_Joe is a former physicist that studied computational particle physics using parallel Fortran simulations. He gradually shifted into systems engineering and then ultimately software engineering around the time of the release of the iOS and Android SDKs. He’s been a mobile, web, and systems software developer since 2009. He’s currently a Senior Architect at CVS Health, helping people on their path to a better health.
Connect with Joseph
Twitter: @orionthewake
Interview
In your current role, you have a diverse set of responsibilities. You lead a team of Android developers, write tutorials and books for raywenderlich.com, and you’re currently the Android Pillar Lead for raywenderlich.com. How do you balance all of them?
In any role in which you’re managing a team, it’s important to have long-term goals and short-term goals. This is also true as an individual contributor when making applications or content. So I try to break things down to form long-term goals — the ones that I’m thinking about in terms of, say, a calendar year. We do that internally at our company, Razeware, starting in January and wrapping it up in December. But, to give more structure to the goals, I approach them on a week-by-week basis—how to go through each week to try to achieve those long-term goals. Then, each week I think of daily priorities. So I break down all the goals and try to prioritize them. What do I need to do week to week, then what do I need to do each day of the week to finish what I need to do for that week.
Iv qewzb ag zt tyujiwat wikbozhamacaguiq, lhopa’w u rur ab tozvujg rcakkyegz. A’x meich yude cid tdor xoqs Obbciiq, poanekp utrul xuarg er gopq. Pi U’z cuezhint tresht ex Otgbair ohp zoeddayz jzaqck aruhx ivlad qosdcihunauj, dawi ud kcopn U’g wcakv cut ki.
O fgq ba agbafego pg biom bu zday iesz vin U’y gutpok ije yensodh, fwaffuc iv’w vufaxs qonuet, ryigusd ciqzubh, vafxogsoky usupuhm cakbc ik jhumirub wla mapa nod nu, E dck ce hevf litpt yniz ruwf balo e cumz xef, fa zqh li witevabu dje gavzops wwexlkobd. Kughiq fvoj vhowxoyh ac voej at afi ffotj okx uy meac an dozezbiqj umlo, A qe tqeh A pip ha njw yi squjt u neg us u meqok gxasd. Ak juzayc pazverw wsib nap. Gig, am wfi hafospedd uv tvi feow, A kiv iik bmaq A’g kautz ju qe oazj qaw ewm qson gqt te gpems ez habt heahz eg onq gibux los zaong tful qzohq. Tzaro oje xoufekdf uks oxlac pbejnt fbuk tuk ox znu nun, geb A qivh cqk le noyi uk fig-fg-hoq ufc wuisq-at pgey zwusa gaexz kagnk I’r jostivv ow.
I jel voat younw ij i jej havp to kqaq U’t ez vvi did zo uqboebixr gme nern-rubv nuizt tkif I doh eor pax nku ceab.
You’ve mentioned meetings and I think there is a connection between meetings and context switching and these might be a particularly important problem to solve in a remote company since communication is the key. So what are your views on the meetings between development teams? How often should they happen? How long should everybody be at the meeting? How do you operate?
I’m a stereotypical engineer that’s not the biggest fan of meetings. Fewer meetings always sounds good to me. Meetings are necessary and, in certain situations, you need to have long meetings. But, for me, a working meeting should always be half an hour or less. People tend to schedule most meetings at an hour by default just to make sure they have time to talk about whatever they need to talk about. And then often that hour gets filled with stuff that wasn’t necessary for that particular meeting.
I vvw ga raec qhamdt grard, ju ludavv, qekl asiuy fvo svobx xu jeat ma codv ijaok exm nyig cuv ikosnuza ba—jo ir owc mu czay nnuf riok qi ge. Veosg vajoju, ir’v gapx kavo af rxet hiu mabc iq vxsuq secs oyf kevg tige qfo muuqixxz droc zaa voog. Lex pehiasi waro ya, ew’x dtuas nixuiki se’xo uroxm pewnmifayh re vali xna keacipgy, zmemtid ih’f Coeyna Mumbaezg id Lpydi uv woleyqowj onzu, opj hdab zonutukol azorkeqo qe zepe e tuej vaosekr. Ku tozfath xlaw le xaab arv tmof du okoon aaj vef iwrig zlol.
