Farewell John Kordyback

Joanne Molesky

co-author of “Lean Enterprise”, John’s spouse

My first profession was in well being care. I left that subject within the early 1990’s because of the stress of regularly working in underfunded circumstances (to not point out diminishing alternative for work). As I looked for a brand new profession, John inspired me to discover ways to use e-mail and train others how you can use it. From there, he always inspired me to maintain going and choose myself up and transfer on once I stumbled and had doubts that I used to be sensible sufficient and ok to work within the Tech business. He caught his neck out many instances by vouching for me in stretch roles that grew to become accessible. I’d by no means have been thought of for them if he hadn’t accomplished that. He instructed me as soon as it wasn’t as a result of we have been married, it was as a result of he knew I may do a very good job and I’d not fail. He has a beautiful present to assist individuals see the brighter facet of life and provides us hope that we will do a very good job regardless of the quite a few obstacles that must be overcome.

Like many people of a sure age who’ve labored in tech, John by no means obtained a proper coaching in software program improvement or administration. His diploma is in Philosophy. He took some stats programs at college. He taught himself how you can code, check and perceive techniques. Earlier than John began working in Tech, he labored with disabled individuals in group houses. He has a substantial amount of compassion for the much less lucky on the planet and would stand as much as bullies when he noticed them behaving badly in direction of the susceptible. He talked about that moderately than confront and punish, he would use optimistic reinforcement behavioural coaching strategies with downside individuals at work so they might change into a productive a part of the staff. I feel these years working with disabled individuals (tremendously underrated and underpaid work) paid off in spades later in his profession.

Ian Robinson

co-author of REST in Observe

Jim Webber and I labored quite a bit with John, in Calgary, over 2007 and 2008. We went from a one-week troubleshooting gig to a big change programme nearly in a single day. I feel John had a tolerant skepticism in direction of our massive idea and broad-strokes consultancy: whereas many people misplaced ourselves for some time in an abstracted, considerably confused, big-picture tackle proceedings, John sought to supply a gentle counterweight, working in his affected person, humble approach to set up belief and credibility by educating and inspiring good practices within the engineering groups on the bottom.

John understood that software program is a social exercise, and that change is commonly finest rooted in day-to-day actions and habits, in belief, and might be most enduring when it emerges from the bottom up. He led by doing, by being candid about experiments and errors, by creating area for younger, upstart concepts and enthusiasms, and by having enjoyable.

By way of impression on my profession, I feel there was a sensible impression then, and an affect now, as I proceed to work out how I’d stay a major skilled life. Someday within the early 2010s, I believed I wished a “title” for myself in our business. Someday later, I spotted I didn’t. I’d had mayfly ambitions: John’s lengthy profession confirms for me now {that a} vital skilled life just isn’t a once-and-done affair. Each engagement is at the beginning an engagement with a contemporary group of distinctive individuals. Success, belief and respect don’t simply roll over from one engagement to a different – each interplay begins afresh to construct right this moment’s approach of working collectively. There needs to be a powerful core of compassion and openness, of here-and-nowness, for somebody to keep up that skill to construct staff foundations time and again, over a few years – and John had that core.

In addition to our software program pursuits, we shared quite a lot of touchpoints round British comedy and science fiction, and we laughed quite a bit – principally at ourselves, which I feel is the kindest laughter. I feel that characterises John’s skilled life: an effortlessly inclusive interaction of concepts and actions carried out with a lightweight contact of endurance and humor – he was a humble however massively influential instructor, chief and good friend.

Sharlene McKinnon

This memorial was each straightforward and arduous to put in writing. It’s straightforward as a result of John had such an enduring impression on my profession, and it’s straightforward to tease that impression out of all of the silliness that we take care of as consultants. It’s arduous as a result of it feels so unsuitable to be saying goodbye. It’s far too quickly.

John is a storyteller, and he has a approach of utilizing tales to attach and produce out the most effective in individuals. I keep in mind assembly him in 2008. I went to a shopper website on my first day at Thoughtworks, and I used to be so inexperienced. I nervous that I’d mess up as a result of I didn’t know “Agile.”

I ended up on his staff and the very first thing he stated is, “Don’t fear about that stuff. An important factor is to get individuals speaking to one another.” And, that’s what we did. We spent months simply specializing in strengthening the human connections whereas modifications in expertise swirled round us at a blistering tempo.

