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IT development has been around for more than 60 years and it has undergone radical transformations from the emergence of the first programming languages and OS development to the internet boom and the current AI era. Although programming tools and approaches are constantly changing, one thing remains constant: Only those developers who can adapt and master new knowledge and skills survive. Im the chief software officer of a 70-strong team that designs a predictive maintenance system (PdM): A solution based on the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) and AI. Without continuous growth, our developers cannot remain competitive. The same is true in nearly every industry; when individuals stop working on their skills, a company can lose its edge. Heres a look at how we have created a system where professional development is an integral part of the work and how we help developers avoid and overcome stagnation. MUST EVERYONE GROW? Every team has specialists who prefer routine work, and to some extent teams need those people who do well in a position that does not require growth. But for a project to develop steadily, I believe such experts should not exceed 20% of the team. If their share is higher, other developers will eventually start to emulate their passive colleagues. Optimally, the majorityabout 80%should be actively developing and improving their expertise. Not everyone in the 80% needs to generate new ideas. The driver-to-performer ratio depends on the company’s development stage. A start-up needs 80% drivers because theyre the ones who forge ahead. Conversely, in mature companies, sustainable quality leads require constant hard-skill honing rather than a fountain of ideas. DEVELOPMENT THROUGH SMALL ACTIONS Encouraging developers to advance their skills can start small. For example, one underrated tool is having a person write tests to check their code, which is mandatory for everyone on our team, including senior specialists. Many teams use code reviews more often than writing tests. But when a developer writes a test, they may find that their method or function is too cumbersome, with many exceptions and dependencies, and its almost impossible to test it entirely. As a result, they begin redesigning their code and look for solutions to improve its logic. They study additional materials, such as technical blogs and best-practice guides, and consult with colleagues to deepen their expertise. However, tests have limitations. Once a person learns patterns, writes tests quickly and confidently, growth stops and routine begins. This tempts developers to automate their work. CASE-BY-CASE APPROACH There are many reasons why professionals pause in their development. They may be satisfied with their position/skills, bored, or facing challenging external circumstances. For example, most of our developers are Ukrainian, and our work has been affected by Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, which has been a great stress to everyone. Team members have responded differentlyapproximately 30% lost their motivation to do anything, and another 30% have taken a deep dive into their development. One strong junior immersed himself so deeply in his studies that in just six months, he mastered senior level theory. The rest simply adapted and returned to their usual pace. After 10+ years in tech management, I realized that everyone has different motivations for advancing their skills. Your task is not to pressure them but to understand what is holding them back and what incentivizes them. Some practices that Ive found helpful when developers stagnate are: Provide new context. Offer the developer an opportunity to work on another project or change domains. A new environment presents new challenges, requires adaptation, and learning. Present challenges. Give the developer a task that requires creative thinking and independent research. Dont provide an answer. This will let them take initiative and responsibility for the result. Encourage learning. If a person seeks development opportunities provide them with resources. For example, compensate for conference or workshop participation. Adjust expectations. Sometimes a person is satisfied with their expertise. In this case, its important to agree: If the developer doesnt want growth, they dont seek promotion. Each specialist must have their own development plan. We draw it up twice a year, based on in-depth assessment. We set goals that meet the company’s expectations and the developer’s interests. THE COMPANY’S SYSTEMATIC APPROACH In my experience, developers often stop focusing on advancing their skills when they are overloaded. After intense work, they no longer have the energy to learn. Learning by working is our main principle. We believe developers can improve their skills through hands-on experience, so we integrate this approach into employee development plans. Daily: Giving them a short technical digest and work with code through tests and reviews. Two-week sprints: Each sprint includes two to three days when a developer can try a new approach, technology, etc. Once a month: Internal clubs sessions in each department lasting one hour to 90 minutes where they can share experiences, run practical workshops, and exchange best practices. Once every three to six months: Three-hour sessions with external speakers, advanced training. FINAL THOUGHTS Im convinced that development begins with dialogue. You should understand what motivates a person. I also believe that there are no wrong decisionsonly different points of view. Developers shouldnt be afraid to disagree because critical thinking and constructive discussion always help team growth. Illia Smoliienko is the chief software officer for Waites.
