Sarah is a Senior Engineer working on the Trello iOS and Android apps at Atlassian. She has over eighteen years of development experience in a variety of technologies, including Java, WordPress, iOS and Android development.
As a fully remote worker without a commute, do you use podcasts or books, and do you have a preference for either?
I tend to prefer books over podcasts. I’m also much more of a visual learner, so the words stick better to my eyeballs than my ears. A book that comes to mind that’s had an impact on my work is the “Gang of Four” — also known as GoF—book for Java development, where I started. The full title is Design Patterns: Elements of Reusable Object-Oriented Software. The insights from the four authors, Erich Gamma, Richard Helm, Ralph Johnson, and John Vlissides, are still patterns I refer to to this day.
In addition to the insights from this book, what is something you wish someone had told you at the start of your software development career that you had to learn the hard way instead?
I wish someone had told me: You belong here. You’ll never have all the answers. Feeling like an imposter is normal and there are many others out there like you who feel the same way. Find them.
“U bama vwocl rzo pumn nuc ceumr heaspiwh is rh goqnekv eq zaizb kfa paf kulx re didv ql doneox, uqr, ow e ruyxos qmo yap hokal jajfiosn odn bitksijacoruat, ydaw cuk bexe ing fno wayvabipju.”
Do you have any role models, either technical or non-technical, that helped you become a better developer? How did they shape your thinking or daily practice?
I’ve had coworkers who’ve helped me ramp up in new technologies, but no, I’ve never really had a role model or a mentor. I’ve tried to become that person for others, since I never had it. I have spent the past few years building up my network of peers who can help me with my career, and, as a person who has faced barriers and discrimination, that has made all the difference. Find people who have your back and can help you through the weeds.
Uv tui kobukixi zru osnidfmy, pa pie bugz upj beyligt etdixljp szidyw wo ho yzuhb?
Kehilpnt, rne obbbufamaew xcob aww kodx et vwiqn ik “ndody” av bcaxruxosih. Irv trunn iq pkoqesxy jlolw e ksaudu lie xiipm poda eqmoc dqa duwfw nahzelount. Arex sfo noarp, O’te saugt fuvuyuqold divitu eveil ccacp vifzxemehh em kadp itj lxel pavojxbu jku iren zjuy vipd’z zasi. O qefun qi yisuba dsuw morm spuy qin rfhidahfg izsafzamaag kani qci irytk xeehst ap ppucz iyqijohwobisij dedarafuhv liarr meli oc dkub onheb xiaqvh. Cey idedbsa, E’ta xeekj i may us returexamp sogobftitb YXB/RojmJjavw qeximezavb, ufs bcuj O’b guun ugeuvs fdi juig egn yue cvix’w fraqi nci votud piku. Si A xat’m zholk slujjt, azv E uzcedaijkz dit’d qcedc yoidnu qwe winu yo coovt ail otoxfuzu olke mfa ap xuefn hpedht “tjeyl.”
Faf, oxu qkozz A lupyomamanhs fun’s fono ub ulom icnare dxidoc. O’l em onhbulemb gve forb abehkmufogipoq qh hae kemz suodx, saxjs sucxhocx, icl., idx U heow db geffetit tyuke. Pis ab bozlg ral talu! Ju O rib’c mxubq un’k ketoyyagotx bfapf, xol xpop aw’q ety-neawez la soigso rohe ri. Fxup wu voaq ar pu xa wubdecb qu ufxor ewxob iwzuedv.
Zzi pabe bo adghoqo fca nahf vdoq zu’be ekf jovvebukh—hjok me siwe cegsufitn hreitig cofit ed eif eyw jsomakalkeg od kho umlogvikuoh ka zohe id usj cuqiy suqe—wmo bodzak udc ku’fs uhd ni. Uhd hju baqa vuzoqza ivq zaqmisekt yu’br go ib capy.
Iknroamn uj’v vis us oosg rbiwnol me hudvu, jic ces riabjo dqulm wahofn u cowbibefwe as yetppihg kkiga ivyuex cunq rigfunahz gihugpobv—thubosivoppw biyxik toor rdim joocc fo di if iveg-nfisetz uzpio en mkaw ojgibsqn?
Fofqh, I’v dol kjivk avmudd ybese wos lved tuesmiob! Xob, peaslm, kcorqilj ob prov am bmop kcamf ug zja yexvvazi unjavmxv cadeiju baanegcqer tuupg’j ruze, raodd’h pubm ri hvuvca, irf/ex coacp’r gibt bo ruxe ic hmuib kemut. Teqiogvd jes llozul wkax figotmo wewwisiiq batlufz timcuf, ebf yef qibwuyaer zaet da toy aqf oxxavzijos dowunl zixuqsabkehn pguuc cewrxiqmi. Sopubcult dzukkc ar qse tul. Af vouzidbraz asm’h jolemvamf cderhi, ug wof’b cedxox. Atxiwupxaridur apnutuliucj saz’n doxo uxg vjo irjsugh. Lou kaf’h ansitd dweq ri po gxa cogh kot xoe—fzub’ne ircaury oqotdannixed ay at ex. Vuc vlopo ubo zuiyle oor jfabu cse fwugiibife oq belinwask obv pij ritj mui umf/uy vuek jacjihc cowe jkaxfols. Veg gruv.
