What makes a great Software Engineer? Challenging our Assumptions Instead of Talking about Imposter Syndrome

Bad software isn't a technical problem, it's a communication problem. This talk redefines the skills that are truly essential for building successful products.

#1about 1 minute

Moving beyond imposter syndrome as an individual issue

The conversation around imposter syndrome often incorrectly places the burden of fixing systemic issues onto individual women.

#2about 5 minutes

Deconstructing the "not technical enough" stereotype

A personal interview story illustrates how obscure technical trivia is used to gatekeep, reinforcing the harmful stereotype of a "geek" engineer.

#3about 1 minute

Expanding the definition of valuable engineering skills

Great software engineering is creative problem-solving that requires valuing communication, collaboration, and planning skills equally with coding ability.

#4about 2 minutes

The industry cost of a narrow definition of engineering

A limited view of engineering talent contributes to the diversity deficit and drives experienced women out of technical roles into other fields.

#5about 2 minutes

Why bad software is a communication problem

Contrasting an idealized workflow with a realistic one shows how projects fail due to poor requirement gathering and a lack of communication, not technical incompetence.

#6about 3 minutes

Understanding the complete creative problem-solving process

Effective software development involves a full cycle of problem definition, idea generation, evaluation, planning, and stakeholder buy-in, not just implementation.

#7about 4 minutes

Introducing four distinct problem-solving archetypes

The Basadur profile identifies four styles of problem-solving—generator, conceptualizer, optimizer, and implementer—that are all crucial for team success.

#8about 4 minutes

Combining different styles for better team outcomes

While different problem-solving styles like generators and optimizers can create friction, combining their strengths leads to more robust and well-thought-out solutions.

#9about 2 minutes

Redefining what it means to be a technical person

Technical ability should be recognized across all problem-solving styles, such as the ability to generate novel solutions like inventing GraphQL without prior knowledge.

#10about 10 minutes