Why web development?
In this post I will explore the key aspects of why I am drawn to web development. I am excited to have I have recently started a new path at the Flatiron School in Software Development and am looking forward to new paths ahead.
Opportunity for Creative Storytelling
At the most basic level, my desire to be a web developer is because I am drawn to create things and share them on a revolutionary medium that is open to the world, namely the internet and the web. The web is a place where anyone can find and use the tools that I help to create, so it is the most canvas for my work. I have always been drawn to creative outlets, and I am lucky to live in a time where a tool or idea that I can produce with my brain and my keyboard can be viewed by an audience virtually at any time. If I was a painter, writer or another type of creative person and I lived in an earlier time, it would be much more difficult (if not impossible) to connect with an audience. I am motivated by the prospect of building things or presenting ideas that inspire people and might have a chance to inspire change in the world for the better.
A large component of this creative outlet is the prospect of telling stories. I am drawn to data visualization, web maps and the front end because of the storytelling possibilities there. For example, here is a view of a recent web map application that I have been working on for a non profit organization, The Freshwater Trust.
On this project, the focus has been about helping to promote the objective of the organization: to accelerate the pace and scale of freshwater restoration of rivers.
In this case, we are focused on the Rouge River basin watershed in southwest Oregon. This map and visualization shows what the folks at Freshwater call, “uplift” for the different river segments in the area, Higher extrusions of the river indicate more possible improvements. The accompanying visualization bar chart is directly tied to the data for the map and enhances the story about improvements that are possible for the river basin, if different initiatives and are undertaken by farmers and other neighbors to the river. The tool will eventually be used by the U.S. Forest service to help promote best practices in the area. The stories that can be told from the data and visualized on the map and accompanying visualizations will help the river to become more healthy.
Another example from my work shows tells a different type of story, one that that is initially hidden in the data. When a visualization is applied to it (the map and histogram), the underlying story can become clear.
The application shows the popularity of names for boy and girl names since 1912, by year and by geographic location. In the example above, the story uncovered relates to the birth of rock and roll and one of it’s most enduring icons, Elvis Presley. If we look up the name, Elvis, the underlying data shows that name was most popular in 1957 in southern states, exactly the same time and place that Elvis Presley burst onto the scene and became an enduring rock and roll icon.
I really enjoy it when these types of visualizations can punctuate a story to be told. In this case, the story is about the birth of Rock and Roll in the late 1950s, told through the boom in popularity in his name, up until that point had been much less popular and somewhat obscure.
There are over 30,000 names in the data behind the application, likely with many other stories to be told. Check out the About this Map link to find inspiration to find more stories here: http://whatsinaname.us/. The source of the data is the for the most popular baby names by state and year, provided by the U.S. Social Security Administration.
What draws me most to web development is the opportunity to create things that inspire people. In the 1971 film, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, I believe that Mr. Wonka said it very well:
We are the music makers. We are the dreamers of dreams.
I am privileged to be able to work where this kind of aspiration for creativity is possible.
Enhancing the Toolbelt
Beyond creativity, the opportunity to create useful tools that make the lives of users easier is an important additional aspect of why I am drawn to web development.
Almost all web applications have a chance to become useful tools. I have had the opportunity to help create some useful ones. In my view, the two most important keys to producing a useful tool is that the tool must be effective and it must be simple for users to use. Here I will focus on one simple tool I worked on in the past in order to explain what I mean.
A few years back, when I worked at the University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business, I was tasked with building a web application for the campus wide copy shop. The application was used by both professors and students at the university. Because many of the professors actually wrote (or were in the process of writing) textbooks for their classes, the copy shop became a key way for students to receive and use the most current printed versions of course materials. In a nutshell, the application allowed for the professor to upload and share course materials and students could request printing of such materials for pickup. Also, students paid for the materials through a credit system on the application, which was tied to their university account.
Previous to the copy shop application creation, all steps of the process were done manually. The professor had to physically go to the copy shop and deliver their coursework in PDF format on a disk or USB drive. The students also had to visit the shop to request printing and payment in person, then return again when the print was ready. If the professor updated the coursework (which they usually did each semester) this it required them to revisit the copy shop and hand deliver new materials. The copy shop application simplified the process and saved time for all the users because it allowed for the transactions to occur online within the university web portal. Today, in a time where online shopping and other activities is much more prevalent, this type of tool seems obvious. But, this was a few years back when these types of online tools were less available.
The application became very useful to many at the time and was simple and effective. I received many compliments and gratitude even years after it was launched because it made life easier for both professors and students and saved time. Being in a position to help create simple and effective tools like this example is another reason why I am drawn to web development.
Lifelong Learning
The last aspect of why I am drawn to web development that I want to focus on is life long learning. The world and in life is in constant change, web development is an area that is at the forefront of this change.
This constant iteration and improvement speaks to why I am back in the learning seat again, studying technologies and building an updated skill set more relevant for today’s web. With each iteration, the canvas becomes easier and better. I love this type of work because it keeps me young and relevant. I am excited to open up a new chapter in my learning and to be able to apply my experience to what is new. Whether it be Ruby on Rails or React, I love the idea of always learning something new and relating that to where I have been on my journey.