Category:
E-Commerce
How did you get to this article? Maybe you opened a link in an email, or you navigated from the Fast Company home page. Perhaps you Googled agentic AI and this figured in the results. The point is, you almost certainly clicked, scrolled, tapped, or typed your way here, because thats the digital grammar that shapes nearly every online experience. But that 30-year-old paradigm is about to change. Agentic AI is ripping up the rulebook, by creating a new layer of intelligent, autonomous mediation between us and the digital world. Personal shopping agents will handle routine purchases, while in the workplace, agents will automate workflows and streamline procurement. Investors are excited, of course. Earlier this year, more than half of the Y Combinator startups chosen for its accelerator program were working in agentic, while the three biggest Q1 acquisitions in the AI sector involved companies building agentic enterprise technologies. This is because agents are about to transform how work gets done, how businesses operate, and how systems interact. And nowhere are the consequences more profound than in e-commerce. CLICKLESS COMMERCE Today, e-commerce success depends on online visibility, with search driving half of website traffic and fuelling the $75 billion search engine optimization (SEO) industry. But agentic AI upends the traditional business model. For agents, displays and brand content are less important. Merchants must focus on making product data machine-legibleaccurate, structured, and accessiblebecause machines wont browse sites. Theyll connect directly to sales platforms and databases via APIs, creating a parallel e-commerce track that serves agents rather than human shoppers. Building out that machine track will be a critical job for merchants, fintechs, software companies, and financial institutions. For merchants, an early task is compiling and structuring data in a way thats visible and relevant to agents. Another is creating seamless connections between merchant systems and agent systems. The good news is that the connective tissue is already here. New protocolsmodel context, agent-to-agent, and agentic paymentsnow enable agents to connect, communicate, and transact autonomously. MARKETING TO MACHINES: A NEW INDUSTRY For retailers, one question looms: How do I market to machines? As SEO evolves for human audiences, new disciplines are emerging to optimize digital environments for AI agents. Agent engine optimization helps make digital spaces easier for agents to understand and use. Agent interaction design focuses on how they communicate with platforms, APIs, and other agents to get things done for users. These areas connect with generative engine optimization, which improves content so AI systems can better generate recommendations and make decisions. Taken together, they signal a new ecosystemone that will create fresh roles, unlock new value streams, and redefine how businesses compete in an AI-driven economy. Another way of attracting machine buyers is to reward them. This is the agentic version of e-commerces affiliate system, where publishers, partners, and influencers are paid a commission for driving sales. Theres feverish speculation as to how an attribution mechanism may work, and who will get paid. There are plenty of challenges toonot least verifying agents identities, knowing with confidence which agent influenced the sale, and preventing fake agents from gaming the system. But the opportunities are apparent. The affiliate market is predicted to double in size by 2030, even without agents. FACE THE HEADWINDS Certain issues will require regulatory clarity. Agentic referral will have to be transparent, for example, to ensure fair competition. Then theres the matter of trust. Well need confidence in the agents and the ecosystems they operate in. Giving an autonomous bot spending authority is a big commitment, but getting it right is key to scaling agentic commerce. Ensuring agents can operate across different payment systems, platforms, and legal jurisdictions will also pose technical and regulatory challenges. That said, were about to experience the biggest transformation in e-commerce since it began. This promises to be an era of great innovationa time to build new tools, new ecosystems, and new ways of creating value. Agentic commerce isnt just a tech shift; its a reimagining of how we buy, sell, and connect in a digital world. Ken Moore is chief innovation officer at Mastercard.
