My Dad taught me how to play chess when I was four, and it very quickly became an obsession for me. What I love most about it is that there are many ways to play, and every game is completely different. One of the core lessons it taught me is that there is always more than one way of achieving something, and sometimes the best solution to a problem is one that goes against the status quo.
It was this drive to improve our current workflows and systems that pushed me into learning tech skills that would allow me to create custom solutions to the challenge we face. I have since built many projects along the way to develop and showcase my skills. I’ve loved every moment and can’t wait to see what the future of technology looks like!
Much like chess, there are an almost unlimited number of ways to implement a solution, and thinking outside the box can be the best thing to do. I love exploring the different possibilities, weighing the pros and cons before deciding on the best course of action. Sometimes the outside-the-box way won’t be the right answer, but I like the fact that the possibilities are (almost) limitless.
Example #1
This is the architecture for Stack Overflow which uses a monolithic structure and only nine web servers that serve around 260 million requests per month with next to no downtime (you can read more about this here: Case Study: How Stackoverflow’s monolith beats microservice performance. | LinkedIn, it’s fascinating, trust me!).
Image source: EP27: Stack Overflow Architecture. Also… – by Theresa (bytebytego.com)
This doesn’t mean that monolithic architectures are now the future, but it does mean that it’s important to consider all the angles of a problem and solutions that might seem outlandish at first glance. I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve spent ten minutes considering an insane sacrifice in a game of chess. Most of the time you’ll look at it and eventually realise that it doesn’t work. Every so often, though, it ends up being a stroke of genius; these are the moments that all chess players live for. I’ve experienced more than a few of these moments while designing cloud architectures and it’s one of the most gratifying feelings ever!
Example #2
At some point growing up I came across a Japanese art form called “Sashimono” where you attach pieces of wood in such a perfect way that they hold together without the need for glue or screws.
Image source: Incredible Traditional Woodworking Joint Techniques And Skills,Simple Lock Corner Joint Without Nail (youtube.com)
The piece fits into the carving perfectly with only the slightest tap of the hammer needed to slot it in. Much like the woodwork shown above, a lot of work has gone into getting it to work so seamlessly — to me, it’s the best reward. Those are the moments that keep me excited about automation: it is so satisfying to build out components of a project that fit together perfectly!