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HN · Professional practiceCurated

Don't call yourself just a programmer

Summary

Patrick McKenzie explains why developers should describe their value through solved business problems, communication and impact rather than code output alone. A narrow professional identity can limit the view of the system problem actually being solved. Invisible technical impact needs translating so that organisations can value it appropriately.

Ideas

  • Companies buy results and risk reduction, not as many lines of source code as possible.
  • Technical work gains value when it traceably changes revenue, costs or operational risks.
  • Negotiation and communication influence career opportunities as much as programming skill.

Recommendations

  • Document projects with the starting situation, decision and measurable impact.
  • Explain technical risks in the language of the users and operators affected.

References

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