Category:
E-Commerce
How would a school shooting affect your employees? Its something that most employers never want to think about, but its a horrifyingly real threat to any communityand the companies and organizations that do business there. Following the death of my youngest son, Dylan, in the 2012 Sandy Hook School shooting, I can tell you first-hand about the lasting trauma that occurs when your child is injured or killed in this type of tragedyand how that ripples through the entire community. In October, we held Americas Safe Schools Week, a national initiative to raise awareness about school violence and promote safety. Its also a time for companies to recognize they have a major role to play in preventing school violenceand a lot to gain by doing so. When we invest in the safety and well-being of our children, we are also investing in our workforce, and in turn, the long-term health of our businesses. WHY THIS MATTERS FOR CEOS Our employees dont leave their lives at the office door. Their childrens safety directly impacts their focus, mental health, and productivity. A tragedy in a school can create anxiety and shake an entire companybecause our companies are made up of parents, caregivers, neighbors, and friends. Taking a role in vioence prevention isnt just an act of compassion or show of goodwill and support. Its a sound business strategy that strengthens your workforce, your brand, and your reach into communities. KNOW THE WARNING SIGNS People intending to harm themselves or others will often exhibit a range of telling behaviors. This might include expressing threats or a plan, bragging about access to weapons, becoming socially withdrawn, or experiencing chronic social isolation, among other signals. In most mass shootings and school shootings, someone knew something was off before it happened. Often, a peer, a friend, or a parent are among the first to notice a problem. The same is true for youth suicides, which are the second-leading cause of death for children and teens in the United States. Getting proactive about violence prevention begins with learning to recognize the warning signs that lead to violence and self-harm. For parents and caregivers, these signals offer some of our best opportunities to intervene and save a child. The ability for you and your employees to recognize warning signs will go far beyond your company’s walls. Ultimately, this type of impact will create safer schools, homes, and communities, leading to a stronger business environment where your company can thrive. Thats why its essential to learn these warning signs and know how to get help. THE PROTECT OUR KIDS PLEDGE One impactful way to take action is by signing the Protect Our Kids Pledge, a first-of-its-kind corporate initiative developed by Sandy Hook Promise. The pledge provides actionable training and tools to employees and their families to recognize warning signs of potential violence and self-harm, and knowledge of what to do next. Lessons from the Protect Our Kids Pledge will not only keep employees and their children safer, they will also help companies stand out in their industries by taking an active stand against youth violence and self-harm, prioritizing safety in innovative ways. It shows that a company cares about people, and signals to employees and customers alike that it values safety and social responsibility. OTHER IMPORTANT RESOURCES FOR EMPLOYERS In the last few years, legislation has provided additional violence prevention resources for companies and school communities. The Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (BSCA), passed in 2022, included many nationwide investments that have been creating a positive impact. The Act included funding for states to implement crisis intervention programs and extreme risk protection orderssometimes referred to as red flag or temporary transfer laws. These laws allow family members, law enforcement, and others to petition courts to temporarily remove firearms from a home when an individual is deemed a threat to themselves or others. The BSCA also expanded access to community health clinics that provide mental health crisis services and substance abuse treatment. This gives more employees and their families, particularly in rural areas, options to access the care they need. These resources are designed to save lives while protecting rights. Companies should ensure they understand the laws in their states, help educate their employees, and connect them to local resources when needed. TAKE ACTION TODAY Since the Sandy Hook tragedy, Ive worked alongside leading experts and business leaders who understand that ending the epidemic of gun violence requires a holistic, public health approach focused on prevention. And when we make prevention a priority, we can also create safe, healthy communities that allow our businesses to thrive. Business leaders can demonstrate their commitment by signing on to the Protect Our Kids Pledge and encouraging other leaders to do the same. Share that prevention is possible, and its both a moral and business imperative to deliver that for our communities, our employees, andmost importantlyour children. Nicole Hockley is cofounder and CEO of Sandy Hook Promise.
Category:
E-Commerce
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