Becoming a Better Developer

If you regularly read many of the development blogs on the Internet, you’ve probably seen at least one entry devoted to how someone is going to be a better developer (usually in the next 6 months). In a nutshell, I’ll list some things I’ll do to make myself a better developer. I’ll use ideas I’ve gotten from others and some that I came up with on my own. My specialty is .NET development, so my list will come from that perspective.

1. You’re reading it. I’m starting this blog. I already have a blog dedicated to sports, but this blog will give me the chance to write about tech and development topics that interest me.
2. I’ll listen to more tech related podcasts. I’ve started to listen to Scott Hanselman’s Hanselminutes, and I’ll listen in on .NET Rocks more often. I’ve always been a fan of TWIT and Steve Gibson’s Security Now. Of course, I’ll keep listening to MacBreak Weekly.
3. I’ll work on a non-work related project. I’ll work on a project that I’ll use for my own enjoyment or to solve a problem in my person computing life. I’ll also use tools or languages that I don’t already use at work to expand my skill-set.
4. I’ll expand my use of unit testing with NUnit or some other application.
5. Learn about and apply design patterns to my development projects.
6. In addition to writing about development, read more about development best practices. That can be books, blogs, or magazines. As long as it’s good content, it doesn’t matter where it comes from.
7. Participate in my local .NET user group.
8. Share my new found knowledge with my fellow developers. Either at work or in community web sites.
9. Create a self action plan for my career development.

I think if I stick with the items listed, I can’t help but become a better developer.