[thelist] how did you learn?

[David Landy]

I spent 3 years at university, only 2 of which were spent studying Computer
Science, because way back then (1982) Computer Science was still only a
2-year course at Cambridge (Grin). We did loads of languages (Pascal and
BCPL were the main ones, but also Fortran, Cobol, LISP and others) some
hardware (most of which I tried to skip), and some wonderful theoretical
courses about compilers, compiler compilers, strategies and algorithms for
problem solving, databases, communications....

But nothing, zip, zero, nada about the www. I think back then there was an
Arpanet? Yes, that was around. And bulleting boards. Certainly no www. And I
don't think HTML was even dreamed of. Oh hum... I *am* starting to sound old
now, aren't I?!

My first bit of HTML came when an existing client wanted a web page and I
said, "sure, I can do that", and then scurried home to find out how -- other
than by hitting "Save as HTML" in MS-Word, using their brand-new
web-authoring tools!! (Though actually, that was quite a good place to
start, deciphering the generated code. Like another poster, this was quite a
shock: you mean, HTML is just, like, *TEXT*???)

Initially I bought some books - HTML 3.2, JavaScript Bible, among others,
but soon found that the best resources were to be found online, and you can
easily search them, too -- remember that old Netscape JavaScript Guide?
Well, it's still around [0] and even though it's outdated, I still use it
from time to time, it's that good.

My career has gone through this phase time and time again: I get hired to do
things I can't do, then search the web for tutorials and references, and
learn. Evolt has been a revelation. I am very very grateful for the depth
and breadth of the expertise we have here. The last 6 months have seen me
learn Java and JSP, go through the process of installing the Java SDK, the
Sun One Studio, and the Apache Tomcat application server, and developing and
delivering a good, solid, application. And my client is happy with the
result, and will recommend me again.

But I digress. Slightly! The moral is: have confidence, look, learn, ask.

David

<tip type="Scoresheet" author="David Landy">
Before you begin a project, sit down and ask yourself this question: "What
would I like to have accomplished by the time I am done?" Ask yourself,
"what areas would I like to have excelled in, and what would I like my
client to say about my work?" Write down your ideas, and develop them into
questions you can ask your client when you have finished. For example: "Did
the application/website meet and/or exceed the specification?", or "Was it
delivered on time? If not, were you kept fully informed of all delays and
given new deadlines?".

Then draw up a "scoresheet" on which you and your client can both rate your
services when you have completed the project. I use a scoring system from 0
to 5 where 0 means "didn't do it at all" through 5 which is "outstanding".

The reason for this is two-fold: as a tool for yourself, you can score
yourself before, during, and after the project, and pick up any areas where
your performance is below what you would like it to be, or somewhere where
you are going off at a tangent, and put in correction.

And secondly your client gets a chance to give you feedback on how you did.
This enables you to pick up any areas where they are not satisfied and, if
it's not too late, you can put in correction to that, too. This will give
you access to leaving your client 100% satisfied, which is a good feeling in
and of itself. And of course, gives you the best chance of repeat business.

Hope you guys and gals find this helpful. I did it for my last project as an
afterthought, and me, my manager, and my client, scored me in the 70% to 80%
range. I know that if I'd started using this from the outset, I would have
scored in the 80% to 90% range, and avoided some of the sidetracks that I
took to make it extra-pretty or elegant (who cares?) but late.
</tip>