Review By: Scott McMaster
07/26/2010Software developers often lack a clear career path. As someone who has long striven to stay close to the code, I found inspiration and validation in Apprenticeship Patterns by Dave Hoover and Adewale Oshineye. In this book, the authors describe approaches that software professionals of all levels (but particularly those just starting out) can use to keep a sense of forward momentum in their careers over the long haul. The advice is presented in the form of a pattern language. Each pattern presents a context, problem, solution, and ends with one or more actions that the reader can take when the pattern is applicable to his situation.

The patterns are organized into five chapters. "Emptying the Cup" helps start your career on the right foot. "Walking the Long Road" focuses on developing and sustaining your passion for the craft. "Accurate Self-assessment" teaches you to evaluate your skills with an eye toward improvement. "Perpetual Learning" and "Construct Your Curriculum" helps with on- and off-the-job learning and development.

Apprenticeship Patterns is best suited for aspiring software developers, designers, and system/database administrators near the beginning of their careers. I would highly recommend it to anyone in that position. It also makes an excellent and thoughtful gift for new college graduates in computer science and IT. Even more experienced professionals will likely be able to take away valuable suggestions from the book as well. For example, the "Expose Your Ignorance" pattern suggests that a developer lacking familiarity with the problem domain or technology stack should write down five things he does not understand and post the list where others can see it. Subsequently, the "Confront Your Ignorance" pattern suggests that the developer work down this list. I was immediately able to apply this approach to help overcome the complexity at my new job.

One criticism I have of the book is that I did not find the presentation of the material as a pattern language to be entirely convincing as the content did not always flow together. Sometimes it felt too much like a bullet list, but that issue only slightly detracts from what is otherwise a solid read full of great advice. Apprenticeship Patterns would make an excellent addition to the software craftsman's library.