10 principles for creating a great developer experience [Video]

About a decade ago, I was a CIO evaluating a technology solution and I shared our primary requirements with a prospective vendor’s rep. He demoed at least three products from the company’s portfolio. Each tool had its own user experience, development approach, and learning requirements, but all three were needed to solve our business requirements. As CIO, I recognized that different parts of my team would either need to collaborate using these different tools, or I would have to hire more advanced developers capable of mastering them all. I decided not to invest in this technology solution because of the complexities of development involved.

The concept of developer experience (DX or DevEx) was not a primary or measurable objective back then. Few business leaders were thinking about the value of improving developer satisfaction, productivity, and happiness. But leading CTOs, digital trailblazers, delivery managers, and technical leads understood its importance. It’s why …