Why Did I Replace Software Developer With the (Seemingly) Buzzwordy Simplicity Pathfinder?
But most importantly: “What on earth does that mean? So, what do you actually do? Are you even useful? HELP!!!”
We live in a time where we’re all called to label, categorize, evaluate, analyze, and select everything as quickly as possible. This means communication has become increasingly fast, concise, superficial, synthetic, and limited.
An example? The answer to “What do you do?” is often compressed into catchy acronyms or titles like: CTO, CEO, Software Engineer, QA, Analyst, HR, PR, Agilist, Coach, Software Coach Engineer, Champion, Rock Star, etc. These are fantastic titles, the kind that could even make Reid Hoffman blush. But do you really feel represented by one of these titles? Could you confidently say that the CTO of Microsoft does the same job as the CTO of Google or the CTO of FantasticAcronymGenerator Inc.?
Let me tell you a short story from a few months ago.
It’s late November, and I’m out of business cards. I’d be curious to know who I gave all those cards to… but no matter. A new year is approaching, and it’s time to restock.
I head to www.verinaicebusinescard.com, log in, navigate to my account, review previous orders, repeat the order, 100 pieces, “Are you sure you want to proceed?”
No
I don’t know why, but at that moment, I decided not to print another 100 business cards with “Software Developer” on them. My gut told me it would be the wrong choice.
Thank you, gut instinct, for saving me!
But… I’m out of business cards!
But what’s the issue, Thomas? You develop software. Think about it—it’s still the activity that takes up most of your day.
Sure, even “Very fast key presser”® could’ve worked! Genius… but no, thanks.
Then why not think about the activities you do the most and combine two titles? Something like ‘Fullstack Software Developer & DevOps?’
It’s a great idea, actually: two buzzwords connected by an & will surely give a clear, unbiased idea of what I do all day…
Alright, then… think about what sets your work apart. What motivates you to develop software, configure Unix servers, and press keys all day long? Why do you do it? And why do you do it this way?
Good questions. What motivates me to do this job?
A few years ago, I would’ve proudly and succinctly answered:
To become better and better and to be able to do more and more things.
Today, I would say:
To create efficient software solutions that solve the problems they’re designed for, allowing users to focus on their work while eliminating time-wasting inefficiencies.
The two answers clearly target different things: the first focuses on me, on personal growth, on accumulating knowledge and skills. The second focuses on others, on what I want my software to be and the impact it can have on its users—transforming my sterile desire to accumulate knowledge into a solid foundation for creating quality software.
Here’s the key!
Job titles talk about what I can do, but not why or for whom I do it!
Great, Thomas! But you needed an article to express your thoughts. Isn’t it a bit hard to fit all of this on a business card?
Indeed it is… So, how do I describe my work in a few meaningful words?
Simplicity
Simplicity. You don’t even need to explain it—it immediately puts you at ease.
But simple doesn’t mean easy. It requires thought, synthesis, and a good dose of listening to create something simple.
Think of something simple—how much time it took to achieve that result, and how pleasant it is to use or experience.
Pathfinder
Untranslatable. Or rather, it can be approximated as discoverer of new paths, but it doesn’t quite capture the essence :)
The translation I like best is pioneer. Following an uncharted path is difficult, exhausting, and uncertain. To do it, you have to be ready to make mistakes, get hurt, change your mind, and adapt. But only through such a figure can you discover new paths or destinations that improve life.
And the word in English, in my opinion, captures all of this: not so simple to pronounce, but powerful, evocative, and visionary.
Simplicity Pathfinder
The one who discovers new ways (or rediscovers old ones) to find software solutions that meet the true needs of end users, aiming for simplicity and efficiency.
This is the work I do today at SeeSaw. It’s the place where I’ve been given the space to mature and grow this vision, creating solutions every day with this spirit and goal.
…The problem is that it takes over 800 words to explain, and I don’t have a business card that big!
And what do you think?
If you find the topic interesting, leave me your thoughts below or come share a coffee break with us. Who knows, maybe the pursuit of simplicity will lead our paths to cross 😉
