My cold is a lot better, throat still a bit sore so still not 100% but around 85-90% maybe?

I built a small library yesterday for talking to the Elgato Keylights I have via Elixir. You can see it at lawik/keylight, very barebones, but functional. I was using Python so decided to port that.

Today should be a stream about setting up an Erlang cluster of Raspberry Pis. Don't miss it, we'll do fun stuff I bet.

Last Regular Programming episode was about production environments.

Silly Dabbling Pays Off Again

My current client project is an interesting case study in the usefulness of having established experience in a multitude of areas. We are building a SaaS product within an established company that doesn't typically do SaaS.

I was brought in to be the backend/server and bring-it-to-production person, with some full-stack work since I'd likely need to touch the frontend as well. It is an Elixir/Phoenix backend with a SPA framework kind of deal for the frontend, specifically Elm. That has worked out nicely and along the way we've fixed a ton of things, improved the system in many ways and are ever closer to production and launch.

There is no specialist skillset that has served me particularly deeply in this project. For this product I have done:

• Database modelling
• Data integrity work
• A bunch of Docker
• CI setup
• Server setup and deployment
• Simple backend visuals
• High-fidelity frontend visuals
• Improve interactions and UX
• Security review and investigations
• Product tactics
• Product strategy
• Networking (people) to source potential content
• Development roadmapping
• Systems design & architecture
• Developer onboarding
• Developer setup tooling
• On-premise deployment
• Documentation
• Automated testing
• Tech lead / Team lead
• Hiring manager

I know people who do various of these to a much deeper level than I do. I have had to do all of these to a capable level, some at a deeper level, mostly on the backend and lead role stuff. But none at a specialist level. Most companies don't need specialist level skills. The return on investment as you add more money to get higher caliber talent diminishes.

Essentially, for delivering a SaaS product you need a technical founder skillset. A lot of everything. And that may very well be my speciality. I enjoy this type of variety. In the same week going from replacing the authentication system to hashing out a suggested visual update prototype. I love that.

I think the advice to learn something well early on is still good advice. You have to start somewhere and you have to establish skill to a level of proficiency that is useful to you and others. But I wouldn't worry about doing a variety of things as long as you enjoy it. I feel like the depth is built over time, doing the work, the breadth I find by following my fancies and desires.

If you have questions I'm very reachable at lars@underjord.io or on Twitter where I'm @lawik.

Thanks for reading, I appreciate your time.

- Lars Wikman