What do you do if your software design skills need continuous improvement?

Don’t re-invent the wheel! Chances are, there are many articles that can solve your problem. While there may be some unique elements to your situation, reading and learning from other people’s experiences will help you understand the pitfalls of what may seem like an obvious solution, especially with higher scale systems. Reading most days of the week is something that Gates, Musk and Zuckerberg all do. Reading or listening to books and standing on the shoulders of giants is essential to making big steps forward in system design and architecture.

To a big part, I agree with the point of Craig: you do not need to re-invent the wheel. But in my view, there is a further point that needs to be mentioned here: it is passive knowledge to read articles / listen to podcasts / ... But it is passive: when someone speaks about it, you understand his / her words. But to really solve a problem, you need active knowledge: you need to build systems, even just small-scale systems in order to learn how to build it, how should your process look like, what are the weak pints, how to test / assure that your system fulfills all the expectations, ...

Continuous improvement thrives in a loop of seeking feedback, asking questions, and in return getting fresh insights. By actively soliciting feedback from mentors, colleagues, or even customers, you gain valuable understanding of your strengths and weaknesses. Asking clarifying questions during the feedback process ensures a deep understanding of the areas needing improvement. With these insights, you can then set specific goals and explore targeted learning to bridge the skill gaps.

Nothing is constant and similarly we cant just keep on skills daily in efficient manner. We have to assess periodically the need of time, a quarter is a good time lap to learn the needed skills and then utilise it . See the outcome while check whats new in market and plan for it next . Changes will always be there daily but we can just keep on running on new skills daily otherwise it may be effective. Define the goals to achieve, find the ways to achieve it, start with one action then next and next . Look on improvements the skills are adding and accordingly take next step …

Consider using Pair Programming techniques to work together with another developer on a single task, with one developer acting as the "driver" writing the code and the other as the "navigator" reviewing, suggesting improvements, and keeping the big picture in mind. This constant communication fosters an environment where ideas are shared, solutions are discussed, and potential problems are identified early. This teamwork leads to improved code quality, better adherence to coding standards, and knowledge transfer between developers. Developers should switch driver/navigator roles regularly so they can gain experience from both outlooks, thereby improving their overall skills.

It can be very useful to cooperate with - requirements engineers: to learn how to define clearly all the requirements you assume to be valid --> help in formulating the hidden requirements - testers: to learn how to assure that your implementation completely covers all the requirements, both the functional and the non-functional requirements (like requirements of cybersecurity or functional safety) - with the end-users: to define clearly and in a measurable way what is the added value to the end user --> why would (s)he choose your system to work with.

Tackling challenges is like exercising for your software design skills. With each new problem or project, you encounter different scenarios, constraints, and requirements, which push you to think creatively and critically. By actively seeking out and solving these challenges, you not only gain practical experience but also refine your problem-solving abilities, learn new techniques, and deepen your understanding of design principles. It's a continuous process of learning and growth that keeps your skills sharp and adaptable to evolving demands in the field of software design.

Setting a goal of achieving a professional certification is a great way to improve skills because it isn't just about adding a credential to your resume - The process of studying for these exams acts as a power-up for significant skill development. By focusing on the exam's objectives, you'll identify areas where your knowledge might be outdated or lacking. This targeted learning ensures that you're acquiring the most relevant skills for your field, keeping you up to date with industry best practices and emerging technologies. The dedication required to prepare also solidifies these new skills, making them second nature and improves your overall abilities.

The most I have achieved from certifications were not the new things I have learned: the most was that there was a big set of detailed knowledge in my head and the preparation for the certification has put the pieces into a structured complete picture. This is like the difference between having a mountain of separated bricks versus building up a cathedral.

I would add here three aspects: - subscribing to podcasts: it is a way to keep up information about the basics of software development - reviewing the work products of your colleagues: you can learn a lot from the others. Colleagues are meant here in a broad sense, not just the people working at the same company as you do - training others: I could usually learn a lot when I tried to present the material a logically ordered manner

Hay algunas estrategias que pueden ser útiles: 1. Trazar una ruta de aprendizaje. Para ello vale la pena recabar fuentes bibliográficas y/o audiovisuales que sirvan de referencia. En foros como stack overflow hay recomendaciones de textos destacados. También podemos pedirle a ChatGPT que recomiende una ruta de aprendizaje para luego personalizarla con la ayuda de expertos de nuestro ámbito. 2. Revisar que tengamos los fundamentos necesarios. Generalmente el aprendizaje de dise?o requiere fundamentos conceptuales de: estructura de datos sistemas operativos bases de datos comunicaciones programación orientada a objetos. Si notamos carencias, podemos usar textos de tipo universitario para cubrir huecos. 3. Aprender teoría junto con práctica