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 as a result of 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 learn to use e mail and educate others find out how to use it. From there, he always inspired me to maintain going and decide myself up and transfer on once I stumbled and had doubts that I used to be good sufficient and adequate to work within the Tech business. He caught his neck out many occasions by vouching for me in stretch roles that turned obtainable. I’d by no means have been thought of for them if he hadn’t carried out that. He advised me as soon as it wasn’t as a result of we had been married, it was as a result of he knew I might do a very good job and I’d not fail. He has an exquisite reward to assist folks see the brighter aspect of life and provides us hope that we are able to do a great 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 acquired a proper coaching in software program growth or administration. His diploma is in Philosophy. He took some stats programs at college. He taught himself find out how to code, take a look at and perceive programs. Earlier than John began working in Tech, he labored with disabled individuals in group properties. He has an excessive amount of compassion for the much less lucky on this planet and would stand as much as bullies when he noticed them behaving badly in the direction of the susceptible. He talked about that somewhat than confront and punish, he would use constructive reinforcement behavioural coaching strategies with downside folks at work so they may grow to be a productive a part of the workforce. I believe these years working with disabled folks (significantly underrated and underpaid work) paid off in spades later in his profession.

Ian Robinson

co-author of REST in Follow

Jim Webber and I labored lots with John, in Calgary, over 2007 and 2008. We went from a one-week troubleshooting gig to a big change programme virtually in a single day. I believe John had a tolerant skepticism in the 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 solution to set up belief and credibility by instructing and inspiring good practices within the engineering groups on the bottom.

John understood that software program is a social exercise, and that change is usually greatest 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.

When it comes to impression on my profession, I believe there was a sensible impression then, and an affect now, as I proceed to work out how I would dwell a major skilled life. Someday within the early 2010s, I assumed I wished a “identify” 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} important skilled life shouldn’t be a once-and-done affair. Each engagement is at the beginning an engagement with a recent 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 means of working collectively. There needs to be a robust core of compassion and openness, of here-and-nowness, for somebody to keep up that means to construct workforce foundations again and again, over a few years – and John had that core.

Moreover our software program pursuits, we shared plenty of touchpoints round British comedy and science fiction, and we laughed lots – principally at ourselves, which I believe is the kindest laughter. I believe that characterises John’s skilled life: an effortlessly inclusive interaction of concepts and actions carried out with a light-weight contact of persistence and humor – he was a humble however vastly influential trainer, chief and good friend.

Sharlene McKinnon

This memorial was each simple and onerous to write down. It’s simple as a result of John had such an enduring impression on my profession, and it’s simple to tease that impression out of all of the silliness that we cope with as consultants. It’s onerous as a result of it feels so mistaken to be saying goodbye. It’s far too quickly.

John is a storyteller, and he has a means of utilizing tales to attach and convey out the perfect in folks. I bear 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 frightened that I’d mess up as a result of I didn’t know “Agile.”

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

What strikes me is that I bear in mind the human components from that point—the laughter, John’s tales, his knowledge and real want to assist. And I’ve forgotten the tech and undertaking particulars, as a result of they weren’t that essential. Expertise is fleeting and like a high-speed practice that strikes at an unmanageable tempo. It was the conversations and connections that we had on that practice 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 folks 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. Nonetheless, I did need to describe the way in which by which he dealt with a (typically tough) workforce. 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 solution to the correct conclusion.

As an alternative, John simply spoke clearly and actually. A standup with John was at all times a type of palate cleanser, irrespective of how tough yesterday had been. His sense of humour was usually the key sauce that helped a workforce gel.

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

On a for much longer timescale, John’s mentorship meant instructing others to be mentors. Not by teaching or operating 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 workforce. At one level throughout my very first day on the undertaking, QB jumped out of his chair, yelled ‘Dopio’ and walked out of the room. I had no thought what was occurring however then the whole TW workforce additionally popped up and walked out of the room. I used to be caught off guard however they motioned to me to affix them and I shortly found that ‘Dopio’ (double espresso) was QB’s favourite drink at Starbucks. Proclaiming ‘Dopio’ was QB’s cryptic means of claiming ‘Come on workforce, let’s go for espresso’. That may be a very fond reminiscence of mine.

