize our community and developers based on my experience.

00:01:35.960 It’s hard to prove me wrong because I will share my experiences and acknowledge yours as we move forward.

00:01:41.159 First off, I want to stress that what I’m sharing here is not necessarily the status quo for working in our community. It may exist in some places, but more than that, it's a particular style of working.

00:01:52.560 What are some of the qualities that are important to developers and to the community as a whole? One of the most prominent notions I reflected on was aesthetics.

00:02:06.200 Throughout my career, I've had the opportunity to be part of various communities. I started as a Unix kernel hacker back when it was purely Unix, versions six and seven. The people in that community had a narrow sense of aesthetics.

00:02:14.920 I will illustrate that with some photos later, if you can stick around. I also had a stint in desktop Windows software, which I’m glad to have forgotten, and then web 1.0, and now whatever comes next.

00:02:28.400 What attracted me to this Ruby community right away was the pervasive sense of aesthetics I noticed across it. It wasn't limited to visual aesthetics but extended to software design, as people expressed strong opinions and feelings about how software should be crafted.

00:02:41.000 Certainly, you can observe that in other communities, but it was a key component of the conversations I had with different developers.

00:02:46.920 The visual design aesthetics were surprisingly high, especially since I had previously spent time with individuals who took pride in their coding but weren't particularly invested in their appearance.

00:02:53.959 So, discovering that visual design aesthetics were essential to the work being done was a delightful revelation for me.

00:03:01.120 In some of our design work for a product called TuneUp, I believe we set a great example of visual aesthetics. It looks appealing while also being functional, so it's not merely eye candy.

00:03:13.080 It's interesting to see how the work of 37 Signals has influenced visual elements across many different web platforms, independent of Ruby or Rails.

00:03:20.879 These individuals are known for their technical abilities and their aesthetics, which makes sense given their backgrounds. The aesthetics of the work environment also emerge as a significant factor.

00:03:31.080 Everyone likes to work in a nice place; nobody wants to claim they work in a broom closet, even though I currently find myself in one.

00:03:41.160 But it’s clear to me that developers in our community care a lot about their work environments because aesthetics rank highly among their priorities.

00:03:52.760 I've found that developers will locate good places to work if their offices aren’t satisfying enough, and coffee shops across the country are benefitting from this trend.

00:04:05.120 This photo slide illustrates the importance of aesthetics in the workplace. It might seem silly, but there’s a strong correlation between individuals caring about their appearance and their dedication to their work.

00:04:17.500 In contrast to other communities I've been part of, the degree of focus on aesthetics and appearance in the Ruby community is much more pronounced.

00:04:26.000 The developers I work with reflect that ethos; they embody a sense of aesthetics that isn't limited to design and architecture.

00:04:37.679 This is different from prior generations, like those represented by Richard Stallman, who seemed to prioritize different values.

00:04:43.440 Collaboration is embedded in this community from the very beginning. I’ve noticed that the people I work with, such as Adam Keys and Bruce Williams, naturally collaborate.

00:04:50.160 They're engaged not just within their immediate teams but also with others outside the building, irrespective of the project at hand.

00:05:04.760 One significant value of collaboration is that it creates a tight feedback loop. If you're building something relevant and it’s well executed, it gets adopted.

00:05:18.120 Conversely, if it stinks, you'll hear about it quickly, leading to relevant decisions being made swiftly.

00:05:29.960 In this community, I've found that independent of physical locations, collaboration thrives. Teams do not shy away from using tools like instant messaging and video calls to work together.

00:05:41.839 It’s not unusual for team members to collaborate with others from various cities and even countries.

00:05:51.760 The concept of collaboration transcends organizational boundaries; in my experience, people consistently engage with others irrespective of their departmental or organizational fit.

00:06:04.760 There's a fundamental tendency to solve technical problems with the right individuals without getting bogged down by complexities.

00:06:11.760 This approach ensures that issues are resolved effectively without unnecessary bureaucratic barriers.

00:06:23.760 Continuing with our illustration, Horton is a character from the Dr. Seuss story who represents the idea that if you're not being visible, you can be forgotten.

00:06:37.680 In this community, if you don’t demonstrate that you exist—through blog posts, code contributions, or public engagements—people start to forget about you.

00:06:49.839 Consequently, your relevance diminishes, leading to a lack of collaboration opportunities.

00:06:57.760 So, my advice is to ensure that those in your developer community are continuously visible and engaged.

00:07:10.640 Let’s transition to another topic: planning. I struggled to find the right label for this topic because it centers more around execution than management.

00:07:20.960 The significant point is that the execution of projects I’ve worked on is closely integrated with planning.

00:07:34.119 This stands in contrast to many other projects where decision-makers are distanced from those executing the work.

00:07:47.160 Many of the technologies and frameworks we have enable implementers to make plans because they can handle the necessary mental load.

