#136 Developer and inventor with 27 software patents – Angie Jones Interview
Aug 9, 2024
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Angie Jones, a trailblazing developer and holder of 27 software patents, shares her remarkable journey in tech. She reflects on a pivotal performance review that ignited her confidence and innovation. Angie discusses the distinct disciplines of feature and test development, emphasizing their unique practices. She also dives into her experiences at IBM and Twitter, and her fascination with virtual worlds like Second Life. Plus, she explores the transformative role of AI in debugging, offering insights that inspire both current and aspiring tech professionals.
Angie Jones emphasizes the importance of mentorship and overcoming self-doubt, which propelled her into a successful technology career despite initial challenges.
Her experience highlights the critical difference between feature and test development, underscoring the necessity of collaboration and quality assurance in software engineering.
Jones advocates for the strategic use of AI tools in software development to enhance efficiency, while maintaining essential human oversight and expertise.
Deep dives
Early Influences and Career Beginnings
Angie Jones reflects on her early interests in technology, which were sparked by her father encouraging her to take computer classes after observing the increasing relevance of technology in various industries. Initially majoring in business, she discovered her passion for programming while taking a C++ course in college, despite having no prior experience. Her enthusiasm for the subject was fostered by her professor's guidance, which ultimately led her to switch her major to computer science. This pivotal moment set the foundation for her successful career in technology, showcasing the importance of mentorship and seizing opportunities.
Overcoming Challenges in the Workplace
Jones discusses her initial experiences at IBM, where she faced intimidation as one of the few women of color among distinguished engineers. Feeling hesitant to share her ideas, she received feedback during a performance review that highlighted the importance of collaboration and communication in a team environment. This feedback served as a turning point, motivating her to start voicing her unconventional ideas, which were well-received and ultimately led to several patents. Her journey illustrates the necessity of overcoming self-doubt and the value of diverse perspectives in driving innovation.
Importance of Test Automation
Angie emphasizes the significance of test automation in software development, revealing how it enhances engineering skills and promotes a customer-centric approach. Through her experience, she learned that writing extensive test cases not only ensures the functionality of features but also improves overall code quality by preparing for various user scenarios. Jones illustrates this idea through a hypothetical interaction where a naive developer overlooks potential edge cases, underscoring the necessity of collaboration between feature developers and test engineers. Her insights advocate for a cultural shift towards prioritizing quality assurance in coding practices.
Advancements and Impact of Verifiable Credentials
In her current role, Jones works on implementing verifiable credentials to improve digital identity verification processes across various sectors, including fintech. Her experiences in Nigeria highlighted the challenges of sending money internationally and sparked her interest in solutions that streamline financial transactions with privacy-preserving technologies. By utilizing JSON Web Tokens, verifiable credentials allow users to share only necessary information, significantly addressing security concerns during transactions. Jones's work illustrates a practical application of technology that enhances user experience and compliance in an increasingly digital world.
Embracing AI in Development
Jones discusses the transformative potential of AI tools in software development, particularly in enhancing efficiency and reducing manual effort. She notes that AI can assist developers in various tasks, from troubleshooting code to porting features between programming languages. While emphasizing the importance of human oversight, Jones encourages developers to leverage AI as a valuable assistant rather than a complete replacement for their expertise. Her perspective highlights the importance of integrating emerging technologies in a manner that strengthens rather than undermines the software development process.
On this week's episode of the podcast, freeCodeCamp founder Quincy Larson interviews Angie Jones. She's a developer and holder of 27 software patents. She's worked at companies like IBM and Twitter, doing both test engineering and developer advocacy.
We talk about:
- How a bad performance review from her boss early in her career taught her to be less timid and more vocal about her ideas.
- How she invented lots of software testing processes and holds 27 software patents.
- Her work at IBM, Twitter, and other big tech companies.
- How feature development and test development are completely different disciplines, which each require dedicated practice and their own mindsets
- Her interest in the game Second Life and the possibility of virtual worlds
- How she uses AI for debugging and test engineering
Can you guess what song I'm playing on my bass during the intro? It's a 1992 Acid Jazz song.
Also, I want to thank the 9,779 kind people who support our charity each month, and who make this podcast possible. You can join them and support our mission at: https://www.freecodecamp.org/donate
Links we talk about during our conversation:
- Test Automation University learning paths: https://testautomationu.applitools.com/learningpaths.html
- Angie on Twitter: https://twitter.com/techgirl1908
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