Imagine. You are knee deep in debugging your masterpiece data model. You know you’re close to finding that elusive bug. You’ve been avoiding e-mail, but finally, a subject line you can’t avoid: “URGENT RUSH FACT CHECK DUE 3 HOURS AGO EVEN THOUGH YOU JUST RECEIVED IT.”
Sometimes we have to get away from the urgent tasks to get to the important ones. Coding is challenging and often requires undisturbed time. Thus, Research and Planning Branch is hosting a MAESD CODE DAY. Quite simply, it is a full day event where you code (no matter your tool, from Excel to R to Python) and make something awesome with your fellow colleagues around MAESD. There’s no curriculum or training. Just a undisturbed workday to build! We hope that this will be a great time to share and exchange ideas, digital strategies and other tips and tricks throughout our units and branches.
So. No meetings. No interruptions. Just build.
Want to try out Pair Coding? You can do that. Need to find a python wizard? Find them at Code Day. Been wanting to build the Excel model of your dreams? This is the time! Looking for a reason to use that new clustering algorithm? Yup do it here!
Pros • Create space for uninterrupted code time to get stuff done • Build relationships and share expertise, ideas, and tools • Free lunch and snacks (don’t get your hopes up – it will probably be pizza and chips) • Create time and space for pair coding from someone outside your unit • Get rid of unit/branch/division silos
Cons • There are none!
Location: 1055, 900 Bay St Mowat Block, 10th floor (upgraded to a larger room)
Date: January 19th, 2016 – full day
Agenda: • 9:00am—9:20am Introduce yourself. o What project/file you’re building o What you want to finish by end-of-day • 9:20am—12:00pm CODE SPRINT 1 • 12:00pm—1:00pm Lunch. Eat food. Programmer related food • 1:00 pm—4:00 pm CODE SPRINT 2 • 4:00 pm—4:30 pm Show and Tell (optional) • 4:30 pm—5:00 pm Debrief and Lessons learned (did you meet your goal?)