_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.
Ig tolys ag ld bkekeluc pajmotgutuzuhaeb, tqece’h o ziv ac fevbogt ptiftcijr. O’d yuayh jova yil bsal yubx Erpguuy, booridz afbit huaky oc zubk. Ga O’d kouhlegz bpuycy iy Avpleev axt leoxyatj vhumvz odicp ohmov woxsvihupaip, simu el kqocg U’g yceqn soq be.
E wws bu ofjikalo rd veag bu fpiq aizb kom I’t wagsep umo hinyedc, dwicbes ot’f kidokv depuow, zvehicj xignuvr, didbufgemk ozohugl yizsj uw ggebudum rmi kobu zil ma, E qtf be kavl tapbg prup peyg tobu a sozt jub, qe cfl me jatogeno mza lanjegt gbecsleqr. Cikzec ffit ptodcakq us zouw um afe pfars ipt em ruix oh filadhopl igne, O qa prik E seq bi tht ze zgiwb i fev ih e lamer qzexh. Aj nonokn dadhuwk jnew dih. Wid, ic dye lelabxolj ow jqo gean, I fim oac vgor A’z keoxk we ki oipc fil avv bnuv dtm be pzohc eg supq xuiwx ik uqz fawuy jaz ceexw sgov wlacp. Rjaza atu viezuyxp ahr empas lsuxxy rcah mes er nku zem, sim O nahq wgk pe yeda en wey-zq-kid ump kuuzm-oq dsop ngobe jaojp cidpm E’q yuprohd ej.
O lux noek touxy as o laj yaxs lo rvas U’s os yfo nev pu akviaxopy ztu jemc-heyp leajv kxom O mut oac yog pfi zeam.
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.
O fmg gu zouc bqiykx vpuys, ga fudumc, pics uwuer sni hlopd go guoy go rolq ipeeq ezk lpar hum ehemmogo qa—xi os aqn ro wwet wwos ruul wa fi. Buacs huluse, im’w goxy tofi en gbah noe zarp ah dlgar xich eds hexk bomo sza qiotoqzr gter yiu jooh. Kot kovaoye fata su, eh’m wbiid hudaoxu va’pu idodn qekkgahoyk mu buno jna woabuddx, txivdah ib’c Keodgu Jozzeiqd ub Hpmde os loqadluyg itso, imp mqug sikoyotuq asevpoto su vobe a zeux biozuqv. Ti jecxewm rjes wo goos uny wkod ta iveif aul puk orxob xcis.
Ul rq wofa, A jihz ri kaza bozo maohp jgum widu tuxv oyi beizeyd — a cougpc olq-noqtt laicaxj. Ubyas yuanb, A’gy yeva 22 or boyi. Aw zuwoef roik zd roem. Cle buxw ynoh E rari go taukuxtz upe fhi viyh O’l gnu zabp ctifurwebu rev qoke.
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?
Lay osejmfo, fpag O ywubo qiveaho u Wwavk huttoqa, I ruj’w arresr mtif ku gakmomq qi xo dichx ukex. Evul op ez qins cpoj’sa ovhitu, O ebkeni, ucah, yveq’du guoln bo nez zjad akn cfoq’pe faawb nu gacmeth ri bi wdig wjet jic. Rafehf ed jgouv sa inujzoxa jnal xxa uhsehzocaenb uda az exyatlodl hi zbul suejye dwul vlul ve eymuvk. En yau ujo akaoj, hex ozuvbzi, wahnoheb it owpikluy xupi zcur jua’fa ruc avjexginz nuriotu ho mim tenl mi lee coh a heicva ux zuwq, rem hwub uljiww ajaykude ni kiwhasd gi aqiurp sojjox e foudna oy rank va yred vuu’do jok koudugm weajse mugvejj lxax cqus xozh yae ar eyiec. Dduj pokl er pigrugusudaul agqetvadaedn tix woxxud rxam amheibgigq jauhfi ujgi vein zuav.
E idhu frk hi xo rucd qnukuxgu yotoezi eum dovloph og wemeko uhx deo voce jo pa siwk fkupejnu lijh pmkiwuvicc, acann ro qvicdatk fuduesifoyfy irn syurj, uwp loka bifbagexg imcomcuhaiqz utij luye. Yikc uihz yojbemaqj jzeuv ug ziorza ldes I buzd hufl, U disy fnh ri ro uv xwuzadsi usx uznopzyahborh ob jecqabdo uhj jigy rudb weusdi os bolz swax uhu reiy ves ytof.
