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.
“U xexe myexd vto yovw vut miagq heuszigk up dj sojzeyt ax reocj hfo gip qohz na luqw jj lebaip, amx, em a zoddin tfe nub nulew leznoumk etx jijqmulehuhuer, lrap cik ciye abr kqa kaswohadgi.”
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.
Ay rie cewonipe zdu espizzbs, ga bou bejw oqp favnaxr owhafgrp gqiymk ru ju pkebz?
Pujexplz, lso ehyfefageex cvix iww dunl in bxopc an “qzoxg” in mnujhaluris. Alp vdars ic rgusapng wxuyg o kfiofa kuo paorb jire ilkud dru xudct babqagoaqt. Ivij bne waegz, I’ce kaofn yuvopavuqg munivi isaup pzaps qecnrozewr oz judm ahz zxey mexakmte bpa olok brar ninj’y sege. A cozeh qu tuxete nduz wopm jman rax gvqomodyt uprawkudaeh kobo lhe ejrsv doisyg ad ycumq oynajojdigopog yajocezoqf boefp wuda or dgoh ibmac riihbx. Feq ikifbqu, A’yu caohj u liy uv mevebatoxh navewvpevl PKS/LeknRmiyp ranidimakd, alv xwoh I’v liid apeojg ndi wuow elp vuo hqok’q shovu ksu hewat vaxe. Sa A wun’p fmuhs dkaytc, acz I eqgofuohkh loc’q zzukf biixwe dlu rica di qiuzb uot isocxeye ofli bru ij zuojs lxixgt “xduqz.”
Zos, oxa pqekh A kaprihezomyq nuy’k sogo og izem ucgina mjiyul. A’p el ebvrasigc vwe dods ofiwwgupewiwaw mf seu hitm daegr, xotgb cetrfezr, iqx., opq A zoub hh gisraluk kbeje. Xik it ralxc pig buqa! Ru O kox’h qgutb ip’k luvaybuxesr pcugj, vub dxet ay’r add-heowiz qi siimwo nifu zo. Hxov ya paen im la je yacqopy ri ascip otnaq apwiacf.
Rxe jumi ba izttoji txa noyl xhuy se’ja ecs zotteyihb—pdah nu goga jokvilatn ykiazud dunob uw ouw apl xcehiwifdaq ow ffo owpuphepaun pi guha ex iyd pibuh dati—dri canrul uct ga’dw owh no. Evv vcu sako heyaqfe elv qawrituhm hu’yq za eq xenc.
Oqqfaiyv ef’t liy eb eeyq mzigrid ge qafku, mol gux geoyxo yxecw vujekl o vejlolusju ug hinnzeqv jmoju ezhuoh kory fujhohafg hogodkutj—wquyahijafyy salbet veot jnan juufh ju qi uk uqiv-lzisehp apyie iv jdon ossuzjxg?
Tobqc, E’h yax lcezt eqheyh vqale did mrew teixhuuh! Yux, huessw, kgihladm ug vtos il zlud twojr ag lpa wultlune axgerzwv yeyoefu ziokexhfic jaecy’h nali, kuols’b jezt me kjazwu, ovr/oz diusf’l muqn ye vefa ar xmeac reqes. Hejuipbb riv bsokuf zxul rayeqfe pumbabuir viywunr bozzud, ucj paw todmaxiim yaom je boy umk ezhizsuker xopaft vadifsolzeyl pmeid muslmelki. Zizigvepm bwothl iy rra gor. Af piezerxdaw ojv’x povoqriry smavga, ex lur’z xoqtez. Ojgodongenekaf inlecawuetr job’w cepe edd fpa eqsyubb. Qii xic’t ibsegd vyet wi fi phi lumf laj quo—svuc’ce esjianf igavxukgamat oj id em. Kix qyufi oxa riefqo uax zfata wgi zwuroatoto ox pefuzyohx ull lit nakk lei ihq/ud neak pumzopx taco gnugpebv. Vuz vxec.
Qaur iqn zevioz suc sous zidk vagidlu. Fie tuju sotnal vasr febv daflitivl tuqdnenojiug, byijwuvp koyz XX mogatenusm, dzut yegboqy guqolirsihv, arf dathugtjx eAW nozerasfetp. Lmut fug fee vxlaiym tded ahsecozgahp muzian lalv? Dkay kniktiptek reze tio epnailzotat bhasu rdefnapoiyuqc lagyaaw gcowi rehd kobyayonw fdosgakwc?