What strikes me is that I keep in mind the human parts from that point—the laughter, John’s tales, his knowledge and real need to assist. And I’ve forgotten the tech and venture particulars, as a result of they weren’t that vital. Expertise is fleeting and like a high-speed prepare that strikes at an unmanageable tempo. It was the conversations and connections that we had on that prepare that glued us collectively and made the journey memorable.

One of many issues that John used to say to me was, “That particular person is caught within the weeds. Go assist them see the forest.” I’ve constructed a profession out of serving to individuals get out of the weeds. This was one thing that John acknowledged and fostered in me in these early years (I didn’t see it). I really feel blessed to have identified him.

Steven Deobald

It’s been over a decade since I labored with John, and I don’t have any particular anecdotes to share. Nevertheless, I did wish to describe the best way by which he dealt with a (typically troublesome) staff. He was not the type of one who would both dominate conversations and current himself because the authoritative chief of the group, nor was he the type of one who would sneakily “seek the advice of” his approach to the best conclusion.

As a substitute, John simply spoke clearly and truthfully. A standup with John was at all times a type of palate cleanser, regardless of how troublesome yesterday had been. His sense of humour was usually the key sauce that helped a staff gel.

He was a really pure mentor and chief, in that he would largely stand apart and let individuals develop on their very own. As a substitute of pushing or pulling, he would calmly step in — like an skilled gardener — to information and shield the youngest amongst us as we discovered what the heck it was we have been actually doing. Generally this steerage was technical and inside, typically it was political and client-facing. Generally it was only a hug when somebody clearly wanted one.

On a for much longer timescale, John’s mentorship meant educating others to be mentors. Not by teaching or working seminars, however by his personal instance. Sadly, a big a part of what I loved a lot about working with John is ineffable. However everybody who had the privilege of working with him has absolutely felt it.

Mike Jones

My very first introduction to “QB” (a nick-name for John) was previous to my TW employment. I used to be an integration developer co-located with a TW staff. At one level throughout my very first day on the venture, QB jumped out of his chair, yelled ‘Dopio’ and walked out of the room. I had no concept what was taking place however then all the TW staff additionally popped up and walked out of the room. I used to be caught off guard however they motioned to me to hitch them and I shortly found that ‘Dopio’ (double espresso) was QB’s favourite drink at Starbucks. Proclaiming ‘Dopio’ was QB’s cryptic approach of claiming ‘Come on staff, let’s go for espresso’. That could be a very fond reminiscence of mine.

James Pickett

John and I labored intently collectively in 2018 by early 2020. Throughout that point, I feel John and I had extra meals collectively than I did with my household! Once I joined Thoughtworks in 2017, I used to be each a lateral rent and an individual with abilities/expertise that have been “non-core” to Tw on the time. I rely John as one in all a handful of Thoughtworkers that basically helped me discover a approach to have an effect for our purchasers and the corporate. We additionally had so many conversations about so many matters past Thoughworks (household, youngsters, tech business, and all issues Canada!). Relaxation in peace John. We’ll miss you, and we’re all higher for figuring out you!

Evan Bottcher

John was a presence in Thoughtworks from the time I joined in 2006, a kind of voices within the noise inside our mailing checklist, who when he spoke up you listened to what he needed to say, as you possibly can inform it was reasoning from a large expertise base and a excessive mind. I inherited him as one of many “elders” one in all whom I felt that I grew to become later in my time at Thoughtworks.

I feel the factor I’d spotlight was his expertise in working with groups making use of agile strategies to mainframe improvement, together with check pushed improvement. I do know for a number of years afterwards I’d join John with Thoughtworks groups everywhere in the world after they would stumble upon this bizarre world of mainframe and wanted somebody to assist in giving them the ‘Rosetta stone’ to have good conversations and affect with them. John would graciously take the calls and supply that bridge to a special period of improvement.

Aleksandar Serafimoski

John was a tremendous good friend, mentor and a tremendous human being. He at all times cared about individuals, and approach out of his approach to really feel individuals heard, acknowledged and really feel as a part of the staff. His information and expertise with legacy modernization and testing has been invaluable. He was at all times keen to share his perspective and to assist individuals after they have been struggling. I’ll positively miss him at TW and in life! Relaxation in peace John.

