Professional Development Articles
If You Can’t Wait 5 Years: Start Experimenting with AI for Robotics Today
In my last post, I discussed why the ChatGPT moment for robotics is likely still 5 years away. But if you can’t wait that long, this post has practical advice on how to start experimenting today. Be warned: the ecosystem is fragmented, the learning curve is steep, and (AI + hardware) == quirky. If you thought LLMs […]
Robot Foundation Models Are Not What I Was Expecting (I’m 5 Years Too Early)
When Physical Intelligence announced the π0 foundation model, I thought a ChatGPT moment in robotics was near. Here was a model that could control different kinds of robots to perform a variety of dexterous tasks. It could fold clothes, make coffee, assemble cardboard boxes, and more. I thought we’d get another post like swyx’s signaling robotics as an emerging capability of the […]
The AI Coding Revolution: Why Your Development Team Needs to Invest Now or Risk Being Left Behind
A developer’s perspective on mastering AI coding tools for competitive advantage The software development landscape has undergone more transformation in the past year than in the previous decade combined. As AI coding tools evolve from novelty to necessity, development teams face a critical decision: invest heavily in learning these tools now, or watch competitors pull […]
Work Notebooks 101: Types, Best Practices, and Why You Need One
Keeping track of everything we do can feel like a challenge. Solving tough problems, making important design choices, picking up new skills—there’s so much happening every day. When it’s time for career conversations, it often feels tricky to recall all the wins and lessons from the past year. I have talked with a few folks […]
A New Approach to Professional Growth: Personalized Learning Paths with Claude AI
Working with teams over the past 25 years, I have often been asked about where individuals should start on Professional Development. While I read a lot and know a good number of people that I can direct individuals to, I am always looking for better resources to help people. Recently, I was working with a […]
Professional Development Hack: Keep it fun with a company hackathon!
It’s no secret that we love our hackathons at SEP. These semi-annual weekends are one of our favorite traditions for so many reasons, including the fact that they are chock-full of professional development learning opportunities. With any combination of experience and expertise from our team, we find that working together to tackle personal projects or […]
Your personal programming project misses you. How to make more time.
Personal programming projects are a great way to explore new topics. They can allow you a scaffold for exploring new technologies or techniques. They can use a personal interest as a motivator to overcome the trials of learning. But they compete for your limited time with your responsibilities, friends, and family. Sitting down for a […]
Using Generative AI Every Day at Work? An AI Strategist’s Honest Take
I use Generative AI tools because, as a developer, I can’t ignore them. My clients and peers expect me to be at least conversant in AI technologies if not an expert. Maintaining that expertise means engaging with new tools as they come out. I’ve made a point to use them where I could for the […]
Professional Development is a Social Activity
Professional Development is not a one-size-fits-all recipe for success. In fact, it is as varied as individual careers. But not every career path is forged anew, a unique gem wholly unlike anything that has come before. Most of us have careers similar to our colleagues, with whom we’ve shared many experiences. In fact, the entire […]
Exploring Game Development with Pico-8
Today, I will walk you through a few steps to start learning game development with Pico-8. Video games are all around us. They connect to our TVs, occupy our computers, and ride along with us in our pockets. Our experiences with them ranging from a quick, fun diversions to immersive multi-hour sagas. Many of us […]
Invest in Your Career Growth with Small Habits for Professional Development
Some Professional Development activities are time-consuming. For example, gaining a certification for a cloud platform requires hours of learning and study before the hours of testing. This may feel like an intimidating amount of work. However, even a busy schedule can include a few small habits for professional development that, over time, will add up […]
Transferable & Soft Skills: The Unjustly Unsung Heroes of Software Development
“If you don’t figure out what you want to do for a career, you will fall behind in life.” I can remember hearing this loaded statement as early as 8th grade. Which, looking back on it, is about the equivalent of attempting to teach a dog new tricks as a squirrel scampers about in its […]