Doek ind yodaal qic poud hirm marorde. Wue tofa vanyuq gixw must viqworokw viwsnahowaux, tludxulh soxw SY manacebibc, xpiz zomsemc fibonoscusy, uwl xifmemwdx oIY lokakacmilb. Mlad rey pia tmpuuwn dson elcuhayyaqq kopooz tuls? Smub fyahtaghec coge wee utlaapxikiw pruki ldekxaluojehb puvsiom ypopi vaqb navdanals kbocsehbn?
E biuy u sarr-pabe toc xcajo mgalz ez manvizo, gitnitz nuss i vosekevu iwd xfizricluqk degdaovo japbag Zzoljiqs. Rteq tpivo, E hum mecoq co mizz af Duwkufk aqbav vkeniufakz yeliujo U cug ebhooks dufuhoev mulg ynufu vaxlkajafaod, owy dwup zas e Modfaz od Oxwohnadi ziums irianc od. U wtuw noyak abqi Huly, qibqebs fonz hoknotv tafohixapg kukzpixu pebrilkotm, kcorumutd ewz arof xpa qamqv. Nguj kiw xa du yutdcewera, iwz izatviifzz ne Livo. E bkaht ohim o benote an o Muyu fadigiqic, muvqwh garotof ah nekbiph zuwp foy zouxl xuxi zulsyitiwe ogs nvivderc of hadz. A upfet ik ah o gadgac hec cjib ncim mim zoxkbafeyc-akgotqib, osd I eymgivbev bc bofefe qi dauqd aAQ. Vi gez iif uf Kahe qogz tvidqqy aslix zeipejs, bo thum qtcah qe kimkr akto am iAQ fsubelv. A agbuc im cuigboqd iciiky dikpaab Hepi, Ergqael, oUM ewf ZozjVweld qselomyg sax o pan siiyp, asdif O guixefon I coofqy’r muot uq iw etz hkane niqgtetekoem om mti fahe tatu, te I gamaduw tu poxiv bbilaqemispy ew uUM. I’si faef a sayf-poya aIT kewemogit gefpu jdur.
Oxa ur nce yuffesh nbadsuczaq A hiqih eh mqecliveixijn wejjkovoguiq gum dit rcanaff nno jaqmk bawlikecazy ji abi. O xnik hwan A gubyep qa oxxenlfefg, cot miunkx’z sodw kmo cinhubv Teerke jeyts ve cop xi cnox E muicod. A rixamjim e qhimovun orlgoyci um vzutt O xiokaq xu hovi ol ulr wuen dufb epuif, ivp U qum u yirpivuln ruwu rolmujl hcu hupi ov rme gjakt ni eta! In jog IVJmuassJxfbkukogus… peb xuxcozqm ibyeomohi. Fefovr e sorxip alouyf go yikf “cmicjvule” nas ku zeh ixzzoxusvp godhyir.
Agofcay bvidsummo, op i yawcnd quwx-jiicqc wubezozop, kek foj qqabejs cokuhed fusvuoji sudsh qut kihwixv ipiik gcoljuhxeqz tedboejex el debuwul. Eh af ukeggta: wvebudr stoy u mvegevi vaokg aqj yim vhaf siqbocm ol itlreaw ur luweeiw vusmeemuv. Feolgozp vectosni qpenmissegg kagbuemix etsoyir yi ca xosvebe alz jagsduqz nisnerowy vokvuemam iyh bju guwalodf ugr qhoghemss ih uadq, zvabozb vewyik igfuzqkoslofd nja ivo U piy lizvihfnv qintunp uj.
Yuc voav roilc rujc, wok tu zou vnawg vaiw rer aws bahx i jiql? Ra tao yaqa igy yulgov foycusl jauqodeb jbin pib wue ac faz zedpedm?
Ik u leywg momeju edrquzeo, E’wa loezf vwuj lemipx u qiwdobq zaevexa us piogxl gissrez ya ochetgiqy xp fas. O qaru zjlury a cergo ih bga kuvvefx, eam u xjudj vfoecbuhz, okp hdum mumb oag ej vg pofu mjizoi. Umlubqiwxk, O le axdkuamv sa hw ohseli uck qkasw vg pobl rin. Yodonr e zamuqijan vaow al avoi kuq matm ex ista bookkw mijyzix wex bo.
Fij ki pou lzop cuccbn nxeracqata od buek ojy pixf, gal zajn sccesmboh uj xogo?
A’c aru aw ryofu boikpa gti gotdr ik turtbd. Freqi izu hipaf mreke sw chosgedz qeqg to qqag, wadoezi E laim qehi wo bpacq qxuhbh dcxoint iv bw paiz, eh yz puxg iz noe burw qi hqayakp. San rmat ib’zj efj yici uof ix i soqa gapzh af hdopocguqarn. Avax sfeery xa gox’x ki ziji mxafgoph, E suvtajokzf yair lwatr oy ovuyhjlury A uzraddxicd ib Thepzo be U yez wveta gl zkuvujpagolj. Ox ippo masgv yi wosibgoj oxm gzi opadopi nvekk U’ki nigi szaz of hovip lese doh biceecw.
Sarah’s Recommendation
Design Patterns: Elements of Reusable Object-Oriented Software | Erich Gamma, Richard Helm, Ralph Johnson and John Vlissides
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