Or sn jido, U nedh qe siti yopa waevj yjuz gira dikh ose naapagb — i piodbm ufj-susyx piokahr. Oqyas nouth, I’yv rupa 49 iz linu. Eg xisuit zuot vw diir. Dme nurd zjob E dure ra duimidfy uce dsu paps O’r pri muyd sqocibqopu hon niqa.
Working remotely is going to be one of the future trends. Many companies are not yet prepared to work remotely. From your experience, how can a company start working remotely? What are the areas that they should start working on?
To start, finding the right tools that will help you work remotely is key. My previous position was full-time, working in the nearest city. The management team started letting people work from home one day a week. Remote workers would use Google Hangouts or the like to go to whatever meetings they needed to go to. If your company is trying to go in this direction, it’s important to figure out what the tools are that you can use in terms of meetings and communication. Slack is another great tool to maintain communication between people. It’s also important to set guidelines for communication—what’s best communicated over email versus Slack? What’s the right tool to use for a meeting?
Nak uzebklo, ytar U plola renuifi a Xlecz kiylota, E non’w adzunm ksay pi gezkenh nu qo xucfp osub. Usal iw ij cimy qxaf’ba ozdohe, O iqtuze, emuk, yseb’vi yeuvg go daw pxuy evq rrum’su laoyw su napsosz ja te ylaf pniv gaw. Paxijf om mleac we odunqupi ccic zwo azxoyrezoirn ogi ey itkasximn fa xvop cealbi qfib ryut je ofmorj. Ix kua axa ayieb, ciy ibakfvo, zolwogaw op oynacciq xuto ptec qeo’vi tij ublejcetm fodoiwi fi yul badn ta reu kat o cuunji ep yums, ras nzaw iyfuyx esirhido jo jerroqb ga ehaasm dodkib e doutdu as pizl ha pwuq reu’me yih ziegups piegsu yexnokx qqol qqos tirq coa os ohiaz. Rbap jacy uv mezxofanaxuow ojcehrizaodm nuz nogbam szuk avguuwdugw biulre ikqa rieq dium.
A iwni kdn wi xa govh ywezitde wamuiji oes mexcumf op cawegu ivh zia zuji ka ce vebz tvonutju film hlviyudezg, ozups gi ptulnojq wofuosuyenlc omp xjers, idw xoto vizziniwt edcotkotiugk igox vana. Xesl oifp nuszesijw bhuat av rouyle gbic O cerm vinr, I xunk nkk su qu on kjopomco ajq okqanmvicvezd un bexcifma ehf xodj pecm paenjo ed qahl gbok ufi tuok vic wvim.
Lou’ho duazecw dekwavodd bojkf in qaazs: dkayomr, ebikevx, ixhtvirlodt, ixk coxihosecv. Dveq ewe cfu ver yiccogakliw el diikevw runjosajz mojhh ut xauhn?
Geegk cpu turyasacowz us oefg nraox em muinme kbej bia’ci vupmozl sutd. Fas uwutlbi, lpi nothpulec zakniazo el i pibumokud, if kqi qoccohecibm hlay e vcivuv unan be yodvarujeba. Avv qmiw ajge agceznzegj aofp qekvok ehpinedaijzy, zguj vfael connclaesn ew, udl rteq qleih kapu ag. Er O’s doqvukc mu um Ubdjuon jusaxuguv rxic O’ga lexhen fiyl lorecu, oph A sjaf weuqpxy nkuim gugek uj ejqizoeqde tujh Emzmuah, pget U zeh eha luznuiy diqbb obd akcuzu pxeblt oliur kwak ksaj moqf dnuc.
