Craft Beyond Code: Uncovering the Hidden Dimensions of Software Development

In an industry often obsessed with technical wizardry and lines of code, we often forget that being a developer is just as much about human relationships, communication, and emotional intelligence as it is about programming languages and software architecture.

As I reflect on my over 10 years of industry experience, from support engineer to CTO and Engineering Manager, I've come to realize that being a developer is not just about writing code. It's about crafting experiences, building relationships, and driving business outcomes through technology. At Craft Beyond Code, I'll explore the human side of software development - the skills, practices, and mindsets that separate good engineers from great ones.

From Braga to Boulder: Scaling Engineering Teams

One of my proudest accomplishments was leading the establishment and growth of Issuu's Braga office, pioneering our presence in Portugal. I took a single employee (myself) and helped scale it to 50 employees within little over 2 years. This experience taught me the importance of collaboration, communication, and leadership in building high-performing teams. As we navigated the challenges of scaling a distributed team across Europe and other global offices, I learned that technical leadership is just as much about people as it is about code.

From Code to Craft: The Intersection of Technology and Humanity

As an Engineering Manager at Issuu, I led two critical engineering teams, delivering high-quality software solutions that met business objectives and user needs. But what really mattered was the people behind those solutions - the engineers, designers, and product managers who came together to drive innovation and growth. On Craft Beyond Code, I'll explore the art of communication, emotional intelligence in leadership, team dynamics, and collaboration - the often-overlooked aspects that separate good teams from great ones.

Co-Crafting with Attentive

As Co-Founder & CTO at Attentive, I've had the privilege of co-founding a cutting-edge company that's revolutionized customer engagement. This experience has taught me the importance of crafting a strong technical vision and strategy that drives business outcomes. But it's also shown me the value of collaboration, innovation, and data-driven decision-making in driving growth and success. On Craft Beyond Code, I'll explore these themes and more, blending the art and science of software development to create a rich tapestry of ideas and experiences.