What is your long term goal and/or career pathway?

This is still the same as for foundations - growing in the product org at my current job. There have been some discussions about how this role would look lately and I think it will require some API, JavaScript and data structure knowledge so I’ll have to make sure I particularly focus on learning that.

Which is… well, the majority of the course. Eek.

What do you think your biggest strengths and limitations will be in Bootcamp?

These are also similar to what I wrote for foundations. I’m pretty good at working and getting things done - I trust that I will try my hardest and not slack off.

A newer limitation I’ve noticed is negative self-talk and feeling stressed when I’m stuck. It can be hard to see questions or answers in the channels that are so beyond your understanding, and I feel self-conscious if I feel like I’m the only one having trouble with something!

I also still struggle with feeling I need to rush through to get things done, but I’m making progress here.

What do you think your biggest non-technical challenge at Bootcamp will be?

I think the biggest challenge will be trusting that I can learn this and not getting overwhelmed. I’ve built some pretty good habits in foundations to help with this, but it’ll take a couple of weeks in bootcamp to understand the pace and make sure I can match it.

I also think working on the weekend will be challenging! I’ve found through foundations I can work well during the week but in the weekends if I’m trying stretch material I’m much more easily stressed! I’m not sure if that’s the stretch material talking or my desire to not be at the computer on a beautiful Saturday… either way, not a fan.

What non-technical skills - human skills - would you like to see developed in yourself while at Dev Academy?

I want to be able to communicate technical concepts better and “zoom out” a bit more when talking about an issue. I would also like to feel more comfortable coding/programming in front of other people as well as being able to slow things down a bit and deal with problems in chunks.

What are your expectations from the Bootcamp team?

Quick responses to questions are important to me, as by the time I’m posting I’ve usually had just about enough of the question and am unlikely to find the answer myself.

The ability for them to explain things in layman’s terms. I really like when technical things are simplified to be relatable, like an array of ice cream flavours. Something that makes you laugh and lightens the mood a bit. Also quick posting of recordings from sessions with facilitators are useful.

What are your expectations of yourself on Bootcamp

Regarding seeking technical support, it sounds like there will be technical facilitators we can talk to, as well as (I’m assuming) channels similar to foundations that we can use to share questions with the wider cohort. I’m also starting to get to know a few other students a little so I think we’ll lean on each other more as time progresses, especially when we start doing projects together.

I’m committed to managing my workload by having bootcamp as my number one priority. I’m going to do my best to be aware of my own limitations, both personally and technically and proactively work to ensure I can mitigate any negative impact they have on both myself and the other learners. I’ll share my strengths with others and make sure I’m a team player. I’ll reach out for help when needed, and ensure I’m kind to myself and everyone else who’s part of this learning journey.

What is your long term goal or career pathway?

I want to be a senior product manager at my work (or another tech company). I’ve learned I love being in product and would love the opportunity to have higher impact and let my understanding of merchant needs combine with my technical skills to improve our offering.

My next steps are to complete this course, move into a product owner role and learn, learn, learn.

A description of your strengths and limitations when it comes to learning

My strengths are motivation and desire to learn. I have good perseverance and I really want to learn the information and learn it well.

My limitations are related to scoping and slowing down. I have a tendency to rush into things before really stopping and analysing the best ways to tackle them. This can lead to missing key concepts or having to repeat work later.

What skills (non-technical core/human skills) would you like to see developed in yourself while at Dev Academy?

As mentioned above, the ability to stop, slow down and assess.

I do things at a mile a minute at work and this is a habit I need to break in order to be effective in any future product management roles. I would like to focus on scoping out and planning more, as well as keeping notes of what’s happening - rather than keeping it all in my head.

I would also like to get better at explaining technical or complicated concepts in simple terms. Again, it's one of those things that I get all caught up in my own head and then having to explain it to someone is opening a whole can of worms... I need to figure out which worm to focus on!

A commitment to how you will manage your workload in this programme.

If I’m getting really stuck or confused on a problem/concept, I’ll give myself 45 minutes max to try work it out - no more than that, otherwise I know the frustration gets emotional and I’ll start to feel negatively about my abilities. I’ll then reach out to get support on Discord and see if someone can help. If this isn’t available immedi ately I’ll make myself put the laptop down and change scenery. I like gardening and it’s a good time of year for it, so half an hour in the garden is a good way to clear my head. It can also allow me to mull over the issue in a different environment without the same pressure, which may make things click.

Keeping active in general is something I plan to do with this course, along with having a routine - a time I start and a time I stop. If I get stressed I’m likely to start comparing myself to others and feeling like I’m falling behind. If so, I’ll check in with the facilitators to get a gut check from their end - sometimes I’m hardest on myself and may actually be okay. Something else I’ve started doing and will continue is to try help others that post in the channels, especially when it’s after hours. I’ve found it helps to solidify my learning and makes me feel part of a team at the same time.

A description of what you expect from the Facilitation team

Timely responses to requests for help during working hours and feedback on my progress.

It’s also nice to have them create meetings that allow our home groups to get to know each other more.

Any scheduling information such as block-out times when you are committed to other things.

Most days will be clear and bootcamp will be the main priority, but I have a few things planned in the next couple of months:

• 30th October - going to Palmerston North for a family birthday.
• 4th November appointment (trying to change this!)
• 8th November appointment in the afternoon
• 17th - 22nd November: Family staying with us