00:07:59.160 This collaboration benefits from a strong foundation built on open-source culture, which encourages shared ownership of ideas and output.

00:08:16.839 A side effect of this is that it leads to more recognition for developers; you often see talented people featured on covers of prominent magazines.

00:08:31.280 When we look at industry innovations, people involved in creating those ideas and products are often at the forefront.

00:08:42.160 However, I've encountered many projects where this kind of recognition is scarce.

00:08:51.360 Moving on, I believe being on the cutting edge of technology is crucial for our community. Living on the edge means embracing change and being open to innovation.

00:09:08.000 This ensures that we benefit from rapid feedback loops that lead to quick improvements. Our collaborative environment fosters the sharing of ideas and developments.

00:09:21.680 Because our feedback loop is closed, if you do good work, it’s recognized. If your work isn't up to par, you'll learn that quickly as well.

00:09:31.280 This means we exist in a rapid feedback culture where changes ripple through the community effectively.

00:09:46.000 This tight feedback mechanism enables us to adopt the newest changes in coding practices, libraries, and frameworks like Rails.

00:10:02.560 Moreover, it connects us with developers whose work we trust, forming a solid network built on shared experiences.

00:10:16.160 In a scenario where we had to navigate a long pipeline to access updates, the pace of innovation would significantly slow, hampering our ability to deliver.

00:10:31.920 The trade-offs that arise from this experience shape our community’s evolution. Moving to the aspect of enlightened capitalists, this community diverges from others I've engaged with.

00:10:48.080 In open-source communities, the rewards mainly pertain to personal reputation and the convenience of new functionalities. However, in our Ruby community, there's a movement toward monetizing passion and action.

00:11:00.960 The emphasis is on delivering valuable services rather than solely selling source code. We witness organizations like 37 Signals thriving in this service-oriented model.

00:11:18.080 Many people have a passion for this work, and they also aspire to make a living doing what they love without seeing those two goals as mutually exclusive.

00:11:29.840 Now, I’d like to explore some specific suggestions about the care and feeding of developers. I'm often idealistic, believing that awareness of our community's qualities can positively impact our collective decisions.

00:11:45.800 Having a foundational understanding of these characteristics allows for more humane decision-making processes within our environments.

00:12:05.160 One significant aspect involves understanding how these qualities relate to other communities that you might be involved with, whether they're technical or represent other interests.

00:12:16.960 In your working environment, reflect on how well you support or hinder collaboration across various mediums and tools.

00:12:30.560 It’s essential to foster connections with individuals outside of your immediate team for serendipitous moments of collaboration that can benefit everyone.

00:12:45.760 While conferences, like the one we're at now, are fantastic, they require significant commitment and resources.

00:12:59.360 Also, in larger corporations with more conventional development paradigms, the idea of crossing organizational boundaries can provoke anxiety.

00:13:13.440 Thus, keep in mind the differences between open-source culture and proprietary culture, which I believe will continue to evolve.

00:13:30.160 When discussing collaboration in wider environments, I want to highlight the importance of connecting developers with other teams, like marketing and sales.

00:13:44.960 These interactions can be critical even when they speak different languages, and recognizing this will go a long way in ensuring effective collaboration.

00:14:00.720 I pointed out earlier the idea of looking alive in your community. This aspect is vital, as maintaining a robust online presence can influence how engaged others perceive you.

00:14:15.760 Review your locus of control regarding your projects. It’s essential that the decision-makers are aligned with the teams doing the work.

00:14:31.920 People should have the chance to make decisions about how to accomplish their tasks. If that’s missing, you may end up with individuals waiting around for direction.

00:14:49.760 When you're evaluating potential team members, consider their compatibility with the community's values and the higher emphasis on autonomy.

00:15:04.880 Plan for people with both technical skills and a true appreciation for aesthetics, as this community is especially rich in individuals with diverse artistic backgrounds.

00:15:20.160 It's vital to discover whether new team members resonate with the existing culture surrounding aesthetics in their work.

00:15:35.600 Also, remember that developers will seek satisfying work environments, so ensure that your office settings reflect that.

00:15:49.760 Our recent office move led to a better workspace that aligns with our team's desires to operate in a location where they can access coffee shops and a vibrant atmosphere.

00:16:04.480 Previously, we were in an uptown office, but moving downtown has fostered a more productive and inspired atmosphere.

00:16:19.800 This change dramatically improved our team's overall morale and led to greater satisfaction in our daily work.

00:16:34.040 Avoid falling into the trap of using irrelevant clip art and ensure that your workspace communicates a vibrant, aesthetic environment.

00:16:43.680 Thank you for your patience, and I hope my talk has been valuable. I'm open to any questions you might have.

00:16:54.800 (Audience interaction with questions follows.)

LoneStarRuby Conf 2008