Dustin Ewers speaks with Dave Rael about sharing ideas, speaking at conferences, empathetic user experiences, taking care of yourself, and building systems
Dustin Ewers is a consultant at Centare, where he works to help businesses build better software. Dustin has been building software for over 10 years, specializing in Microsoft technologies. He is an active member of the technical community, speaking at user groups and conferences in and around Wisconsin.
While not building the software of the future, Dustin likes a mix of low tech and high tech hobbies, including reading, cooking, hiking, and fishing.
He writes about technology at https://www.dustinewers.com/. Follow him on Twitter at @DustinJEwers
Chapters:
1:32 - Dave introduces the show and Dustin Ewers3:55 - Dustin and the ketogenic diet7:03 - Dustin, the conference speaker9:02 - The things that "light Dustin up"9:45 - How Dustin got started in software12:04 - Dustin's story of failure - Converting to a new system in an upgrade that downgraded user experience15:32 - Dustin's success story - blogging and speaking - connection with excellent people18:13 - How Dustin stays current with what he needs to know19:39 - Dustin's book recommendations21:10 - The things that have Dustin most excited25:05 - Dustin's causes of pain and suffering27:10 - Dustin's schedule and work lifestyle28:39 - Dustin's cooking hobby32:30 - Dustin's prediction for the future of software33:31 - Decoding empathy and how it relates to creating quality software35:01 - Dustin's top 3 tips for delivering more value36:38 - Keeping up with Dustin
Resources:
Dustin's Blog
Ketogenic diet
2 Keto Dudes Podcast - Carl Franklin and Richard Morris
Kassie and Dustin Ewers on the 2 Keto Dudes Podcast
Enterprise resource planning
The Six Million Dollar Man
900 (skateboarding)
The Hidden Genius Project on Developer On Fire
Isaiah Rider's "East Bay Funk Dunk"
Roger Bannister
Safari Books Online
Pluralsight
Stoicism
T-Shaped Skills
Sous-vide
Frankenstein - Mary Shelley
Indi Young on Developer On Fire
Dustin's book recommendation:
Dustin's Recommended Reading Page on His Blog
The Righteous Mind: Why Good People Are Divided by Politics and Religion - Jonathan Haidt
Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World - Cal Newport
Dustin's top 3 tips for delivering more value:
Try to get a deep understanding of your customers and your users
Prioritize concentration
Invest in communication skills