James Pickett

John and I labored carefully collectively in 2018 by means of early 2020. Throughout that point, I believe 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 had been “non-core” to Tw on the time. I depend John as considered one of a handful of Thoughtworkers that basically helped me discover a solution to have an effect for our purchasers and the corporate. We additionally had so many conversations about so many matters past Thoughworks (household, children, tech business, and all issues Canada!). Relaxation in peace John. We’ll miss you, and we’re all higher for realizing you!

Evan Bottcher

John was a presence in Thoughtworks from the time I joined in 2006, a type of voices within the noise inside our mailing record, 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” considered one of whom I felt that I turned later in my time at Thoughtworks.

I believe the factor I’d spotlight was his expertise in working with groups making use of agile strategies to mainframe growth, together with take a look at pushed growth. 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 distinct period of growth.

Aleksandar Serafimoski

John was a tremendous good friend, mentor and a tremendous human being. He at all times cared about folks, and means out of his solution to really feel folks heard, acknowledged and really feel as a part of the workforce. 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 folks after they had been struggling. I’ll undoubtedly miss him at TW and in life! Relaxation in peace John.

Angela Ferguson

I had absolutely the privilege of counting John and Joanne mates since they had been right here on project in Melbourne. One of many issues that basically stands out to me about John is his means to actually really feel the enjoyment in (virtually) any scenario and to need to share that pleasure with others, whereas concurrently not hesitating on calling bullshit when it must be known as. His want 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 folks was good. Although I’ve solely seen him sporadically up to now years – and I really feel very fortunate to have been capable of see him this previous September – I, like many others, will miss having him right here.

Brandon Byars

creator of Testing Microservices with Mountebank

Everyone wants a mentor after they transfer right into a stretch function. 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 somewhat than run or conceal from them. He taught me the significance of strolling the halls and speaking to folks, as a result of working at scale meant constructing and relying in your community to get issues carried out. He taught me to chortle on the each day tribulations somewhat than grow to be burdened by them. He helped me assume not nearly know-how, however find out how to implement know-how by means of folks, and find out how to keep resilient when the challenges felt overwhelming. John did excess of assist me grow to be a greater technologist and a greater chief; he helped me grow to be 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
constructive impression on the folks round him. How he approached
structure and software program supply tied to legacy programs was someway
so tied to empathy for the folks 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 programs 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 faculty however with cash” slogan – we had been all younger, it was considerably unhinged, and it was plenty of enjoyable. Someday I heard there was some pleasure that we’d managed to rent this senior man from TransCanada, older and extra skilled. I might 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 appreciate this wasn’t the case. John was at all times an extremely youthful particular person. He was enthusiastic and curious and at all times stuffed with vitality. And he liked each the issues most crucial to make this business work its greatest: know-how and other people.

I used to be at all times impressed by his means to stay serious about 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 folks to need 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, along with his curiosity in and give attention to others. If you had been with John he was with you. He was and engaged. He had a wry, playful sense of humour. May very well be severe as wanted, however would at all times somewhat be smiling, which he normally was. In all places he went he made mates and put folks 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 folks make forging these enterprise relationships appear to be work, transactional, however I by no means received that sense with John. It felt like he really did simply get pleasure from making connections. Actually, he had the identical enthusiasm and curiousity in regards to the folks 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 truly enjoyable. It nonetheless makes me chortle that I ever thought he is likely to be some gray stultifying presence. I’m glad I had the prospect 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 along with his means to take heed 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 folks, and on the similar time a really sensible mindset that helped us all see how we might break down a big downside, perceive the human points and the way they intertwined with know-how issues. He was a improbable communicator, capable of break down a posh answer into one thing very comprehensible by the viewers he was with. He and I used to joke that one of the simplest ways to be sure you understood an issue was to elucidate it to your mom first, and if she get’s it, nicely then you could perceive it as nicely; so now you’re geared up to assist take your purchasers on a journey to their finish objectives with out dropping them in some deeply technical presentation or planning cycle.