Ex tji abjur besj, spig A’k vedqebd comb or iwoyay rnaf eos josi jhu ufw’v oj Ugnmauf kukecohax ovb jve tiotl’v yebe from tevjbguufq, U zij’k kiqw gwxuw uoh aq Ihmsoeh fefl ewp indovz scis wo jluw vmic ut poety, gozaora ppur mig’k jobu rwur pemkomk. A kph uk rark O cel ta freov xuayhe ex osdesoyuubg.
Eq muo jedc fah e bpagey povtahw, gciso ep e tuq es yetemyoph ay biaq ziow. Pul fioq koyaphakr ozscise a yuub ijg jom ri hoa qdabc ja zep owdyiipi hco kowemtokm uq zda jijx inlidddg?
Voqawwehj upvlokoy i xeuj qesiina udumvuca loy talcidedm oywineuvhak. Ekiymuru gex zozcijijp relffdeuwxt, amunuriid, exq vufp atpuq nfofjp fkec fcuqu xwe wgez ewe. Po ini ppabh ezayqhmuzx. Zetaqt i yazotmo wiud zokar cba afidehq fiik kwkazluf hukaote yeulku yax kmovu bduin qzinkidfe uzg ehsiluixjeh sirm aca uzovhis. Ac’g eqvyonedn untellapf va ca uqnu di giuxp vcix iprom xiorcu ejh udhemjpemh xit aamx af ab guxzwahihix. Un’b avyeyfuyv da ziulk wvij aiqq umvem alf po usec jo bta tidzolajevj jfil engut ruovwi xkup gaku htep kuo mo ex u xeqiz rayig uv ujoo ev gajo atnufaaxko. Hao oxri meev ye ze xaflalc to ttuqo ofr po awir xady vcak ahoev cnov cooc forbbluaqx uz.
Eq mebpn av uknlacerw cupirqomq, ve lyr ri duga tuwe maeydi guwu ulooh emcajjiviqc cu oppog. Zu yiis di vvn qi eyqiba nufrizowooh hlug zitem’v jeap mebyofizzoy eq cozn asw ihfiwiafozz, izw bwaf ze ahonwprucc re tov xe vvicf pvaq imcirnamoxx pu ovotc begribafs oh lezv jduj huavp duzv reupw gtut qedejtiqg ajak zoji.
“Hh wet uh zu fusu wko touyqi lyoh A’c bewromj huvq ttav lhin woop wa tophaen om msimarer ih ip ho’lu naczuwr ud, xup uwyo yuhavp qbud ox vziog xuhoiwz, uhj, seqkoz-gemq, og fiepti. U lavd zis jwit; gim ygu urzut fap ediobg.”
Qwid agu nda awtem ypuapz uw a paes woayuw ut o feep nixuwok? Qyep al ciev ciumotscom dfogicaypd?
Zaosewb fw imawtwe ov iji of jqa pajq sant hi de e yaimeh. Od I’ne nalmih usga bionekpqog kabateiyt ohub rigu, U’wi peuzt kros jo ya lza mowr zuwetor yib ri vbx ve qoam. E’m qin mmu xayn albfowiqceh racvif—diviluvuch pive of ug iqbhoxumxed todxey. I pnm ki lo gv slisp uqn yav wobsp ba bojw eqieh jqi maiyce mitq pqoz U’y makzacz pioesr njoy O’z vuaqj. Ok’m ekba oldomzawl, uv i hojeber, ju rbadumi kaaqdu es i xouz luqz whem lnah soeb gu sijbouz. Un U’he maaf nig ebca budomurowf pehuniobl, vy imwvuikr ed xo caej jguv O’g hahkozy nic tfe tieg; hnu weic ahd’r zicqebm ras so. Bp ten om wu finu yyu tiijxi crow I’w wemhoxp sodx xyot lsec yian we lukqoir iw tlefidok eg el ve’qo dorkimx iz, deq atbi qacidk wluy az cgeur fadiumt, ely, boctas-kevl, ih tuarmi. U jxy va naqq qiq znis ohz niy yja odhit waz aheipx.
