Career Goals For 2010 And Inspirations From 2009

Keep An Eye Out For Simple

Put the user first.
Simple is almost always better for software users.  If your system requires a manual, go back and rethink the user experience elements of your design.

Decisions are made simple by keeping one eye on the value stream.
Daily development and planning decisions are easy when you consider yourself as part of the bigger picture.  You’re probably employed by someone who wants to make or save money, right?  Get an idea for what that value stream looks like, and then optimize it.

Be suspicious of frameworks that promise quicker results.
The lesson I’ve learned here is to understand the abstraction.  When you’re utilizing an abstraction you’re deciding what you can assume.  Make the decision a conscious one.

Cease To Acknowledge Irrelevant Concepts

‘Jr’, ‘Sr’, or ‘Architect’ next to job titles. 
What do these designations mean?  Rhetorical question.
I recommend “apprentice, journeyman, master”. These titles add communication and meaning to responsibilities of individuals on a team.  It’s also a reflection of what should be a team’s primary goal: to learn.

Programmer as laborer. 
Best explained by this article.

Estimating in hours.
We all know that estimating in hours is dumb… so why continue to justify it’s existence as a professional developer?  What’s the alternative?  Derive your release schedule.  Research more by reading this book.

Always Be Improving

Be part of a team, and build a culture of learning.
My conviction is that only established enduring teams can really approach greatness at building software.  Swapping developers from project to project is a recipe for mediocrity.

Read more
On my list:
Leading Lean Software Development: Results Are not the Point
The Pragmatic Programmer: From Journeyman to Master
Test Driven Development: By Example
Clean Code: A Handbook of Agile Software Craftsmanship