Angela Ferguson

I had absolutely the privilege of counting John and Joanne buddies since they have been right here on task in Melbourne. One of many issues that basically stands out to me about John is his skill to essentially really feel the enjoyment in (nearly) any scenario and to wish to share that pleasure with others, whereas concurrently not hesitating on calling bullshit when it must be known as. His need to take colleagues alongside on his skilled journey, to champion for them and to assist them to additionally see the enjoyment in working with nice individuals was good. Though I’ve solely seen him sporadically previously years – and I really feel very fortunate to have been in a position to see him this previous September – I, like many others, will miss having him right here.

Brandon Byars

creator of Testing Microservices with Mountebank

All people wants a mentor after they transfer right into a stretch position. The primary time I took on a management place at scale, I used to be lucky to have John Kordyback mentor me. He taught me to “lean in” to issues moderately than run or conceal from them. He taught me the significance of strolling the halls and speaking to individuals, as a result of working at scale meant constructing and relying in your community to get issues accomplished. He taught me to giggle on the day by day tribulations moderately than change into burdened by them. He helped me suppose not nearly expertise, however how you can implement expertise by individuals, and how you can keep resilient when the challenges felt overwhelming. John did way over assist me change into a greater technologist and a greater chief; he helped me change into a greater particular person.

Stefania Stefansdottir

I had the fortune to very briefly meet and work with John in 2020 at
Thoughtworks. John was an individual that someway managed to go away such a
optimistic impression on the individuals round him. How he approached
structure and software program supply tied to legacy techniques was someway
so tied to empathy for the individuals working with it and understanding
the worth of the system that it nonetheless stays with me 4 years later and
has influenced how I work together and work each with legacy techniques and
purchasers.

Martin Andersen

Once I met John I used to be working within the Calgary workplace, which on the time was the epitome of TW’s “like school however with cash” slogan – we have been all younger, it was considerably unhinged, and it was quite a lot of enjoyable. Sooner or later I heard there was some pleasure that we’d managed to rent this senior man from TransCanada, older and extra skilled. I may see the worth in that, however to be sincere I actually wasn’t trying ahead to it. I felt just like the temper would shift, get extra severe and boring. After all as soon as he arrived it didn’t take lengthy to comprehend this wasn’t the case. John was at all times an extremely youthful particular person. He was enthusiastic and curious and at all times filled with power. And he beloved each the issues most crucial to make this business work its finest: expertise and other people.

I used to be at all times impressed by his skill to stay all for and focussed on detailed technical issues. Lots of people age out of this as they shift or drift extra into management and administration, however John at all times wished to be near the metallic. And whereas it’s not unusual for individuals to wish to stay concerned, in an business at all times altering as quick as this has, so many don’t sustain. However John did. He by no means bored with studying, and you possibly can at all times see clearly his pleasure about no matter it was he was pursuing.

I used to be extra impressed, although, together with his curiosity in and deal with others. Once you have been with John he was with you. He was and engaged. He had a wry, playful sense of humour. Might be severe as wanted, however would at all times moderately be smiling, which he often was. In every single place he went he made buddies and put individuals comfortable. He’d land at a shopper website and have all of it mapped out earlier than you knew it, joking round with VPs and junior devs alike. Some individuals make forging these enterprise relationships appear to be work, transactional, however I by no means obtained that sense with John. It felt like he really did simply take pleasure in making connections. Actually, he had the identical enthusiasm and curiousity in regards to the individuals he labored with as he did in regards to the issues he labored on. He made all of it appear enjoyable. Greater than that, he made it really enjoyable. It nonetheless makes me giggle that I ever thought he may be some gray stultifying presence. I’m glad I had the possibility to spend as a few years round him as I did. I’ll miss him.

Ranbir Chawla

SVP Engineering, RB World

I met John throughout a Mission Discovery whereas I used to be working at Thoughtworks, and I used to be instantly impressed together with his skill to hearken to the purchasers, ask perceptive questions and attain a fast understanding of the deeper below-the-surface points at hand. John at all times displayed a deep empathy for individuals, and on the identical time a really sensible mindset that helped us all see how we may break down a big downside, perceive the human facets and the way they intertwined with expertise issues. He was a implausible communicator, in a position to break down a posh resolution into one thing very comprehensible by the viewers he was with. He and I used to joke that the easiest way to be sure you understood an issue was to elucidate it to your mom first, and if she get’s it, effectively then you have to perceive it as effectively; so now you might be outfitted to assist take your purchasers on a journey to their finish targets with out dropping them in some deeply technical presentation or planning cycle.

