Why Knowing How to Program Is Beneficial to Small Businesses
Keeping up with new languages and technology is not an easy task. Software engineering has undergone dramatic changes; unlike any other industry before. Because of these constant changes, we’ve seen boot camps and programs vary greatly. According to the The New York Times, coding boot camps are dying because of their lack of sustainable business models. They can’t adapt to the industry’s ever-growing need for advanced coders. Do you need to hire an “advanced programmer”? Do you need to attend a boot camp? Let’s go back to the beginning for a moment. Why do people want to know how to code? And most importantly, what can learning coding do for you as a business owner?
- See how knowing even just the basics will help you immeasurably as a small business owner or entrepreneur
- You will learn why it is important to be a human before a developer
- You will learn to see problem solving as a three-step process relative to program constructs
Learning a programming language, even one as simple as Ruby or JavaScript, can be beneficial in more ways than just developing an app or a website. You can control all aspects of your creation. Being a one-person team saves you money and time; with less bureaucracy on the project at hand, it will ultimately allow for you to get the latest technology to the market before the competition can. It will also make you adapt to changing market conditions, in order to keep your app or software relevant to customers. If you’re a small business owner or an entrepreneur, then coding is one of the key skills you need to stay competitive. Adapting quickly to technology changes is key as a business owner and as a coder.
Sure, the industry is rapidly expanding, and yes, I do think everyone should know something about coding, but does everyone have to be an expert? Certainly not. We still need humans. You can create an algorithm to find you the perfect resume, but you wouldn’t hire the name on the resume without interviewing them first. You need to put a face on the technology. Human capital can’t be replaced completely by computers as long as humans are the coders.
Take human communication as an example; language has always connected humans. After languages came written word and then printing and we, as a species, became even more connected. Everything changed with social media as it made communication unbelievably simple. Social media takes a common thing, like speaking with other humans, and makes it even easier. The social media channels that we are using are those that were the first of their kind. Twitter gave us 140 characters while Instagram gave us photos, all allowing us to communicate with one another. Without the programmers who made Twitter or Instagram, we would not have the means of communication that they provide.
It’s important to remember that the best coders are also pragmatic, they are practical thinkers. They understand that their job is to solve human problems with technology. But most of all, they think of the human element in programming. Will the program sustain? Would people use it? Will the value proposition evolve as people’s interests change? Ask yourself this: What is beta testing without real humans? So learn to code. Master it even. But remember, even the best programs are nothing without humans.
Efficiency, how fast you are, and quality, how well you can do something, are important in business but also coding since it is a function of time. If you’re thinking about learning a programming language, then you’ll learn a lot about problem solving in order to be efficient and increase the quality of your work. You will learn to see problem solving in three parts: Sequential, selective, and repetitive. This approach to problem solving is essential in learning code, but can help you in your business as well. Sequential, because you often need to deal with one issue right after the next. Selective, because you have to choose which problem to tackle first. Repetitive, because if you can solve one problem then you know to repeat the same approach for similar problems that may arise.
Entrepreneurs and small business owners know their business better than anyone else. Knowing how to design your own website or even fix a bug can help save you money and make you more efficient than your competitors. It could be the key you need to take your business to the next level. Many local colleges and universities offer basic programming classes. If you don’t have the time to commit to a class, then find a boot camp. Many local community colleges offer basic camps or you can register for an online version. You can better yourself and your business through learning how to code.
