482: Labels for our job

What It Covers

Joelle and Sally examine software job titles like engineer, developer, and architect, exploring how these borrowed metaphors fail to capture the full scope of consulting work that blends coding, planning, mentoring, and business strategy.

Key Questions Answered

• •Coding versus thinking ratio: Writing code represents minimal time compared to thinking, researching, and discussing solutions. The mechanical act of typing code is like calling a surgeon a cutter—it misses where true expertise lies in problem-solving and design decisions.
• •Waterfall versus iterative development: Separating design from implementation through upfront planning or AI tools breaks valuable feedback loops. Realizations about what needs building often emerge during coding itself, making tight cycles between designing and implementing essential for discovering the right solution.
• •Consulting as teaching: Successful client engagements end when clients no longer need consultants. This requires sharing process knowledge, teaching evaluation skills, and enabling teams to continue independently—whether learning Rails, testing practices, or running software organizations for the first time.
• •Question-asking as core skill: The most transferable consulting ability is asking why tasks matter, exploring alternatives, and finding minimal viable solutions. This questioning approach—done skillfully to avoid annoyance—prevents building wrong things and surfaces better paths forward throughout development.