Distilling complexity is the hallmark of a truly talented developer

Too many technologists live in a bubble of acronyms and tech stacks and jargon, without understanding the point of modern technology: to enable and empower other humans to live and work more easily.

While the medium or language may vary, storytelling is ultimately what I view as my role as a programmer and designer. Well-written software has a deeply human element; it evokes both an emotional response and fulfills a tactical need. It conveys a cohesive message to the user - and carries with it a set of underlying values depending on how it is architected. Do we want code monkeys writing software that appeals only to their own mental logic and doesn't make much sense for the user? Or do we put the user at the center of our work from the start, designing and writing code that distills complexity and brings a feeling of empowerment to users?

Whether it means taking a massice dataset and finding hidden stories within it, or coding a user interface for a web app that delights the user, my guiding pattern is always with the user at the center of my work.