Disclaimer: The following works for me, since I work part-time as a freelancer. This does (unfortunately) not work for all situations. The story happened a few years ago: I've been sitting on a complex problem for some time. I couldn't crack it. Usually, I try to find elegant solutions, simple solutions. This problem was "uncrackable". …
Op-Ed: Think like a Game-Tutorial
Target Group: AdminsComplexity: Simple 6 months of sweat and tears but you made it. You got the project life in time and budget. UAT passed with flying colors and power Users are excited. First User feedback is trickling in, it's not great. What could have happened? Let's follow the default User experience of a Salesforce …
Op-Ed: 5 Sins as a Consultant
Being a consulting customer and a consultant myself, I've seen and done quite a few sins myself. A shortlist of what I think are deadly sins: 1) Running/System user2) Debugging/notification emails3) Active Users after leaving4) Client name prefixes to fields/classes/workflows5) Not clean up before leavingBonus Sin: Refuse to help after Go-Life 1) Running/System user It's …
APEX Mocking Frameworks: Just too many choices
Target Group: DevelopersComplexity: Medium Disclaimer: This is not a comprehensive comparison but is based on my limited experience. Any feedback is highly welcome. Way too late in my career, I started using mocking frameworks. Now, I've too many mocking frameworks to choose from. I was wondering, what's the difference and what's the best one to …
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How I study for a Cert/Topic
Many people have many different styles of studying for certs, some very structured, some not so much. I'm more on the side of "not so structured". While some have elaborate Trello Boards, all I need is Notepad++ and Powerpoint. My goal when I study for a Cert/Topic?- Understand the business case- Understand the architecture- Consult …
Don’t hunt alone, get a Business Guide
Topic: Fixing bugsTarget Group: Admins, DeveloperComplexity: Low We all have to fix bugs from time to time. I love hunting for bugs like a lone wolf, stalking through the dark forest of Flows, Default Values, Debug Logs, and cryptic Bug reports. While it's fun sometimes, often it's a lengthy and frustrating process. There's a better …
Op-Ed: Kill your Darling
It hurts me so much, but it has to be done, I have to kill Quick-Search! Experienced writers recommend "kill your darlings". The rationale is that we can't judge something objectively when it becomes dear to our hearts. I think the same applies to product management and software architecture. I've been thinking about killing my …
Assets: Limitless fun!
Target Group: ArchitectsComplexity: Medium Assets have always been a strange object I could never really grasp. What's the difference between a Product and an Asset? What to really use Assets? Why not go with a Custom Object right away? Like every CTA student, I became very excited once I learned: Assets don't count against data …
Diagrams: Make It YoursÂ
Target Group: Admins, Devs, ArchitectsComplexity: High For years I was intimated by these Flow-Charts, UMLs, swimlanes or Class diagrams. I tried creating them a few times but failed miserably and eventually gave up. During my #journeyToCTA, I realized: I can create diagrams. Maybe not "standard" ones but some that work for me and the judges …
Note to myself: What means success to me?
Many of us came to (unexpected) success through Salesforce. I'm doing amazing projects, large and small, and making more money than ever I expected. But it comes with a catch, especially as an independent contractor.There's always the possibility to do more, to earn more, to do more, to make the next career step. Chatting with a wise …
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