Meet Move: Arwin & Tom, Frontend Developers

When did that collaboration come to an end?

Arwin: 'At some point the project settled down. A very large part of the base was in place and I could see that Tom was doing well with it. So then I could start scaling down. It was important to me that there was no hard cut, so I gradually scaled it down until Tom could do it on his own.'

Tom: 'Arwin has always stayed involved on the sidelines to do code reviews, for example. I could and still can always request feedback.'

How do you give and receive feedback?

Arwin: 'In code reviews, I always look at someone's strengths and points that need some extra attention. Sometimes I put a very extensive text with it, so the other person can read it back for reference. Then I explain why we approach something a certain way, for example because of the speed or maintainability of the application. I believe that the penny only drops when you can explain it to someone yourself. That's how you learn the fastest.'

Tom: 'Arwin's guidance went beyond technical feedback. He provided context and challenge and sometimes had me make intentional mistakes to learn from them. That approach ensured that I not only learned the right solutions, but also understood why they were right. As I continued to apply that new knowledge in new scenarios, I received less and less feedback and the comments got smaller and smaller until eventually they stopped altogether.'

Have you ever had a disagreement about the best approach?

Tom: 'I think we both believe our work has to be good, but we also have to deliver. If we both put our reasoning on the table, we often come out in the middle.'

Arwin: 'There has to be a balance between being pragmatic and delivering. It's very easy to hang on and keep looking for the best way. But sometimes the best way isn't possible in practice and then the complete progress stagnates. I think our shared mindset ensured that we were able to deliver a lot on short notice. And for me there is always room for concessions, provided there is a good reason for it.'

Is that a mindset you see in more Movers?

Arwin: 'Definitely! Fail fast, learn from your mistakes quickly and fix them. As long as you do it consciously. There's a somewhat negative stigma attached to pragmatism, but I actually see it as a positive trait. Especially within an agency, where you encounter a lot of context switches. Sometimes a lot is asked of you in between, but that's the beauty of it. There's a lot of variety.'

What qualities should you have as a Frontend Developer?

Arwin: 'You have to be eager to learn, curious and interested in the subject matter. If you're energized by it, you're quicker to take that extra step to understand how something works. Combined with analytical ability, you pick up technical aspects very quickly. In my spare time I regularly pick up new techniques myself. Not because I have to, but because I enjoy it. It's just a hobby. If you have that, you're in the right place. It is also important to be open to feedback. Don't assume you can get everything right at once. Make mistakes, learn from them and keep going. Those soft skills are clearly present with Tom, for example, from day one and have really helped him in receiving feedback.'

Tom: 'It's about a combination of technical and soft skills. By being open to feedback, you can greatly accelerate your growth. You get better at the job incredibly quickly when you look at how other people's solutions work and build on that. If you're attuned to feedback in the right way, it can really be a gift. The same goes for giving feedback.'