Writing
On engineering, learning and career, from a self-taught engineer who learned most of it the hard way.
Is it better to become a specialist or a generalist?
A specialist has deep expertise in one field. A generalist has range across many. Here is how I think about choosing, and why the answer changes with time.
How to teach yourself how to code, or anything
I hate to study, but not to learn. What self-teaching actually feels like, and the things that worked when I taught myself to code.
Why skipping user research is a recipe for UI/UX disaster
Designing without user research is like driving blindfolded. A guest post on what you miss when you skip it.
The difference between a good and a great programmer
How did they solve it in minutes when you have been stuck for days? The gaps between good and great, and what to work on next.
Do you need to memorize things as a software developer?
Programming is more logic than recall. Why memorization is the wrong target, and what to build instead.
Welcome to issadevs, a blog with fact-based growth tips
The blog I put off for three years, why I finally started it, and who I am writing it for.
Why you should not drop out of college. I learned it the hard way
Things worth considering before you drop out, from someone who did it and lived through what came after.