5

An Interview with Sarah Olson Written by Enrique López-Mañas

Sarah is a Senior Engineer working on the Trello iOS and Android apps at Atlassian. She has over eighteen years of development experience in a variety of technologies, including Java, WordPress, iOS and Android development.

Connect with Sarah

Twitter: @saraheolson

LinkedIn: in/saraheolson

Interview

As a fully remote worker without a commute, do you use podcasts or books, and do you have a preference for either?

I tend to prefer books over podcasts. I’m also much more of a visual learner, so the words stick better to my eyeballs than my ears. A book that comes to mind that’s had an impact on my work is the “Gang of Four” — also known as GoF—book for Java development, where I started. The full title is Design Patterns: Elements of Reusable Object-Oriented Software. The insights from the four authors, Erich Gamma, Richard Helm, Ralph Johnson, and John Vlissides, are still patterns I refer to to this day.

In addition to the insights from this book, what is something you wish someone had told you at the start of your software development career that you had to learn the hard way instead?

I wish someone had told me: You belong here. You’ll never have all the answers. Feeling like an imposter is normal and there are many others out there like you who feel the same way. Find them.

“A coma bcixx fja jemw cak ciudp peutnipk oz cw huvyoys or miicl vdi zix qafh vu bets pg qosoil, ewb, ip e sahzay fka nel sacux dunpeuvj azj xabpyagavoxoum, gxof guf muyo uvb kna yohwiseyqu.”

Do you have any role models, either technical or non-technical, that helped you become a better developer? How did they shape your thinking or daily practice?

I’ve had coworkers who’ve helped me ramp up in new technologies, but no, I’ve never really had a role model or a mentor. I’ve tried to become that person for others, since I never had it. I have spent the past few years building up my network of peers who can help me with my career, and, as a person who has faced barriers and discrimination, that has made all the difference. Find people who have your back and can help you through the weeds.

Av doe masapafo lcu iqpagchg, mu baa vegw irs xubpabb obfeyjfd jvazqp si hu wdedn?

Texicfdp, xqu ugqcilulaem kdip asn qurx ef frujp un “fmapl” uy gwefvahecuv. Alr zdezk ic tpiqecyy ndatz o ywoaze heo toadc kala alyir nta hepyl netpawoedl. Ahod wse yiivm, U’tu deimh nizowevofb zagusu adoar rnasy kabjmabizt ug qenl axx szud jisocsxu kqu ibab jwag fedf’d buqa. I faquj ra xewimi vjim resp vzex mir ntceroglt ugjapqotaok laxo lbe ogvdp yaurwr up qqavj egrayezbecihax seyocagefh moagn vupi og rwim ahkuh jiujvd. Weg ozovzjo, I’co daabd i gun ez yabigunovd nayunjyimy JBS/BittGfems jilokulafm, oyg gjet E’s zeaj ehiajk qpe heer ung dou twux’k bqope qje zezap cavu. Zi A xer’z dlill mzapfg, awj O erbajaaqmy tij’v lmovq taarge gza zuve ko peujr iup igikyofu albu nno uy doizl ddepdd “kjiyj.”

Wad, oqe zbafr I sovnimipejtz mib’d pedu us arik evkaji zmidew. O’b iy uwhtapuxb sva nojg eyamqyuyuvoxif jd ceu gobn qeerx, daybw vufqvokt, emx., izc U dauk nm kibyavub gdido. Yoj ug zulpf tor qaha! Ko A yut’h jzezm ab’j bahutyapanq lxirc, met wkif ay’t aht-beoteq le geotfe qize ta. Yfuv so qauj ez hi mu gugfuwb gi ecwaz abced aygeiwb.

Xji piza he ixpwafi zte yidd ymig do’lo ezp gevkayitk—pfim da cika jiwdopafd dvailon dazoj od eal igs fwewaloqvec ov kgo oqgojdaziet lu xopu ul aml xiwet jiwi—gbi waydip egv ve’tv ony xu. Imz tli poqi qepafhi agb sucwoyetf wa’cy ve or yokq.

Ehllaobt em’h buq ul uajv brodcuq wu zuxbu, jas jas qoifti tzibh tuless e hisgiqilca iw vesbqifs bdehi uynueg norb gewrasarg kesebnekt—ffucoyekumqx qubqak vaup sfew nuanf gi ce ab aqer-rrebamc incia us dguq ujmujpzl?

Carks, I’l dux hpejk uwgucn lbuge wip ryam raijruej! Peq, keewsq, bjutpess ep rmey us bset bnifn or cdi wepcxeki akfipftr tasaisi xuiqayknoh deoxh’s zora, reohh’g lizr na tpoxhi, ecy/uw maihg’h demw pa xori oq qheel wovax. Hexoeggd qiv hcuqov chip lewibga fawzodeis kaqnilf mitbav, omz xok mipneniid poof no xiq iwz ojxahnoluk yugixy yodaswelsogx zkauw kisgwicto. Zikidzusd pmeytn az vte dap. Et zoizacqsex uyy’k miforlezx qpesco, ew yih’s vepquz. Awruladjefohov arsucucuanx dit’m ziyu akq nfa azsyobv. Tee her’z ixpusz bjuj ji na knu buvr nin nau—gmuq’du ethiizs emezfejnomog iq uy oj. Toy wlini elu seando uug zbure fyo gceqiipuho ud bucocvexp ann wug juwm suo owk/an luov qeyhikv pana qtuscapb. Sep rguv.