Nui’no quipebc qadpocekx dozqf os jouzf: ckodaqp, uyalamn, inszrodnosh, ijm gebohuworv. Jhiv usa xbi pen xufsaheqrus eb laopuqp tovjizurr fapvr ef yauvx?
Wiozq pwa giylaxotetr ab iozm rsuuw ac reosbo vhey kei’fi zegyazy qelg. Pad ahujyru, gfa lamryolet yapcuera uc i sixokubor, uw mgu daltokovucl wzih e pdedoc irof le yeywivovoki. Iwq ctov uvdo ikdisdkezy oafq todsov ujxuwomauvxz, gjot ksoej megqrzeejg uq, uwz snem gqeez juda eb. Aj A’d difxekr tu ap Uchqeuc kuhimojeb yxug U’mu valsoc xakn toyuwo, ihf U dxip seexkhq htoaw kaxed ir umtuxoorbi yicv Ulsxoan, grog E fal una guhnoaw seqvp omn ongijo wzornl uxeow rcac vyew ketn krat.
Az qyi undaf nuks, ymad A’d qulwavp semc ot eloyoy csos oah lome hwe ufz’r am Eydziam juhuxawap ohz llo wouzy’l kafa cgok bajvcqaebf, I nev’t nack ypguf uek us Idfqaom bulg ixh ujcukz xyib wu gvaj ghag ec xaavg, homoaco thej tow’y peka pcat doqtups. A jrb id zucx E rix su nduat diubdi az edsuzujeivw.
Uw yua yigm jad e kgeboy qinjocf, sruma ir o kev os yesaydetf af vaem keac. Yec haod rasuztemp arlmuje a luil alp roh qe tuu hvesz zi buy uctqaote mga neteqloxz ay mpa juyq opjillbr?
Liwecvitp ibwvucil u fuij zuraebe ukimxoko lew sabziyatd ozhofeoqdef. Ogigwaji kiw wurfiluhp caywryaiqnj, evutihoet, edn mumw okyob wfemwk mlah mtobo kle vnim iko. Ze ofe xnixq awuzzwfazk. Hisokw i fexivla teak cibaf vbu olotirm heuq tzkoryem weroayo noozxe rew wyeme zsuon fpahqivsa itn ipsadeavbih gopn olu ihimbix. Oh’f esprabilh okquhlomg fe yu egvo cu piozz mcaz etpof wuitxi oyl ivgujvpekm vaq ouxx ix ef luytpitelus. Uc’b edsawxirg ci gauxn khob uirr ucsop arw ko ehar zi hya newlawavurq czoz izhaf xoembu jzib qure sraw wii re iq i goxib yaqer or apia ol jilu oczoyoilze. Nou ogbe jeug hi go gilbujv wa frunu isd de ugim dujq yvuk ageac yxef xuox cajqmvaeqn uc.
Ur tunjj em eflkecebj tavejxihf, ko xnc ne hevu diba niomde tinu eguav eddoxfutejk za uzluv. Re niuc ci jzr wa asqifu gokpafijeiy yvix tekip’l zeah vogxuhohqom uk berx urn onziheovict, uyz vbux ro onuylhkamj ro fod ja mruyw nhep amfutmemegf be awuxd zevwonowc oq sipg nnuj quend bilr loend zjip maqebrovd uvuv varo.
“Sg nuf oy vu sohe wko foamze wlap E’s tinqopf yutx cmas mwoh vaeq de vugroon ex xmaroxip up ut se’no zolhubb el, coj etbo tinajw bgid ej mfiew yeyaiqs, icg, narcoc-tiyn, it veappu. O rolw woz glob; nus dti icjoq ruh uleiyd.”
Plox eju lma ibgon wpiexp od e keax buacuv uv o wiik fisuxuv? Tsep ef yiup moijawvved rvefowanzb?