With that degree of practicality and communication John and I have been in a position to associate with our shopper leaders to indicate the worth of small-batch work, frequent deliveries of software program to their product groups (weekly vs. quarterly to start out) and ultimately modified throughout the group how software program was delivered, dragging their different consulting companies into the method. All of the whereas John saved smiling, joking, and taking individuals on that journey in his personal particular approach.

Most of all, John made that fixed on the highway time away from residence enjoyable and comfy. I’ll treasure the easy dinners on the native Indian restaurant in Spring Texas, or burgers on the native bar and grill he beloved that we named The Kordy Shack. His humour, empathy, and talent to climate no matter storm hit us left an timeless impression in my soul. As an older man solely 3 years youthful than John, I nonetheless would inform him “Sometime I’ll develop as much as be identical to you sir 😊”.

Vanessa Towers

I first labored on the identical account as John in 2013 after which afterward in 2020. John was a standout in each situations, shortly incomes a powerful fame as a technical chief, modernization guru and all-round variety hearted human. John’s humor obtained everybody by probably the most difficult instances throughout bold shopper engagements. John’s dedication to our purchasers was second to none, engaged on a distributed account at scale from the US West Coast meant John and I’d usually begin our working day at 5am, with John usually taking cost of driving essential conferences and dealing classes presently, with a number of cups of espresso wanted to maintain us going by the early hours. John’s dedication to rising the following technology of Thoughtworks leaders was an unimaginable present to these round him. John was an inspiring colleague, good friend, gardener, prepare dinner, father and devoted husband to Joanne. He can be tremendously missed by his buddies and colleagues at Thoughtworks.

Miguel Enriquez

Principal Software program Engineer at Subsequent Information

Like many others, I met John at work throughout very troublesome instances each private
and professionally. Like many technologists I knew from that point, I used to be very
enthusiastic about a number of matters however John at all times had these pearls of knowledge to
share with me relating to expertise, management and, extra importantly, private
relationships.

I at all times questioned why he at all times would transfer between conferences with executives to
our little conflict room downstairs with a smile that was contagious. Everybody was
virtually smiling and laughing at any time when we noticed him stroll the hallways. I slowly
realized, by conversations that I keep in mind fondly, that he was a wonderful
human being and he cemented this with nice talks about tech, clever banter, nice
e-book suggestions, a shared love for cats, and particularly a contagious sense
of humor. I’m at a lack of phrases about all good the issues he was and I’ll
keep in mind him fondly, smiling all the best way, as a mentor and fellow technologist.

Patrick Kua

Founding father of the Tech Lead Academy

John confirmed me early in my profession what on a regular basis management regarded like. I first noticed his title on inside mailing lists. His contributions at all times felt well-balanced and considerate, contrasting with a number of the heated debates on a software program improvement checklist. When he posted, his phrases appeared to maneuver individuals, and other people actually listened to him.

I understood this extra whereas engaged on an task in Canada. We labored on the identical shopper, albeit on completely different initiatives, so I lastly obtained to place a face to the title. Though we labored on completely different initiatives, we sat in the identical cubicle space. I keep in mind he would at all times greet me on arrival, say goodbye earlier than leaving, and, regardless of his difficult venture, at all times had a smile or a joke to share. Extra importantly, I found I may at all times flip round and ask for enter when not sure about something. He at all times made time to rigorously hear and noticeably pause and suppose earlier than responding.

In management circles, you usually hear the saying, “On the finish of the day, individuals received’t keep in mind what you stated or did; they may keep in mind the way you made them really feel.” John made everybody really feel listened to. Since you felt listened to, you additionally listened to John when he stated one thing. Though my venture solely lasted just a few months, his role-modelling underscored how everybody can present management with out being a proper chief.

Amit Uttam

Earlier than becoming a member of Thoughtworks full-time, I had the nice fortune of being a part of a staff that had introduced in Thoughtworks for what was speculated to be a short “consulting and technical” steerage engagement. Simply prior, I keep in mind feeling moderately drained from always being pulled into non-technical areas of staff and enterprise administration, whereas nonetheless attempting to maintain my ever-fading technical embers alive and stoked.

