Good Communication Skills — In depth explanation

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Hi all! This is the second part of blog post which is key things to become a good software developer and you can read it by clicking this link.

Often we are confusing that “good software developer/ engineer” is the person who writes the best code for that situation. By the way this is true but not all the way.

When you wiret quality and performant code but can not explain it or express yourself it cloud not be accepted as a solution.

Do not get wrong I would choose your solution because I am like you! I am just like you, I do not have good communication skills but I found my way around and kept myself improving. Shout out the jr. developers who are trying to do their bests!

I have 7 years of experience as software developer here are key subjects of good communication skills.

TL;DR: Good communication skills are essential for software developers because we need to collaborate with others, understand requirements, write technical documentation, communicate with clients, and resolve conflicts. By developing strong communication skills, we can improve our effectiveness and contribute to the success of the projects.

1. Collaboration: Software development is a team effort. Developers need to work closely with other developers, designers, project managers, and stakeholders to create software that meets the needs of the business or end-users. Good communication skills enable developers to work more effectively with others, share ideas, and provide feedback in a constructive and respectful manner. When you start understand what your collegue says and transfer what is in your mind, working to together becomes fun and you will make your tasks done quickly.
2. Understanding requirements: To build effective software, we need a clear understanding of the requirements. Communication skills are essential to gather and clarify requirements from stakeholders, ask questions to ensure that all details are captured, and make sure that everyone is on the same page. This is crucial because we are the ones who will create the page, component, function or whatever we are working on. To not to spend more time on doing the task or starting zero for every time listen carefully, put more time to understand whats required and ask every detail.
3. Technical documentation: Technical documentation is a critical part of the software development process. Developers need to be able to write clear, concise, and accurate technical documentation to ensure that other developers, testers, and future maintainers can understand how the software works. Ah-a I wish you all do not skip this part and if you did you are missing so much. Let me give you a quick tip; there is a big difference between 1 and 2 beacause requirements changed for multiple person. For example you need a source control manager like github to maintain the code but you could do that without it if you are solo developer. Then there is bigger difference between 2 and 5. People come and go, you came and you could go anytime and the project is getting bigger and bigger. Adapting new comers to project is easy if you have good documentation and also it is easy to comeback to older part of the or you never touch. Write comments, add jira task ids, create wikis etc. Do not skip this part!
4. Client communication: In many cases, we developers work directly with clients. Good communication skills are essential to understand the client’s needs, explain technical concepts in plain language, and provide updates on progress or any issues that arise. Because our clients or your clients do not understand any technical words. When you say “cloud” they think Dropbox not AWS or Google Cloud. Express yourself as much as plain english to others.
5. Conflict resolution: Conflicts can arise in any project, and good communication skills are essential to resolve them in a constructive and respectful manner. By listening to different viewpoints, providing feedback, and finding common ground, developers can ensure that conflicts are resolved quickly and effectively.

In summary, good communication skills are essential for software developers to work effectively with others, understand requirements, write technical documentation, communicate with clients, and resolve conflicts. By developing strong communication skills, developers can improve their effectiveness and contribute to the success of their projects.

Thank you all for reading, from Istanbul with love…