Talking Code

Basecamp's Ryan Singer on the difference between UI and UX, how to build meaningful solutions for problems and people, and what it means to "scratch the itch." Here's what to listen for: 0:40 What is user interface (UI) design? 3:14 Is focusing on user experience (UX) a distraction? 5:04 Who on the team is most responsible for UX? 5:49 Where should a person with just an idea begin? 6:59 How can a non-technical person judge design deliverables? 10:44 Are there any intermediate deliverables before having someone code up the product itself? 15:40 What questions can a first time founder ask themselves to get more clarity? 20:02 How do you mitigate risk in designing a product? 22:35 What do you do with user and stakeholder feedback? 24:59 What do you do when you feel as though what you’re building should be solving a pain, but it’s not? 27:48 Should I learn how to code?

Here's what to listen for: 0:54 What is object-oriented programming and what is procedural programming? 5:28 What is object-oriented design? 8:44 Should I plan out all my code in advance? 15:21 What makes for good software? 19:52 What is technical debt? 28:58 What is cargo culting? 32:29 What rules should programmers follow? 34:11 Who is code written for? 36:50 How can I support the technical people on my team?

Florian Motlik on how testing and validation using the continuous integration and deployment model results in manageable, quality software. Here's what to listen for: 0:52 What is continuous integration? 4:37 What is source control? 7:50 What is automated testing? 18:59 What is high-level testing and what is low-level testing? 25:26 How can we invest in testing and testing infrastructure? 32:52 How should we try and test? 37:22 Where do you draw the line on what you shouldn't test? 40:56 How can I determine if features are tested enough to put in front of customers? 42:49 Does doing continuous integration mean my app is bug-proof? 44:54 What is continuous deployment? 50:47 What's your recommended workflow for small startups?