Wednesday 18 February 2009

Keeping up with the pace in 2009

Here's a set of articles that really some up the approach I have found really useful for keeping up in this day and age

I do find that a balance of theory and practice is what makes everything work. You've got to do both regularly to make things work really well. These articles go into why that's important and how it's bother easier and more difficult now than ever. 
  • More difficult because there's more available than ever before and the pace of change is ever increasing. 
  • Easier because there are more tools available than ever to help with the load. tools are often cheaper, easier to use and more relevant than ever and it's easier to collaborate and share solutions. 
By understanding these two opposites I think it becomes obvious that we have no choice about the speed of change. Our real choice is how we adapt ourselves and our processes to deal with this. 

I think of it very much like hitting a moving target. What is good enough today is not tomorrow. gap between these two points is getting ever greater. That kind of means that to keep up I need to get fitter so I can cover more and more ground each year.

Being a software developer and a sport scientist. I can both learn from mans acheivements and natures. The best way of dealing with this that I have found is to be flexible in your approach to just about everything, particularly the skill set and abilities you yourself develop and work on. this means:
  • looking at the wider picture. 
  • regularly reviewing and improving your approaches and direction
  • Aiming for general targets that leave several options open rather than specific targets that cannot accept change
The main point of linking to these articles is that Tony Karrer, who runs the blog seems to be writing about many things I relate to and coming up with many of the answers I have. I learned a few new tricks and tips reading the articles so I think you may too. 

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