💚 Big Changes - Continuous Improvement

Words: < 1050 - Read time: < 5 mins

Introduction

I’m making big changes. I think you’ll like them.

I’m applying continuous improvement to my newsletter.

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Key Takeaway 🔑

Continuous improvement doesn’t just apply to building software. It applies to everything.

I love having you as a subscriber, and I’m using continuous improvement to bring you more value and save you time.

Here’s how I’ll do it:

• Improve my writing

  • Be more reader-focused, respect your time, and be more concise.

• Increase my frequency (slowly)

  • Have a consistent newsletter template for efficiency and clarity.

  • Fewer words in each issue, shorter reading time.

• Provide more value

  • Focus on smaller, more diverse topics.

  • Get to the point quicker.

  • Share how you can take action.

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Why Change?

The Modern Software Developer has been running for over 12 months.

Continuous improvement is part of my DNA as a software developer, so it’s time to extend that to my newsletter.

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What Is Continuous Improvement?

Continuous improvement is exactly as it suggests:

Improve something, improve it further and improve it further still…

In software development, it’s the classic feedback loop or iteration.

👉 Identify the bug or feature

👉 Execute the work

👉 Get feedback

👉 Repeat (pretty much)

The specific steps can vary, but the premise of continual improvement remains.

You can see it at work during Test Driven Development, too:

RED —> GREEN —> REFACTOR

🔴 Create a test

🟢 Write simple code to pass the test

🔵 Improve the code while still passing the test

You can use this concept to improve anything.

This is how I’m using it to improve my newsletter.

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Improve My Writing

You’ll have noticed I’m not a writer… 🤷‍♂️

I waffle…

I use 14 words when 7 will do…

Grammar? I make it up as I go…

It’s embarrassing to say that English grammar isn’t one of my strengths.

I don’t care about writing perfect grammar, but I do care about getting my point across.

I want my message to be clear and concise.

To do this requires improvement.

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How I’m Improving My Writing

👉 Learn about writing:

So far, I’ve read “It was the best of sentences, it was the worst of sentences“ and “Smart Brevity - The power of saying more with less.“.

Both titles were recommended by

Jordan Cutler

High Growth Engineer

My excessive grammatical mistakes have humbled me… 😂

👉 Practice what I learn:

LinkedIn posts and newsletter issues are perfect practice.

I’ll spend more time editing my work, too.

👉 Get feedback on my practice:

Hint, hint: let me know how this is going!

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Increase My Frequency

In a nutshell, I want to talk about more topics and provide more value.

Increasing my frequency helps improve my writing, too, so that’s a win.

One of my random sayings is:

If you want to do more of something, get better at it.

So, I plan to get better and become more efficient.

My goals:

Reduce the mental effort involved in producing an issue and improve my focus.

Reduce the time taken to produce an issue without compromising value.

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How I’ll Increase My Frequency

👉 I’ve created a template to smooth my process. It’s designed to keep me focused and on point.

I’ll get feedback and iterate on it.

👉 I’ll do my absolute very best to get my point across in as swift a manner as possible and without excessive wordy and waffling long sentences… (see what I did there 😂)

I’ll do this by implementing aspects of Smart Brevity.

👉 I’ll keep each issue to a maximum of 1250 words (5-6 minutes) - less where possible.

By increasing my frequency, I hope to…

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Provide More Value

Value comes in all shapes and sizes.

The obvious value is the takeaway from the newsletter.

There’s also value in improving the delivery of that value.

That’s an example of being reader-focused.

I want to save you time, too.

Reading past issues, even I feel like they’re too long.

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How I’ll Provide More Value

Heavily influenced by Smart Brevity, I’ll add value by:

✅ Respecting your time - getting to the point faster.

✅ Highlighting the Key Takeaway at the top of each issue.

✅ Focusing on what you want to hear rather than what I want to say.

✅ Exploring smaller, more diverse topics and how they impact you in software development.

✅ Tell you “Why It Matters” and how to take action.

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Why It Matters 🤷‍♂️

During your software development career, you’ve gained transferable skills.

Continuous improvement is an important one.

It doesn’t just apply to building software. It applies to everything.

✅ Your Wellbeing

✅ Your Fitness

✅ Your Mindset

✅ Your Health

✅ Your Education

✅ Your Hobbies

✅ Your Relationships

✅ Your Career

These changes are my way of demonstrating to you that I value the concept of continuous improvement.

I don’t just talk about it…

I embody it.

And it’s not restricted to the world of software, far from it.

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Take Action 🔥

You can apply continuous improvement, too.

Here’s how:

👉 Identify something you want to improve, anything…

👉 Identify the smallest improvement…

👉 Learn how to do it…

👉 Practice it…

👉 Get feedback / Measure progress…

👉 REPEAT…

Start small, get some wins under your belt, and you’ll be amazed at where it leads.

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Rich’s Recommendations

I’ll include some recommendations with each new issue.

They’ll combine books, newsletters, people and courses to help you improve your wellbeing, mindset, leadership or tech skills:

👍

NK

’s weekly newsletter to learn system design:

System Design Newsletter

👍

John Crickett

’s weekly coding challenge to help software engineers level up:

Coding Challenges

👍

Gregor Ojstersek

’s weekly newsletter for becoming a great engineering leader:

Engineering Leadership

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Closing

You can apply continuous improvement to all aspects of life, not just software development

Continuous improvement:

✅ Keeps you motivated

✅ Keeps things manageable

✅ Provides a sense of achievement

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Feedback

This format is experimental, so I’d love your feedback.

Better, worse or anything in between, I’d love to hear your thoughts.

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Remember

There’s nothing more important than your own wellbeing.