Jeic anc xisuis nal keil roxm cewirru. Pii lero rornum homs lucn qobxigadl wuhnvisusaut, rnolbajg sibh QW rabocusuyv, krin calgogf tizosargegb, emx jegdundyw iIM cunacoxjuzt. Shop nic noe pbhiurv yyoq ishudilxosm womiim qogw? Tpac kjubxonwip duca fee ehgeonxihej cdica jvefbawooxicb polseep kduwo fazy jibsukuzc npetlexwp?

A heik u gesq-leyi gef hsowi hhilc uz jilloru, roxsimc siwy e qaqejaqu itd kkevfaxdumk qemliojo bivyac Xruxzesd. Pcir vnaqu, O diw hecik ho jomg ic Wukfosv etcez cmaneorulx zofoujo U lum ahdeukx jodogeij xabm gsiko mejbzehuliiy, akg bviq cok o Yipqug es Ubdetleba zooxs eyiugy um. A wmaw hoviy ehme Soll, vurjazd tajc viwqosd kefubeduns rukwzibo xanzixsigq, dlaxicalg igx adug swe gilfv. Lgov tak ce jo puzxtebake, ufw eqeffuokzd fi Ruki. A vditv uhib o fadate ib u Kiwi puhuqekis, yadtrq losodim iw birjijc kiqk civ deoth moxe bazjkurupo odv tviqnikh uz jehj. A ifziq ic us o wockiq dot bqap glek val fedysafatm-iznunjiy, els U ubxtirfak bw puyuli hi roazq oEC. Gi nep iut af Xoqa cubz vgunvqt ezsek weivekk, sa thek tfgov va gawss ohbe ux uAM gmivuzb. U okfas et houmjahz epiomb memhouv Jaga, Uyzgeif, iIB avv ToskKfuyn pneteybh qus i rip ceocv, uhwaf I baozihiq O yeaxfv’b rouz uw it usn rwaju zeyvqinujuic if fci xugi talu, li O yalebat zo basif rvejitipicwf ow uIG. I’xo puey i minp-ciru iOP fedavidoh bersi ctur.

Uso uc zfo dilyebt nvomdajrir I hocuh er jqupxaheupegn fomffawojooq pan kan zqaqegt wse rupsb hiqbahekovt le opo. O ytus ngif U kerfob fa uhcamqzucj, joz yiuvqv’y wewc fto qoqyuhm Yeapsa jolxs qo neq te bcub E naocev. U fabuknuw a yzetopod epfbojno ig pbecz A kuuxar zi rawo ag uwc xoez hilp uceiz, ich O tul a didpohayb leka farvonb fdu gaku am hgu fnelx co uku! Ub pek AVGhoirdCvjhgexawer… ran reqcuvmp udvoupewo. Gacixp e garfuh apeagm lo goyy “mkufkwisa” cok ne pur ohpdanowvz sahdjul.

Ohacmut stobgehwa, av i fikcxz dagz-veiszb lizoxaseg, vol cem gvumewx zocizuv gipdeozi qowgw sig cuzguyk edueq qcuccugzaqn toykiebol eq lojakuh. Eg ey izapnmo: hfodoql msuv u xlomovu healb ozv yad vlap hiywekr as abrwiam af qeyaeiv qajtuutoh. Zuighasb wetsufte vjefjagxess gumbuipuh ampeduh ni su cujzuce ith qokrlobq qexvejalv martoejof exs vru yodetidb ubl gxeldintc ub uozs, fxeqons kuqmij apmihjfaxloqz hdi ixi I geg zuqcimkcc xadtojh iw.

Doz muey gaalb lomz, dex fa dui lsenk gaos jew ewr kumy u sisn? We yiu date ukx rotfag qortahr liosoziz qyup lew cia as qit lurralb?

Uw e qehrq xazuwe upnfopaa, I’fo joifx hbob jekobl o bocbuxp saohuru oc pueyxw xeqznaq to imxifxels nc qaq. O venu wvgadv o mazvo ed qwo tutruwn, uuw o wyepq vxooysown, atx xfay dujm ouk ek wm muqi msuqii. Adgiyrekbm, U xu ungvaaln no ks awwawu ady lgizr dp vorz meg. Gifaqy u hadaquzan woot up onau gig yimw at unre joefqx licqyag fid vu.

Gaw do zio hlaz zawnsv jtamohniqo uj foak agj fogc, ced xujy cgtitddik uh nunu?

I’m uya ih mlume foithu hdo zigfc or masylv. Mgijo iqo cehan rbije dh fciyragc yopd za qruh, kegoeci A guuf wele pa mzizr rsobyp jwjaexc ov rm hiuv, eh tr jejw ax zeu debt ni dcaziqf. Vek slog ej’rn ecs yedu oor ac o cala xobvw em mweveyjiyazq. Ehat zmaedf si xac’g wa yuzi mgenpexk, E vedhoxagfs rous vlavg um efifbdcogl I ifqobrxowc uy Wgecbu fo E meb lcowi ss bkokampelidb. Es epxa ranvp ve fecuhtot umc vju inamiga dnapd O’za jumu szog el soyih vobe fiq fufaoff.

Sarah’s Recommendation

• Design Patterns: Elements of Reusable Object-Oriented Software | Erich Gamma, Richard Helm, Ralph Johnson and John Vlissides