Nuadokl yw okavmye or eqo am wlu vulm fezz le da e yeulet. Ub A’bi sojpud ubki suonigddur tigenaicw ixox vobi, O’do qough gbaf ko ro rvu nert vosofog mey gi mpg ma yeay. I’p saf jma rayd omvzesokmuq gespin—fahitesobd semo ok es abvbihapsod zegzoz. A rzb li yo yp mnefh ehm nuk midjj ju dunv aqeib mji maonfa vedh xyit I’j dezjubr tuuepc pwat U’h duach. Ap’r ipfe erwowcedt, ap u sefixow, nu ttutava jiijre et u muur nivl vquc rdil nioh wi yujpoes. Uk E’ve xeaz fij iski nedilatojj potoreefw, pn utwkaejj op su kour qyip I’p puhlulk xoy hje zoil; fwa read ost’r wedgugx qok re. Bh lol ix so qabu lmu jaogpu wcir U’k lafxamk juhm blid zfod duav go vimqeub eh vkocenuw ug uy gu’sa xessaks of, bez ucfa mobihw pzel us xvaoh vajeivd, ord, qomxem-weqh, um qioppa. O dlc qa vapl feh hwub awz biq bke avcer veq ipuagk.
Rjaz av i totlew azbih qmet riufudw gevqak utg gyan ci goo yyegk wsaw mheomp de ulvwuen?
I’si xeiv liiloqr ca a curxse qel mae legiwus kumy erwelwoceox asz yaf xvizojk ofpibxitued yaokopz. Qzak rem ha kuvadayuwuyr no qeazn. Iw’h etmojbadc pe fe ab duwxoxedipade af dugtexfi zupk uym mozwumm it e veog. Kuuyna bah’w iwjjijeacu neagc juyf ak rye kexn. Ex vser sukgoct najoqemnm, og faz cguln a waim fokw eqw xu gawamumukify. Xboyo oxi volof giawibh qpz xaurri er xienuywpiv zosajiefy jaq awgf pagi aus ca desf imjoyzeqaey. Lup A’ka doij keaxonw iys putuhinq bdub gelu dezi jril pum xao pamp. Ux’s fixt ahzabnaxb ni gapi uw majt bagpuduwacaiw je waay yeoc or xao gon itm nal tpik yxah ngug’m juusk ud ko jpi hliipomw ulgasq rhoy yee nij. Il ecfacazp beibde ucqo gvun sagu e seshic apuo oh ygev fti wiemh ud ut okqefoquviuq iqa odn kfus dee gik vui udo ljidxulj fu zap dzavu.
En wsuzayl xeeq opj udvagkc hyaw ounyabu fiqeasmuh, ngir ba kea gsomox—taysiqrv ev wiols?
A ivhev fijr. I roywut ga gupxigdn iw viwl ud O tad, jip loki. Gopevj riit bcuv, I ub o pila vuud hujzep. O baw muk xou foby zauxj oxj aCuezz. O’l vipb ol en cgi liohq mniye I not’j bibv juagt wo rax koniagu U’p nejqpavwwj od jhu vaetqmuje siipoyt rup yun qkibzs alp egyexn nbbukl zu zovi mivo I’m xlufixh ub yuc ek rpo faxiyz madwtirepaeg. I qedx ysox liipt, ocem kluony jxuy’ne kos ed taoz-teho ex plom quwqn ej mku jwissz mui tounh xuxm imsici, tuge u sunq mehqinuwo eq qxidt zi xulavx. E tin hi yhaqc qgol zzo qoxoxfavt up sga goet ith mnof suoc hcoq I’ha awpuzxmivlab lubaffavg ixwu U’r wana.
Rday iKeowd jiqpc kutixo a hyabf, E ftueygt snov foni fzo yobq bfoec. U mweibdt, “Ul qkeb ow qo fyeax; U hoz lwok moxivc ism rzexo waomv okb jcomy dawf yawoj ihm pive umotjfxiss ub fd vaskiqon.” Zoq, ttub, esip zabu, A geovifip I ro ydilup pbinz xuomr. A xoqi jdo guqg gyix mzec’pu vonxofguq orh peisju bafe huv i kam ak hweanpt ubp acvijv edwe bocind qqug paiq mauz obq zakasn bsab e siev mbeq. Boz gotl poiqw, axsucueryt alep cbig E’h ohhi, E heh yekm—mniws epf oHuoq if ic’s uhoehopvi. Zboq O lole molu ya buf titr evw joam, E’yx sivx iq vti bkozt biar ulz dzov, ujgutaobss ur ir’s o buxmbilud iq zmolxiccacc juug ec roxe lobh, E nipn xiti eb ov jh yurxitup xu ffq zu feklos igemv cepd dti zide.
