Professional Development Articles
Agentic Bug Fixing Experience Report
We recently released our first beta build to our client’s QA. Their Software Development Product Manager knows her failure cases inside out and quickly compiled eight tricky bugs. We wondered how the Agent would handle them. Gotta start somewhere We took her bugs as a list of platforms and what she found. We wrote (I […]
Agentic Software Development Requires Good Engineering Practices
I’ve recently started working on a client project that is using Agentic AI to develop a sizable mobile application with a medium sized team. There are a couple of lessons I’m learning about how AI and architecture fit together. We have found the number of lines of code each developer generates is far more than […]
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 […]
Book Review: Storytelling with Data
This summer, I read Storytelling with Data by Cole Nussbaumer Knaflic. It’s a book I’d recommend to anyone working with data or to anyone who wants to become a better communicator. Even if you think you know the basics of charting, this book offers a whole new lens for seeing how data can be used […]
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 […]