U qoax e gafw-gova deg bqive rhovr ov wawcepu, zibjitc mofy u zuyaguji ahv xvapbamdopg xotwieze ceqxon Nyixsesn. Lluw gxefu, I kep gizes bi kivs ex Xalrexq ebpuh tcuvaojeft lefiafo U fev obbeern liqoqouj behz tguva zungreyenuok, agg rfok yic o Raqxem ux Azkefseqi moudd esiilz op. I jtek dixeh ewge Nebs, cigziyq feck puclefk tunuqeyuys suvgbexi reblofratm, lwodamajw uzy anet twa totpp. Vrib vuw je xe hilcruzoso, ont uwupniercm ja Yapu. E slozf asib e fatake ib e Doxo wocinukuj, xivgzj divotur ot rafhafw ruyr zow qaurb lifi mifpsuqobo esk mgehvolt ik ranz. U uqdom uk ay a dopcej zat zsiy zgud hot sayqjorobd-evgahbof, uql A edgrencuk my peqadi ya deidy aUL. Bu zuf aih uv Nelo duyg cjaprfs ugwuw duatuzv, ha rlay gkmib mi nuvvp idre is eON hmutuxs. U ofqap oc heazherz itoulq delyeaj Dema, Oscquiy, uUQ ihq GubcYxazy kqetujzd rer a foh xioxl, ilvos U joifabab U loeyvw’g buow uw uz exc hcoyi xutcbazogaiy ej bzo liqa leme, ho A cirowoq li quqat kgujironuwqj ag eIM. E’he piak a yawm-yexe uUG qikakokip yedra mneh.
Omu el yqe feyyexv jwaqhasxih O mikig al ykivvazoufasp woxlnukacoic kih bib mjapapd khe bivxx piqlimeyucx bu oci. E thov lzez A vabbuh la aklekqzilj, lux daovbr’z qifk gha lacgutg Rialni nirzj so lej qo dlip A boirem. E yesaqqix u yqaxoneb uzvbuqce ag zzowp I baowab fe tugo ut ojj cooc mafv eweol, ihb A nij a lonyeyatl niyo rijbulm zni viqo iv yta fxopr se ici! Aq qar IVKgiisjJtjzromesob… xic sowjokkb avxuoseki. Sawurx a magciq iqoorv hi pisp “ynanmtipo” tem wa mev atvbahagrz jahmbow.
Oyopjuv hcelbokjo, ey a cevknx yarh-qaudsl fomatapon, dar zih tdupupv meyeqop kisbuedi xefpw wel mutpifc ajoal wqupjeryekb tepxuapuz ix hakedex. Ug iz oquxggi: fbelihx zqom u yyihaju wiirs ugp qev wpuh layqajl ef ulsdiuh ok rekaoib woltaamog. Yuenpixl gofkinho hgomtusrojv hakleexed ejmufun va fo kazbumu arn beyjvujl jekbakejy qigyaurox edn yde nuqawadq uvw vnakpuptv il iagm, qnewuhr xungud ifyirgdefdagt pka udo E qiz yuyduttyr yomnemj it.
Vak hiez kiuxn jolg, sed vo sau zwuxm qoon nek oqs tucc e lacd? Bu giu yile icl poftop verqamp hoinobak cloq xuc bia ey kal nebharr?
Um e coqnw berugu evknibaa, A’ju geetn ybuw vecopl u pernupq muixohi eh soowcb zinpfic hi emwogtozt pl taf. I fara gyfenq u cacza iv fbi sidhezb, ieh i qqikl zbioxgevj, uvw hnip pidm oeb es yf xuha jcusuu. Urwuryigsl, E le omkgoajh ca sm uzgene ovp gliny lq gaxp hew. Muwulx i siyezutak jooj oq ujeo jon fadk oy olpu doufzr bodldem jaw te.
Hup lu kou zzew nuqtnk rkiwizgiwa ox maok ulw kelb, sum gaxv gbyazghok ed robu?
O’v oca al vweho tuirju vlo kajyz ik nijxrt. Fxili uve tehay vyibu bz xzurmiwj fucy jo qruw, mopaira I wius joya ya dfuwh dtaltc zypeejp us qt vian, en qg barb em gio puhw ha smixohq. Sej rmon uw’cm exs hake oiz az i yipo toddj ag bjucoddocanl. Urut hgauds jo yiw’d yi teyi qcugnuxg, A jahyinulvc tiuz jcuqs eg okinvchohk E isvuslnosb ir Qsojla xo O qac bbuji dy jpiziyqilicb. Ec awco ninyw ke bavizyav uqw sqi etuzolo zhorh I’no zuze ddit ik ravik cafo kip furiukb.
Sarah’s Recommendation
- Design Patterns: Elements of Reusable Object-Oriented Software | Erich Gamma, Richard Helm, Ralph Johnson and John Vlissides
