In a recent interview I was asked to define what “software craftsmanship” means to me. I felt a sense of relief answering this question. Not only because it was a change of pace from a technical whiteboard question, but I had recently reflected on the similarities between software development and another passion of mine. From my understanding, having craftsmanship is the pursuit of furthering your knowledge and skills towards an activity or passion. Although someone’s end goal may be to perfect their craft, it’s the learning experience and realization of self-improvement that should be valued. This can directly relate to software development because there has to be a constant effort and desire to improve one’s skill, knowledge and efficiency to build greater software.

I’ve come to understand the form of craftsmanship through one of my passions, which is djing. I started to learn the craft of djing about 3 years ago when I purchased my first set of turntables. I’ve always had a passion for collecting music and was always fascinated how one person can change the mood and energy of a crowd through music.

I didn’t have the connections or funds for professional dj lessons, so it was up to me to spend time reading manuals, watching Youtube tutorials, and learning the fundamentals of music theory. I would record an hour of myself djing every night, then the next day I would listen back and critique my mixes. Consistent practice was key. And of course there were many frustrations with a self-taught craft: I was so wound up in the fact that it took me a lot longer to learn and gain the confidence to play in front crowds. I had lost a bit of passion because of this, and practice was starting to feel more like work over anything.

The moment I started to truly enjoy the art of djing was when I took a step back and saw the journey it had taken me through. Although there were many frustrations, the sudden “aha moments” gave me the motivation and energy to keep moving forward. Similar to my music craft, learning software development has had it’s many frustrations, but it’s no doubtedly been rewarding and worthwhile. I’m 100% committed and motivated to seek more “aha moments”.