A session we give at developers' conferences

Code Retreat

The Coderetreat started from the observation that we, software developers as an industry, don't practice. We do most of our learning on the job, pushing directly software into production. Learning on the job is not always an environment appropriate for learning, because of all the constraints

Code Retreat

Code Retreat Event

Facilitator:
Florin Coroș





Coderetreat is a day-long, intensive practice event. The Coderetreat event has a standard format which focuses on the fundamentals of software development and design. The format has a unique approach to practicing eXtreme Programming rules like Unit Testing, TDD and Pair Programming.

The Coderetreat started from the observation that we, software developers as an industry, don't practice. We do most of our learning on the job, pushing directly software into production. Learning on the job is not always an environment appropriate for learning, because of all the constraints involved: deadlines, getting things done, technology constraints, backwards compatibility, budget etc. The Coderetreat format creates an environment for suited for practicing by removing all these constraints. By the format, we have one day long in which we are going to work, over and over again, on the same problem, the Conway's Game of Live, in short sessions of 45 minutes. To make sure that all the “on the job” constraints are removed, the format says that all the code gets deleted after each session, so nothing has to be finished or remain for future use. The focus is not on the end result; the entire focus is on practicing. It mimics how other professions, like musicians, do only practice.

You can read more about the Coderetreat philosophy and history at: https://www.coderetreat.org/

Over the years I have facilitated many Coderetreat events, and all have proven to be a great way to learn Unit Testing, TDD and Pair Programming for a large variety of developers. Some of these events were public, as part of the Global Day of Code Retreat, which I have also co-organized as part of RABS, in Cluj-Napoca, Romania. While facilitating and co-organizing these events I have became an experience Coderetreat facilitator.

If you are looking for a fun and effective way to teach your colleague developers or your development team, eXtreme Programming techniques while practicing, Codertreat is a great way to do this, and I can help as facilitator. You can contact me for planning and details.

Specialized consulting

Services

Our Software Architecture and Project Design services combined, help organisations transition from staff augmentation, where they sell hours, to becoming solution providers, where they deliver project milestones.

Software Architecture

We support key architectural decisions, from System Decomposition to Detailed Technical Design.

Our work involves identifying critical system behaviors, core technical requirements, and providing tailored solutions.

We assume the responsibilities and decisions of the architect role, acting as the design lead, technology lead, and process lead.

Project Design

We apply an effective engineering method to create an actionable project execution plan.

The plan outlines the schedule of activities, allocates resources, and makes strategic trade-offs to meet project goals within constraints, balancing schedule, cost, and risk.

The process provides charts and tools to track progress and adapt the plan during execution.

Coaching and Mentoring

We help architects, managers, and developers build the skills needed to achieve their goals with ongoing support.

We are available to your team while they work, providing access to our extensive project experience. We engage directly with the project, becoming familiar with its specific requirements and constraints.

Our goal is to build skills within your team, enabling them to achieve their goals independently rather than relying on us.

We lead in design, technology, and process, empowering projects and organizations to achieve their goals. We collaborate closely with client architects, product managers, and project managers, providing coaching and mentorship to help them succeed.

Founder

About

Code Design is a consulting agency specialising in the design phase of software development.

Over the past decade, Florin has led the design and implementation of complex software systems across industries such as Energy, Finance, Healthcare, Business Productivity Tools, and Insurance. These projects involved distributed systems built for long-term, incremental development, overcoming common challenges to ensure success: on time, within budget, and on quality.

Florin’s experience often includes coaching and training the developers implementing his designs, further enriching the training materials he provides.

At Code Design, Florin collaborates with a team of like-minded professionals and experts, many of whom he has previously worked with, to deliver comprehensive, high-level services in software development.

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