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What I Have Been Doing Lately
Reading Time: 2 minutesFor the last few months, I have been focusing on a few big things that kept me away from my writing routine. During this time, many of you sent me messages asking when I’ll be publishing the next article. The answer is now clear: I am going to publish right now!
Here is what I have been up to:
This summer I did some traveling in Europe. I spent a week in England, a week in France and three weeks in Italy. It was a wonderful time where I reconnected with my family and my roots, I cleared my mind and regained a fresh perspective on reality. I didn’t realize how caught I was in my professional daily life until after taking a break. When I returned home from my trip, I felt refreshed and had a new lens on life and work. Taking time off is essential; not only for selfish and personal reasons but also for business. After a break, productivity increases and you get much more stuff done. The fantastic company I work for,DreamBox Learning, received a substantial investment ($130M) from the Rise Fund ...
Doodle Tuesday: Squid
Reading Time: 1 minuteIt’s Doodle Tuesday again!!
This doodle started as a tangled rope and ended up being some sort of squid from the depths of some nightmare. This is also the first doodle that I publish from a new reusable Notebook that I just purchased and really liked. The notebook is the , which has a leather hardcover. Really sleek-looking and the “paper” is as good as the Everlast.
Screen-Time, Dangers and Fallacies
Reading Time: 5 minutesParental Struggles with Screen-Time
As a parent, the general notion of screen-time is challenging to disregard. I spent a lot of time thinking about it, as it is a concept that bothers me. It is also an important concept that cannot be ignored as it hides real risks. What troubles me is not the widespread concern about the dangers of screen-related obsessive behaviors; that concern is healthy, and I share it. The problem I have is more about semantics, generalizations and dangerous nuances.
Screen-time is an expression that describes any time spent in front of a screen. Watching TV, playing video games, reading e-books, using social media, reading or watching the news, watching videos, coding, etc. It is all technically screen-time; but, is all screen-time bad? ...
Doodle Tuesday: Abstract Landscapes and Extrusions
Reading Time: 1 minuteIt’s Doodle Tuesday again!
I have been an active (amateur) landscape photographer for well over twenty years. I took a break from photography a couple of years ago due to time limitations. However, glimpses of impossible abstract wide-angle landscapes crop up in my doodles, merged with three-dimensional objects.
I am not sure what this is, but it appeared on my page during a meeting.
Doodle Tuesday: Hole
Reading Time: 1 minuteIt’s Doodle Tuesday again!
As you might already know, I switched to a reusable notebook and Frixion pens a few weeks ago, and I still love it. I don’t think that I’ll go back to a Moleskine and conventional indelible ink anytime soon.
Now, looking at my most recent doodles, the underlying theme appears to be “gaping holes,” or something like that. I am not sure why. My subconscious makes that kind of decision without giving any explanation to my conscious.
This Tuesday doodle is part of that series (the first one I publish). What do you think? ...
Product Vision, Agile, and Going to the Moon
Reading Time: 5 minutesVision:
(noun)
a vivid mental image, especially a fanciful one of the future.
A Clear Vision
Everyone who lived before witnessing the Apollo 11 mission on July 20th, 1969, could only dream of touching the Moon. In 1865, Jules Verne, a French novelist, had that dream in the form of a novel that he titled “From the Earth to the Moon.” He told a story of a group of gun enthusiasts and their attempts to build an enormous space gun to launch three people to the Moon.
It took 104 more years for humanity to find a way to realize that dream. When it happened, it was one of humanity’s proudest achievements; a glorious moment that required an immense amount of planning and work. ...
Doodle Tuesday: Smoke
Reading Time: 1 minuteIt’s Doodle Tuesday again!
Sometimes I just feel like doodling a smoke tower, spewing a cloud of black smoke. A dark figure standing next to it. Call me a “ray of sunshine.”
Avoid Design by Committee: Generate Apart, Evaluate Together
Reading Time: 4 minutesThe tech industry thrives on innovation. Building innovative software products requires constant design and architecture of creative solutions. In that context, I am not a fan of design by committee; in fact, I believe that it is more of a disease than a strategy. It afflicts teams with no leadership or unclear leadership; the process is painful, and the results are abysmal.
Usability issues plague software products designed by committee. Such products look like collections of features stuck together without a unifying vision or a unique feeling; they are like onions, built as a series of loosely connected layers. They cannot bring emotions to the user because emotions are the product of individual passion. ...
Doodle Tuesday: Weeping Hat
Reading Time: 1 minuteIt’s Doodle Tuesday again!
My doodles are generated somewhere in between consciousness, dream and deep focus. I am not sure where this one got its characteristics, but it turned out slightly disturbing. It was a long day.
11 Essential Elements to Build High-Performing Engineering Teams
Reading Time: 6 minutesBeing able to build high-performing engineering teams is a non-negotiable skill for engineering leaders. It is the difference between successful and failing technology companies.
I have been thinking about this topic for many years, studying and decoding what exceptional leaders do to create great teams. During this time, I refined a list of what I believe are 11 must-have elements. I kept it in one the many thousands of Evernote notes that organize my life, and I finally decided to share it.
First, let me give you the summary of the elements in the form of a MindMap infographic. I debated between publishing this view at the beginning and at the end of the article. I decided to go for the beginning, as I hope it will spark your curiosity for the many details that you’ll find in the rest of this post. ...
