Recently joined a project. Feeling that good old taste in my mouth, the urge to prove my worth.
Wanted to share my experience and see if it resonates…
I know what I bring to the table. I’ve done this many times.
Still, there’s always that voice that says OK, GAME ON, LET’S SHIP.
However, my experience and years of running fast and breaking things put a hand on my shoulder to tell me I should not hasten myself right now.
Right now:
It’s better to be precise than fast.
It’s better to focus on understanding than delivery.
It’s better to be detail-oriented than speed-oriented.
That’s why I am taking my time to thoroughly test what I do.
I don’t want to ship bugs to production.
When joining a project, it’s harder to create the right testing scenarios, to differentiate bugs from features, and to see where technical debt is hiding.
So I’m exercising my precision by:
- Making video walkthroughs of my tests;
- Asking for assistance from teammates;
- Pair programming;
- Creating clear and transparent checklists;
- Triple-checking before pushing it forward.
And the results are coming! \o/
It’s an exercise of being present, of mindfulness, of letting go of that need to show productivity.
But on a deeper level, it’s an exercise of acceptance and self-recognition.
Any other tips for anyone who is joining a project?