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By learning, we’re able to create better products: we learn more about our
customers, we learn more about the technology our products are built from and
we learn how to produce the products more efficiently. Using this learning,
we’re able to improve our products. Learning about our customers, products
and manufacturing process may allow us to create better products.
Learning also allows us to increase our productivity. Through learning,
we’re able to build products faster, more efficiently and with less waste. This
allows us to maximize the returns from our investment – whether capit al or
workers’ time – and generate more profit. In these cases, the firm’s ability to
learn is key to helping the firm improve and succeed. The firm that learns
fastest wins.
But learning isn’t just essential in order to win: it’s also essential in order to
survive. Modern businesses exist in a changing environment, new competitors
enter markets, customer expectations change, and technologies and regulations
change. Firms that don’t learn and adapt to a changing environment may not
survive.
So, learning isn’t an optional extra. Firms and individuals must learn if they
are to survive. For those that master learning and can learn faster than others,
there are rewards.
1.1.3 Good People Like Learning
Humans are natural learners. Our ability to learn faster than many other
animals is one of the reasons why we humans have advanced as far as we
have. Within software development, those who enjoy and excel at learning tend
to perform better than those who dislike learning new things. There are always
new technologies and application domains to learn. Anyone who dislikes
learning would be well advised to avoid a career in software development.
The search for competitive advantage outlined above isn’t the only reason to
embrace learning. People who enjoy learning are more motivated when given
an environment in which they can learn more. Motivated people get more job
satisfaction and are more productive.
Naturally, when people are motivated and happy with their work they are
more likely to remain with the same employer. Therefore, creating a learning
environment should help improve staff retention. Recruitment may also
become easier, as word spreads of a positive work environment, filled with
motivated people who are learning new things.
1.2 Who are Software Developers?
The term software developer is most often used to describe the engineers who
write program code. In truth, there are many more roles necessary to develop
software: testers, business analysts, designers, product managers, architects,
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