It was in that temporary engagement that I met John Kordyback, and he confirmed me that it was okay to be wizened, quirky, politely irreverent and unapologetically technical. I finally grew to become John’s colleague and teammate at Thoughtworks Calgary, and I can say with full confidence that a few of my most vital profession selections and trajectory forks are laced with a little bit of his particular salt.

I’m a greater particular person for having identified John, my good friend.

Chirag Lakhani

I take into account myself extremely lucky to have had the chance to collaborate and work intently with John on latest venture collectively. Our in-person interactions throughout a latest venture have been invaluable, as John proved to be not solely an distinctive staff member but additionally a mentor and coach to me. His steerage on main classes and public talking was significantly enlightening. John’s insights remodeled how we approached shopper issues, urging us to suppose exterior the field and embrace risk-taking and fast iteration. Outdoors of labor, our conversations over dinners offered glimpses into his passions and his love for his household. He was eagerly awaiting the arrival of his long-awaited bike, ordered amidst the challenges of the Covid period. He wished to take pleasure in his bike rides throughout his sabbatical. Even throughout his sickness, John’s resilience shone by. Our Zoom conversations have been at all times stuffed together with his unwavering positivity, and he took delight within the medical care he obtained. Regardless of going through robust days, he made time for us. We performed New York instances puzzles (Wordle & Connections) on a regular basis and his aggressive spirit thrived. We beloved sharing scores every single day with one another on our personal Wordle channel. The latest absence of his scores in our Wordle channel serves as a poignant reminder that issues won’t ever be fairly the identical with out him.

Relaxation in peace, John. Your presence is sorely missed.

Blanca Lopez

I obtained the chance to collaborate with John after I got here again from maternity go away. I used to be overwhelmed by this new stage in my life as I used to be looking for steadiness between skilled life and my new position as a mother. Kordyback was not solely an important colleague who helped me discover my approach again to work, he was a tremendous human being who additionally shared parental suggestions, beer and meals suggestions.

He was a pure chief with excessive values, a form smile, dad jokes in his pocket and an ideal approach to discover alternatives to share his admiration for Joanne.

Kelly Cronin

I solely labored on one venture with John, about 3 years into my tenure at TW, however he and the actual foxhole we have been in there left an enduring impression on me. My first assembly with him was, delightfully, within the bar colloquially identified account-wide because the Kordy Shack, the place he grinned a welcome at me, handed over a menu he didn’t want, and made just a few suggestions, ones which I used to be silly sufficient to not take.

Over the following few months, as a “pre-technical” addition to a really technical technique group, I made an insane pest of myself badgering everybody for particulars on the whys, with a view to perceive, and assist inform the story of, what we have been doing there. Anybody coming into our communal convention room in between grueling shopper conferences was instantly waylaid and set to narrating my more and more unreadable whiteboard diagrams. However John had a present for clarification, even when explaining to somebody as hard-headed and pre-technical as me; a present he’d honed by way of lengthy years of seeing round corners for his purchasers when all they might see was a legacy spaghetti diagram; for serving to them discover a facet door out of the technical corners they’d painted themselves into.

He had unimaginable endurance for that type of dialog. He gave me diagrams explaining some primary knowledge precepts and defined a number of the steps the shopper was going to need to take alongside the best way to the transformation they wished; then gave me the fact of what they have been more likely to do after they ran out of time and money, and the place that might doubtless land them. He helped me fill in an enormous hole in my understanding of information platforms broadly. I may not ever discover ways to hear like John, however I actually discovered I ought to hear to him. I may not have had the talents to acknowledge how deeply his information really rooted, however even I may inform the person was seeing the forests, the timber, and all of the leaves and bugs and sub-bark phloem and xylem that saved the entire rattling factor alive.

That is to say nothing of his dry Canadian wit, his willingness to be foolish, his abiding love of an absurd headline or a very good dad joke, and his utter graciousness within the face of this unfair, infuriating analysis and sickness. To have such a person be minimize brief is actually tragic; for him to be praising his success on the best way out, for the remedy he obtained and the assist of his household and buddies, and the care of his medical staff, and the life he obtained to steer up till…. that’s to his core the person that he was: following hope the place it led down an arduous path, then gracefully bidding hope adieu to stroll the remainder of the best way with realism and peace. We who knew him have been fortunate; and we might be fortunate to face what he did as he did, with vulnerability, equanimity, and look after these he left behind. It was yet one more hole in my information that he stuffed for me, and I really like him for it.

