Great Teams Make Great Things

“Very few of the best apps and services in the world were created by a single person. So if we want to be a part of the next great product, why wouldn’t we be seeking out the best teams? The Macintosh. The iPhone. Google. Twitter. All of these were created by teams of people who shared a common goal.

Often times when searching for new contract work or new jobs, we look for the most exciting app idea, or a prestigious logo to put on our resumes. But if we want to be happy and successful in our work, we should be seeking out the best collaborators.

Having done contract work for many, many clients, over the years, I’ve learned to spot the qualities of a great team. And I’ve learned to choose the projects I work on based on the teams that are involved.

In this talk, we’ll discuss the elements of great team collaboration. And we’ll talk about the ways in which we can make ourselves more valuable to the teams we join. Not by simply enhancing our coding capabilities, which is only the begining. But also by raising the bar on our interpersonal and collaborative skills as well.

The talk will cover the following topics:

– Working with other developers on the team
– Style guides
– Tips for code review
– Flexibility and open-mindedness
– Working with Designers
– The importance of good design
– Your role in design as a developer
– Working with Clients or stakeholders
– Why good might be better than perfect
– What impact your decisions in development might have on marketing, sales, etc.
– Tips for team meetings
– What are everyone’s motivations?
– What do they need to do their jobs, and how can you help?
– How to contribute to solutions, not problems

Through gaining a better understanding of your colleagues’ motivations and needs, you can make yourself the the sort of person with whom others _want_ to work. And you can have a career with far fewer frustrations when you surround yourself with people who don’t actively annoy you every day. “