A Quick Look Back: My Recent Weeks

Hi,

Time flies, and the past weeks have been especially busy for me. Here’s a brief overview of what’s been on my plate:

1. Relaxation and Inspiration: My Vacation in Austria

We all know it: Periods of intense work need to be balanced with times of relaxation.

Last week, I took such a break, spending it with my family at a children’s hotel in Austria.

Even though I had my computer with me, it remained switched off – except for a brief moment due to tax reasons. This break was not only refreshing but also inspiring.

Here I am with my youngest on a summer toboggan run:

2. Discovery Workshop: New Learnings, Resolving Conflicts

At the end of September, I conducted a Discovery Workshop with a new client to assess the architecture of a new development.

The results? Three days of intensive work where unspoken conflicts came to light and the team realized they were actually pursuing the same goals.

The workshop concluded with a 17-page architectural review offering more than 30 suggestions for optimization – from architecture to organization to code.

If you haven’t taken a bird’s-eye view in a while, I recommend giving it a try. You’d be surprised at the insights you gain!

Reply to this newsletter if you’d like tips on conducting such a workshop yourself!

3. Conference Season: Pragmatic Programming and Performance Mindset

Next week, I’ll be speaking at two conferences.

At the KKON, the topic will be “Pragmatic Programming with Kotlin”, where I intend to emphasize live-coding.

Following that, I’m looking forward to delivering the keynote at the RabbitMQ Summit on “The Performance Mindset”.

Both presentations are nearly ready, but they’ll require a final sprint.

4. Client Engagements: Releases and Team Building

I’m excited about an upcoming release with one of my clients. The recent test run was filled with energy, reminding me of why I love bringing projects to fruition.

For another client, we’re in the process of restructuring the development team – an exciting phase full of possibilities.

While next week will still be hectic, I’m eager to return to my routine soon and share more content with you.

Rule the Backend,

~ Marcus