Trailhead’s long-time friend Jesse Liberty joins J. to discuss an array of topics related to unit testing. In this episode, the ground they cover includes:

· Key advantages of unit testing

· Common mistakes developers make with it

· Tips for incorporating unit testing into a team process

Along with these insights, you will learn how to get started if you haven’t done much unit testing, convince others of its importance, and balance the trade-offs between test coverage and development time. Check it out now!

About Today’s Blue Blazes Guest

Called “one of the best in the world at explaining technology,” Jesse Liberty is a full-time hands-on programmer who specializes in C#, git, .NET MAUI, and building world-class APIs. Jesse is an Xamarin and Microsoft MVP and prolific author of programming books, including his recent title .NET MAUI for C# Developers. His next book, on creating APIs with C# and .NET, is expected to come out in ’24. He also has numerous courses on platforms like Pluralsight, LinkedIn Learning, Udemy, and Packt and is host of the popular Yet Another Podcast. To learn more about Jesse Liberty, stop by his website here!

In this episode, J. explores the potency of trust in successful teams with guest Richard Campbell. Check it out, and you will learn what makes for good team building, how to establish trust, and what you can do about challenging individuals in a team. In doing so, you’ll see that it’s possible to have disagreements without it being destructive to the team and the value of getting everyone on the same side (literally).

Richard Campbell is a co-host of the popular, long-running “.NET Rocks!” podcast, host of his own weekly “RunAs Radio” podcast (since 2007), and renowned tech entrepreneur. Richard started playing with microcomputers in 1977 and really hasn’t looked back since. He’s a Microsoft MVP, well-seasoned consultant who has been involved in every level of the PC industry, and co-owner of the DevIntersection (www.devintersection.com) group of conferences and founder of the charity Humanitarian Toolbox.

You can check out the .NET Rocks! podcast here and the RunAs Radio show here.

Martine Dowden stops by Blue Blazes and chats with J. about accessibility and its role in successful software projects. In this episode, you will see why this is such an important subject and learn smart approaches for establishing accessibility in legacy projects (from the co-author of Approachable Accessibility!). Along the way, Martine generously shares tools for web apps and resources that can help you and your team improve your software’s accessibility. 

About Today’s Blue Blazes Guest 

Martine Dowden is a designer, developer, author, and international speaker. In her roles as founder, president, and CTO of Andromeda Galactic Solutions, Martine uses her expertise and passion for front-end development to help clients create more captivating web experiences. With a background in psychology and a keen eye for accessibility, she is a highly engaging speaker and podcast guest. 

To learn more about Martine, check out her website. 

In this episode of Blue Blazes, J. talks with developer, business owner, consultant, and cloud architect Mike Benkovich about AI and how software teams can use it. During the conversation, we see why AI should be viewed as a tool (not something to be feared), how it can help humans learn, and what individuals in the software field should be looking to use it for. Mike and J. also discuss the limitations and potential for inaccuracies associated with this technology.

About Today’s Blue Blazes Guest

Mike Benkovich is a Microsoft alumni and Azure MVP. While at Microsoft, Mike helped create the Azure Boot Camp events that were run across the nation. Today, he is a consultant, online instructor, and business owner. His website equips developers with tips and resources for a variety of technologies, and his online courses cover subjects like serverless computing and Azure enterprise development. Every Friday, Mike has “Azure office hours,” where people can sign up for a fifteen-minute chat to work through technological questions.

Learn more about Mike at Benkotips.com.

Christina Aldan—an award-winning speaker and brand strategy consultant—joins Blue Blazes to talk with J. about Jobs To Be Done (JTBD). In doing so, we learn how this approach can drive better results through more effective communication and conducting upfront research before you “build the thing.” Check out today’s episode to see how you can use the JTBD process to make a huge impact for your next project.

Cory House joins J. to talk about using custom dev tools to improve web applications. Cory discusses the importance of slowing down to go faster in a build, how dev tools work in different environments, project pitfalls you can avoid, and why the right mindset during a build matters. Cory covers these web app development topics (and more) with great examples and gives the kinds of valuable tips and insight that have made him a highly sought-after trainer.

In the episode of the Blue Blazes podcast, J. speakers with Steve Smith (also known as "Ardalis" online). He is the co-owner and chief architect of NimblePros, and the conversation covers how shortening the feedback cycles throughout your software process can help lead to more successful projects.

Welcome to the inaugural episode of our new Blue Blazes podcast. Today, J. talks with Brian McKeiver, co-owner of BizStream, about EOS (Entrepreneurial Operating System) and how technology companies can utilize this valuable tool to keep projects focused and on track.