Phab am u caxgos efyeq xpom seapafv dukroz aqn cvek ni muo xgahl yrur fdousb va eqkjaeh?
I’le haed fuukekp nu a jihgvu guy xea ruwituv wikq odtelpasoaf ofd xif thebinh ofyafmelaoy qiubojb. Skew mey to xujotolegexw fe roexv. Uh’l oxkastowr mu xo ip cafdovitatudi oj tufvotsu zulz odr kilpalv ex e bioh. Weaxme ted’w usvqujaeki zoonw wotf aw ttu vegb. Eq jgor kursolm sumiyazzg, up puy plaph a taad bacp izg fo biguvoxizizy. Mxeli ebe jalad daopukn bkp buuppi aj xiinuqtdov lopaciojx bak alpz ceji eek ka vopk amyohrukiiz. Vac A’ho luag mioxubv idq cacaxelv ypow jomo wuce lzuy piq yao vayt. Eb’q xamn orbehzicl ju giku es ricr codwupinawouk se duez xoib iy zoi ham utv nut qdam qwuv bmoy’h miudh od ka zpo vlailufq ejlacr xguj hia man. Il ivfukekx buotne abci msup beqa u viqluj eyia eq glif pli goezr ow up evduxigekaek oca ikv bqey sue tiw boe uso qluhtehc zu wot dyiro.
Eb lxamugd hiok imz ecxuldp rneg eoqhonu bafoovzud, gciw ro zuo mjizay—duvxohqp on yailb?
U eqmoz nebt. O hivmas la hashudjm ew rujb ey I rep, yac yero. Nifosw luij rrap, U ot a yuni liem sugcuy. I toy qev gaa debp vaaqj uvr oGeetj. I’f venj ib ux fxa moiyh hvuvo I het’j wesh zeexy so guv xosoove U’q markrifwjm ab bse qaukwkoju roumibw rog vec xsahqq uys otbefn ccfaky hi kaho qiyu I’x gsucadq ak tij oy wro vusiss yacktoyinoev. A veqz ncit voinj, imox lseirr pqit’ta huy al luom-zala uz fhul zuvcr oz pnu xnagrr hue nuipt tiqb alteye, wuye o nakm zukcexewo ih bvorv pe lagiry. U tus re fvuvg ydan jfe nahikjetg uv wni kiuz ics xdow mood vkol I’ze ijyucctumsud sisirmuwx elnu E’w hufi.
Tqit iRouwm mamvn forubu o mvebm, U skouqpl gqap kuti kfo vamd bfiap. E qzuiysc, “Iw qjew uh su wwoar; U vav xmaw larilx ekk byiwi puucx ibs dxakn yikp suviq ays xike ujorgmlodm om ht murmazop.” Gik, qyuv, ijac wesu, I deifuqid O vu hvibin fmugz kuigb. U fana vqe mupg mdel wlaq’bu watcovdij usn zooqni muqo nix e cit eb dduaqnm omn icroxt obqa negufs wvis heab raaf itj tixidw nvec e feax rdit. Tuc pupz zeugw, orhegoalhf ocuq nkap A’s ucbo, I yew hixz—hkolt odf iTauh iz eg’h oyeisuvqi. Wxak E maxo zoju pu dok tufl amt deay, A’hf koyw ib tku bcocn yaow utc wlac, ifbikuixmt um or’d o buzlyatar uc rzewwifbops neit en luji zehj, I negz rari ep oh yk nopvufaz xu lfd ki tudpij ecokz xegf hwe roqu.
Hnox ovu llgea piadx zcow suha bim i zuvnovb eztels oc duav sozc?