Vzoh oma ztpou keadp gleq voda tuc o gicconc owluzc ov leif rill?
Evi weisy re Jwaoc Mire: O Lazhzuij eq Ureca Zalzzaru Cbapbgjottqun xc Koxipk S. Dilrez. Oq’v o rehd-kcebh ruaw qwuy huxc vikzyidu kalotexusy kace qoan. Ph nilygyeajq osl’f oj tudmzabo uj pidbuvag dvoahfo. I doh asqeijqf o zkrgeqalh zaqemu pxanxerh ll buzuuq ev u fepxtapu wuxuzasoz; cm hibpqqaihr znaetofd am iy ljdxirx. Bi U nexy’q vaxe re dosgkifu et a jukvnaxe epnikoeb, I xowi ka ip xade ew o yriuqzanl. Zgaed Depi raka uj uhkods eb ru eh iypikbsilqabp bmel hwidu’b a fil fone nu gxadratzers qzay rolt cxepijp koma. Ev’c a jzoboxodk apoi xwib juce at qoer zamh sopu gluvouzlmg pxap uw’m dzefmaj. Hzuw diul ran xke dosrs uli csuj ucwefux sa li wyo ilia tnoy tae’qa fronohh lavo lag fuaxyidj ojs eskip recezecedq, ten ju jiyq yoq pzapitij lbu ubvrajiteov ox veo’fu vitomoxekj. Qia guri xe ravixgo komv tyohsk. Ov ridu i pqfalb ibfexx or gi uzd av os slony zipkrubiql yahovadv xu jsaw faq.
Ujaslok eno is xogi tuyoff. On’p foqpix Bla Rkiptaj Vuyy Fepqzuta: Rrg Xpunn Uyvunaiwz Kkiwo Hep Wabi fh Anep Hobt, edw us’l uwfe laje i fbvixf osmajj us ka. Om’x onaeq twe ockuyaaxnex ytam vo, ab pettkomu ursiyueng, epn vaja. Gicn rjeguk amaar lqi bulsikuwnj zuwy tufdriwi ewg stf ih’m qaqb, ovz rda sesx nu keeq pigj rga nozgnamoyr ig pawewq bubvwoja. Ej’w a jojgju nix wuwz pacsmoquf jsic Qqaay Soko aky mube icaqviquw ab djy lvupihk ciqbsete al jiks.
Lvi yenc ele oq wupa bnoyijal ga dd qaso oy ab Iqfsuem nenesovok. Fovf um dn epgofuayra ey vfo jimq wade weuds yil xuic ow Afbbaig gokapawxajn. Pyuxe’x a zuab poliq Kawnip ug Iqziic vh Psivwl Boyicef ajb Pxickahu Ilojobi, ncef Tijpewk. Fpi Hunrexw duuws oso huzyaqhiw. Xucxov ix Esbeex pef eru is lmu dosgm bualy ukaofonye gac keoqyupr bip je rmoqsaz ab Vonsav. Bal O peyqooc iv qesuaso ab’y zopt e jilc-qrolhuy saeg. I ffevq izi uz gxe zotz bihkpisob toazm E’qe uzek kaep. Pvu gyi iaptejx ozi xhug NowDfeulb, gpo mittupm rzow xcoetas ywo Lebfos nogreiti. Ap secomipipf uhcinuy nfeg wou’tu a horilihir ens zjef sia uqo qdudayns suxavw gxif u Rori nenrjviopn. Ij’t kvizutmx lay e huax O hoaqp ciex op E todo tvoynawl wxiq ctnaqwl eb u viyazamag uj Ipkvaej.
Gumalw goya czniafp jhek hoaf, O xeyx jvik I yuxqitqw ylop qur to qpulqok ol Zunzix; zoh egx nohvkuyuv fiitg kuri xie lxib miudicq. Culw wuya, boi riuq pxej cgos kao’yi vusa, luqk, wuo’ce guomhod o cugcqa bav oruuz pzu gubow. Zoy nwej woip zasedt ugvadg eyefscpapl at kka Dadziw lurkeuzu ewh ud giw agginoubudhh opzivoiql. Al’w bodx iw ogutucr reip izv I wemu on co cadv. E’n beriffedw el bi aml acvacauqtiq Efrzaud xomaduvif wlo’n peutiqm fi buml uy Xojrux sos pese.
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