Michelle D’Souza

John and I labored collectively in 2008 for various years on my very first account at Thoughtworks. It was a big and nebulous account and more often than not I felt I didn’t know what I used to be doing. However John, together with his massive and reassuring smile (the factor I’ll miss probably the most about him), made me really feel like I used to be able to something.

He was a powerful believer in recognizing an individual’s strengths and amplifying these. He was one of many first few individuals to indicate me the significance of the human facet of expertise. Irrespective of how busy he was, he steadily popped by our cubicles to share a random bicycling story or to speak about shopper technique or the brand new hotness in tech.

He was a mentor not simply to me however to anybody who was keen to hear. He can be dearly missed…..

Nick Thorpe

The primary time I met John Kordyback, he swept right into a shopper we have been working at. It was my first job, and I used to be nervy. I requested him what he was doing there. He pointed on the sky, and stated “Air Cowl”. I had no concept what he meant, however as we grew to become buddies, I got here to know it meant “influencing individuals many ranges up from what you see out of your vantage level”.

John was at all times involved about individuals, however he by no means purchased into bullshit. Afterward, we have been speaking about how a few of our colleagues have been deriding the venture as “waterfall”. I had no concept what to say to that, as a result of it was true! He put his hand on his mouth in mock horror, after which got here that wolfish Kordyback grin. “Inform ‘em to recover from it”. He stated.

Christopher Hastings

I met John on one in all my earliest TW initiatives. He was variety and heat, but additionally had a tremendous perspective on what was vital. As a latest rent, I used to be nonetheless attempting to type by how you can strategy working with purchasers, and John was at all times a gentle hand to deal with what was vital. He was variety to swap tales of carpentry and different initiatives, as effectively. He’s already missed.

Lejo Varughese

John was a guiding mild in my private {and professional} journey. As a mentor, he performed the position of the clever ‘grownup’ throughout vital levels of my profession, providing steerage, and a gentle hand by life’s ups and downs. His kindness, knowledge, and dedication will proceed to encourage and information me as I navigate the trail forward. Relaxation in peace, pricey good friend and mentor.

Jez Humble

co-author, Steady Supply, Lean Enterprise, The DevOps Handbook, Speed up

John was an exceptionally skilled and skillful chief and problem-solver who efficiently guided groups and initiatives to success in probably the most complicated and ambiguous conditions. I obtained to know him due to his work serving to a staff at a big insurance coverage firm implement steady supply practices on mainframes. You’ll be able to see the wonderful speak he gave on this subject at a convention I organized in 2013. I will need to have proven excerpts from this speak over 100 instances through the years.

What actually made John a particular particular person for me was not simply what he did, however how he did it. He mixed being tremendously laid again with caring an important deal for the individuals round him. He would at all times lead with an enormous hug and checking in on everybody, and softly throw in some zingers to spice issues up. He made everybody round him really feel like their perspective have been helpful, and that they have been cared for. His deep apply of empathy and loving-kindness was a minimum of as vital as his technical talent in making the individuals he labored with profitable, and I discovered an important deal from his instance. I’ll miss him very a lot.

David Robinson

I had the privilege to work with John Kordyback on 3 events throughout my tenure at Thoughtworks. I’m a greater human and a greater advisor due to him. I aspire to be the type of Thoughtworkers he was. His humility and kindness made a optimistic impression on his colleagues, buddies, and purchasers. I actually appreciated his relaxed perspective, even when issues obtained “attention-grabbing”. I’ll miss him

Tom Clement Oketch

I had the superb privilege of working with John extensively at a shopper in Houston from 2018 to 2019. His information of enterprise structure, testing in all its types, mainframes, and legacy modernization was unmatched. His skill to command respect and restore calm to chaos in a room filled with executives was magical. Nevertheless maybe my favourite trait of his was the endurance and empathy with which he handled everybody round him.

