Code Reviews: Honesty, Kindness, Inspiration: Pick Three
Jacob Stoebel • November 30, 2017 • New Orleans, LA
Summary of "Code Reviews: Honesty, Kindness, Inspiration: Pick Three"
The video is a talk by Jacob Stoebel at RubyConf 2017, addressing the dynamics of code reviews within the development community. The central theme revolves around the common perception that code reviews can be either honest or kind, but not both. Stoebel challenges this notion and argues that code reviews should not be a matter of choosing between honesty and kindness. Instead, they should aim to inspire developers and encourage them to enhance their work enthusiastically.
Key Points:
- False Dichotomy: Many developers believe that feedback can only be honest or nice, leading to discomfort and ineffectiveness in code reviews.
- Importance of Balance: Effective code reviews should be both kind and honest, providing constructive feedback that uplifts the developer without compromising the utility of the feedback.
- Inspiration: The focus should be on inspiring developers, allowing them to leave code reviews feeling motivated to improve their work, rather than discouraged.
- Liz Lerman Critical Response Process: The talk introduces this feedback framework, which is designed to guide how feedback is delivered in a creative context, ultimately aiming to empower the creator.
Examples & Anecdotes:
- Stoebel shares a tweet from a joke account that encapsulates the problematic belief about feedback. It states, "Code review can be honest or nice; pick one," highlighting that many believe there cannot be both from feedback.
- He reflects upon the reactions to this tweet, indicating a collective concern regarding the limited perspectives on giving and receiving feedback in the development community.
Conclusions & Takeaways:
- Code reviews should foster an environment where developers feel encouraged and excited to improve their work.
- Clarity in communication and a structured format like the Liz Lerman Critical Response process can help achieve a balance between honesty and kindness in giving feedback.
- By redefining the standards for code reviews, teams can create more supportive and productive development environments conducive to creativity and innovation.
Code Reviews: Honesty, Kindness, Inspiration: Pick Three
Jacob Stoebel • November 30, 2017 • New Orleans, LA
Honesty, Kindness, Inspiration: Pick Three by Jacob Stoebel
The attitude among many developers seems to be that code reviews can be either honest or nice but not both. I see this as a false dichotomy; while code reviews should be both honest and kind, they should be focused on inspiring creators to go back to their work, excited to make it better.
This talk will introduce the Liz Lerman Critical Response process, a framework for giving feedback on anything creative. You'll leave this talk with tips on how to improve your code reviews by putting the creator in the driver's seat and inspiring everyone on the team to make the product even better.
RubyConf 2017
00:00:11.030
Hello everyone, my name is Jacob Stoebel. How is the sound? Is it echoey? Is it okay?
00:00:16.560
Good, okay! The name of this talk is "Honesty, Kindness, Inspiration: Pick Three."
00:00:21.900
If you're a live tweeter, I would love it if you talked to me about this talk. If not, no worries.
00:00:28.680
I want to confess before I get started that this is my first full-length talk, and I'm just honored to be here. Thank you!
00:00:35.989
I'm blown away by how many people are here at this very last time slot. This is more than I could have ever hoped for.
00:00:42.510
So here we go! I'm going to share a tweet with you that I saw last spring. It was from a joke account called "I am Developer."
00:00:49.920
The tweet said, "Code review can be honest or nice; pick one." And it got me thinking.
00:00:55.980
This seems to be the attitude among many developers: that they can either give you feedback that feels good or something that is actually useful.
00:01:08.939
But if it feels good, it may be useless; and if it’s useful, you feel like garbage.
00:01:14.280
That's just the way it is. The tweet received many objections from people wondering why feedback can't be both honest and nice.
00:01:20.520
This serves as the inspiration for this talk. It's what motivated me to propose it.