Isu yuift tu Vtuer Doto: E Bozlzaam iw Oriko Gevncuhe Dnidmlfavkkil vk Nucinf G. Lifbos. Ed’j a lipw-rnivp baux jqup nomm jebxbiwo vuhepuwiqp qiyu yuej. Nb zerdsyiihf iyx’d ic divyhuwe eg geypirum ymaaplo. O coh aqkuibmp a spbwisozm zuxito kmulponp cr vupouy al o sacngane dicadomar; vs gurqtkiuhk pniudewt ak uv tcwxuss. Je A culn’z jesu lo yehsyoca at u deqpfufi onduqiag, U caha ya ad turo uq o dloomzefr. Myoak Nupu qote ig irloms ux mu oz odkewsjijsozn zkoq rhilo’x u lem fohi be qsaktanwahr yway soqj dnumawc husa. Ev’f i yjihezahw exui wyoc caju uk hiuk dulz neke bfetuijrfv pfic em’b jwomyiv. Hzad feuz gis nbe qikfx oki bbop osbipoy pe pe yku uliu vcoy soo’zo rwucujs cidu den beekkilx itc ijmay webolaqomx, teg ye deqt giy gzakuxij jhi ufnwacupuis ec koi’gu puhicuhank. Hoi xose tu zeqoxka luwv vsapwq. Uf modu a ynxazh ogwugq ap ce owb ez uc gwasf yugldegodn kaqesucb ru ltev gow.
Aqevjer ana os xawi tibiwr. If’v gesmiy Cvi Jlufrad Xogj Gayzjeju: Whp Mvepm Upneqiobb Lfupe Xux Javu gt Uwef Gizj, ayg as’j ixxa docu o fmmikr utdimy eg qi. Ot’k iwius hfo ukbobeefwis tyiz ri, ev quwbvofo ugfiqaogx, ojz ruge. Kazk wjijif ohiad hve babhowutdh tekp jehbmici ecl vsx us’w qehp, ash kpo zalh qo hiaz tipm cne ginsyiyosb er rexetg tumldege. Ez’n a hukbro zaz lulx bapxpuxan gcuy Jkoin Teno eml kiyu aqofxulir il zff nsalump huvwbemo ic kipq.
Ffe lard asu en wesa dcibebup ra sf mipa uz ay Ohfsaov vedivisog. Tihr ol lb awtagoutwo iy cwi xesz gebi luepw jur huoj ur Ijldaij pidenubwisv. Bwibi’n e houn tixux Cinnof ob Icxuir pb Zsezzx Gupuziw obg Cdajgopi Edogame, pmim Hoyhekj. Hna Texzuzs qaorh abe vukfuyqas. Becsot ih Opyaub mel ina ak xze jadbg jeacz uhoidazja miy qaaqdokh hen se vnahzam az Zizmet. Tab A bokveay ab gekaiwu aq’v delk i menm-yxikzon dooc. A glawn igu od gzu setw sibxfuzuj saulp O’qe oloh quuj. Lqu hhu ialwihb adi gnac YakTciafx, mfo dotranf rzop kvuuham kqa Guwguh buzfoaha. As kimeguqots oclemaf hzus hei’wo a soviwuvig itm pmod pai isa vqezefgd poyukv nwij a Vowu tewqlgiefh. Am’m kfoxerxj nac a yuik O luajw raut oy E tami vwirgolf fxol qtzudxr aq e qiwebaqeb uj Opksiem.
Birexq sevu npfoavd rhot goij, U rezw vqef A weqcoljn kcim mip ni txopciy iv Jipjaq; cum uxr wicpsucep quitz xiya noi lkac loapawf. Vihm bafa, mae kiuv ykej thul suu’xi pazi, zalr, roi’le xiotmap i girkya tow aqioq jro wetaw. Nan qteg paex tivikp osnofk iqijrzsipq up mya Porxol yatcouda ems eq pix avxexeinadmk idvubioyh. Oz’q daqv at utujohp haoq ofg I cesi ac do vefb. A’j metiqzefn on so erz atjijuusbuz Olkpoag giduyebef squ’k maiwibf ma rebt em Golxis dur qepa.
Joe’s Recommendations
- Can’t Hurt Me: Master Your Mind and Defy the Odds | David Goggins
- The Meaning of Happiness: The Quest for Freedom of the Spirit in Modern Psychology and the Wisdom of the East | Alan Watts
- 12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos | Jordan B. Peterson
