Today I learned about a tool to help with workflows on your mac. The Better Touch Tool allows the user to create custom workflows, keyboard shortcuts and snap areas.

The custom keyboard shortcuts can be set to individual apps or to be enabled in certain circumstances. In addition to special keyboard shortcuts, the app also allows you to customize actions based on gestures input through the trackpad.

A feature I have started using is setting up custom snap areas. The basic level of this feature adds in the functionality found default in modern Windows environments. When dragging an app to the edge or top of the screen it will snap to take up half or a corner of your screen. The advanced functionality of this features allows you to set multiple drag zones that will allow you to size a window down to the specific pixel dimensions that work for you, then create a keyboard shortcut or drag zone to replicate these dimensions.

Finally, if you have a favorite mouse whose auxiliary buttons and features do not work natively with your mac, you can map the desired functions with this app.

Today I learned about a few new workflow ideas to improve communication with clients. Being the technologists that we are, the value of modern communication tools like Slack is very clear. Many clients or business partners, however, may not be interested in learning a brand new tool or workflow.

Slack is a powerful asynchronous communication tool that allows teams to communicate efficiently without interrupting each other’s focus. It is like text messaging when communicating directly with another team member. It can also be used like a group text or chatroom when communicating with a relevant team or micro-team.

Email is still king in the sense that it is so ubiquitous. Almost everyone is comfortable with email these days. The problem with email is that it is easy for messages to get lost in the noise. Communication with a group of people or carrying on a long thread of messages can get messy.

If 3-5 team members are CC’d in an email to a client, and they respond with Reply, instead of Reply-All the rest of the team is left out of the conversation.

If a team member sends a question to the client and forgets to CC everyone, communication also breaks down.

I found a few potential solutions to this communication conundrum. So that client emails are made visible to the team, Slack provides for the creation of a “Channel Email Address”. This can be shared with the client as THE email to use with the team.

What if the client still emails an individual instead of the Channel Email Address? No problem, just setup a Gmail filter to auto forward messages from a particular person to your special email address.

Awesome, so we have the ability to capture incoming emails in slack. What about sending messages to said person’s email?

I found a solution for that too.

There is a service by the name of mailclark.ai that allows you to setup a Slack email channel that will forward messages communicated in slack to the desired email address(s).

At the end of every sprint, it is a good idea for the team to conduct a retrospective.

The sprint retrospective gives the team the opportunity to reflect on the process of the past week. The simple and effective retrospective processes used by one of the leaders in Agile education is a great place to start and even stay when it comes to reflecting and improving your process.

The Start / Stop / Continue Retrospective. 

There are many ways to gather creative ideas using this method, the simplest is letting the team shout out ideas.

The continue items are often ideas that the team is reminded to keep working on and can be included in a display of the previous weeks retrospective results.

The stop items are processes or events that lead to blockers or other inefficiencies.

The start items are new ideas that the team can do to improve the processes.

After the ideas are collected and compiled, it is time to vote.

By focusing on a single item (or a short few), it allows the team to find an area of focus that the team as a whole agrees is an important idea. By focusing on a single, or short list of items the team can choose a focused direction as a theme for the following week.

Basic courses on git

• Try Git allows the beginner to try out commands using the dreaded command line without fear. This interactive web app walks you through the basics of using Git.
• The Introduction Series in the GitHub & Git Foundations is a collection of several videos covering a wide range of beginner to intermediate Git tasks.

More advanced course created by Upcase

When you have mastered the basics of Git and GitHub, Upcase provides advanced tutorials and workflows to bring your skills to the next level.

The longest week. The shortest week.

Any time one is exposed to a brand new experience, time often feels broken. The week flew by to seem that we just started this morning, yet it feels as though we have been here for weeks. I have been overwhelmed with excitement and energy with the new opportunity yet left exhausted and dizzy from learning the new processes and procedures.

I know nothing. I know something.

The most frustrating part of being new is the feeling that you are slowing down the team. Of course, I know there is a learning curve with everything, but the internal pressure to contribute can feel overwhelming. The key, I believe, is patience. When starting your first week, keep the following in mind. Know that such feelings are normal among others in your position. Learn something every day and you will be surprised with your progress. Before you know it you will be contributing.

Team Trim.

The support and guidance I have received from the team have been second to none.

I am extremely impressed with the knowledge and progress of the mentoring developers. Developers who started as apprentices just one year ago demonstrate the knowledge and experience of seasoned engineers.

I am very thankful for the opportunity to be a Trim Apprentice and look forward to seeing where 2017 takes us.