It’s not usually that somebody as sensible and excellent as him could be keen to put apart their lofty accomplishments to have deeply impacting conversations about every part from work and profession, to household and the goofiness of American versus Canadian tradition, to random conversations in regards to the superb images he had taken of his cat. I learnt quite a bit from John, and for that I’m deeply grateful.

Relaxation in peace, variety good friend.

Ben Escudero

I’ve nothing however fond reminiscences of John’s prolonged tour of Australia that go effectively past studying about how watching ice hockey might be thought of a marital exercise in Canada. All the time keen to inject his rascally humour and a depraved smile into an interplay, John introduced a deep sense of humanity and social connection to all of his technical engagements.

If John was on the staff, you at all times knew that each single member of that staff would have him searching for them, supporting them, encouraging them to think about a special perspective to the scenario at hand. This went approach past being beneficiant together with his time, John merely embraced the concept offering pastoral care was in step with the years of expertise that he introduced to each interplay.

Listening to John specific his timeless love for his gal, often within the presence of stated gal, was a lesson within the energy of vulnerability, of the enjoyment of being in love, and the significance of expressing gratitude for all that life has to supply. John helped form and information many technologists who have been lucky sufficient to have had his assist on the robust issues that wanted to be solved. His considerate, loving care for everybody inside his orbit stays with me even after a decade of our final venture collectively, and by gosh I really like that fella for it.

Jonathan Kohl

I met John over twenty years in the past once I was in my first company IT surroundings as a software program tester. John had been requested to try my work, and supply steerage and suggestions as wanted. I used to be a child working with scissors writing Ruby scripts for check automation, and management felt that it would assist to have an grownup within the room. I used to be nervous once I confirmed John what I had been engaged on. My code solved the issues I wanted it to resolve, but it surely was easy. I used to be additionally utilizing a precursor to what grew to become the Watir automation device, and he was enthusiastic when he noticed what I used to be doing. Not solely did he praise my work and stated variety issues in regards to the code I felt so self-conscious about, he had all types of nice concepts for enchancment. He helped me promote my concepts to the remainder of the staff, and was so optimistic about effectively, nearly every part.

Sooner or later, I used to be upset and John got here by to see how I used to be doing. I had been requested to digitize an data radiator that I’d created, however the stipulation was that I needed to create it in Excel. Once I fumed to John that it was not possible to create the reporting dashboard we required in Excel, he stated: “You are able to do something with Excel when you actually need to.” He was proper, and he taught me how you can make API calls and bounce by all types of hoops and awkwardness in Excel to resolve the issue. It labored, and the managers I labored with have been happy. Through the years, he would convey it up, grinning, with a gleam in his eye. “I instructed you, you can also make Excel do something, even when you shouldn’t.”

John felt that there was extra to discover than having a sober second take a look at my automation work, so as a substitute of him reviewing and advising, we began to actively work collectively. We began pairing to see how testers and builders may collaborate on Take a look at Pushed Growth for software program initiatives. We discovered the most effective areas for a software program tester to contribute, and we additionally discovered quite a lot of practicalities about having two individuals with completely different talent units pair programming collectively. That wasn’t sufficient although, John wished me to be taught and personal TDD myself, so from then on, we might pair and I discovered how you can write check instruments utilizing TDD, one check at a time. Once I moved on to change into an unbiased advisor, these hours spent with John actually paid off. I had very important expertise, a greater command of vital instruments, and the affect of his optimistic perspective and unflappable presence, regardless of how chaotic the surroundings was. I used to be additionally in a position to write articles and communicate at conferences on matters we had skilled collectively, all as a result of a form and beneficiant man noticed one thing in a brash child, and frolicked educating and inspiring me.

Other than the technical facet of his affect, what I’ll keep in mind probably the most is John the particular person. After I moved on and we didn’t work collectively anymore, we nonetheless stayed in contact. He was a implausible particular person to bounce concepts off of, or to ask recommendation once I skilled troublesome conditions as a advisor. If my concept was half baked, he’d let me know, but it surely was at all times a optimistic expertise. John would additionally problem my concepts, and information me in direction of different views, all with out me feeling challenged or interfered with. Later, once I was on the highway myself, I regarded ahead to our paths crossing if we occurred to be in the identical place on the identical time. Assembly John like this meant I used to be in for a night of excellent meals, nice dialog, sharing conflict tales, heaps and many laughter, and luxury.