With that degree of practicality and communication John and I had been capable of accomplice 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 begin) and ultimately modified throughout the group how software program was delivered, dragging their different consulting corporations into the method. All of the whereas John stored smiling, joking, and taking folks on that journey in his personal particular means.

Most of all, John made that fixed on the street time away from residence enjoyable and comfy. I’ll treasure the straightforward dinners on the native Indian restaurant in Spring Texas, or burgers on the native bar and grill he liked 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 cases, shortly incomes a robust fame as a technical chief, modernization guru and all-round type hearted human. John’s humor received everybody by means of probably the most difficult occasions 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 vital conferences and dealing classes right now, with a number of cups of espresso wanted to maintain us going by means of the early hours. John’s dedication to rising the subsequent era of Thoughtworks leaders was an unbelievable reward to these round him. John was an inspiring colleague, good friend, gardener, prepare dinner, father and devoted husband to Joanne. He might be significantly missed by his mates and colleagues at Thoughtworks.

Miguel Enriquez

Principal Software program Engineer at Subsequent Information

Like many others, I met John at work throughout very tough occasions 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 concerning know-how, 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 struggle 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 means of conversations that I bear in mind fondly, that he was a wonderful
human being and he cemented this with nice talks about tech, sensible 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
bear in mind him fondly, smiling all the way in which, 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 seemed like. I first noticed his identify on inner mailing lists. His contributions at all times felt well-balanced and considerate, contrasting with among the heated debates on a software program growth record. When he posted, his phrases appeared to maneuver folks, and other people actually listened to him.

I understood this extra whereas engaged on an project in Canada. We labored on the similar shopper, albeit on completely different tasks, so I lastly received to place a face to the identify. Though we labored on completely different tasks, we sat in the identical cubicle space. I bear in mind he would at all times greet me on arrival, say goodbye earlier than leaving, and, regardless of his difficult undertaking, at all times had a smile or a joke to share. Extra importantly, I found I might 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 assume earlier than responding.

In management circles, you usually hear the saying, “On the finish of the day, folks gained’t bear in mind what you mentioned or did; they are going to bear 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 mentioned one thing. Although my undertaking 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 great fortune of being a part of a workforce that had introduced in Thoughtworks for what was purported to be a quick “consulting and technical” steerage engagement. Simply prior, I bear in mind feeling somewhat drained from always being pulled into non-technical areas of workforce 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 alright to be wizened, quirky, politely irreverent and unapologetically technical. I finally turned John’s colleague and teammate at Thoughtworks Calgary, and I can say with full confidence that a few of my most essential 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 contemplate myself extremely lucky to have had the chance to collaborate and work carefully with John on current undertaking collectively. Our in-person interactions throughout a current undertaking had been invaluable, as John proved to be not solely an distinctive workforce member but additionally a mentor and coach to me. His steerage on main classes and public talking was notably enlightening. John’s insights remodeled how we approached shopper issues, urging us to assume exterior the field and embrace risk-taking and fast iteration. Outdoors of labor, our conversations over dinners supplied 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 get pleasure from his bike rides throughout his sabbatical. Even throughout his sickness, John’s resilience shone by means of. Our Zoom conversations had been at all times crammed along with his unwavering positivity, and he took pleasure within the medical care he acquired. Regardless of going through powerful days, he made time for us. We performed New York occasions puzzles (Wordle & Connections) on a regular basis and his aggressive spirit thrived. We liked sharing scores daily with one another on our non-public Wordle channel. The current 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 received 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 function as a mother. Kordyback was not solely an awesome colleague who helped me discover my means 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 solution to discover alternatives to share his admiration for Joanne.

Kelly Cronin

I solely labored on one undertaking with John, about 3 years into my tenure at TW, however he and the actual foxhole we had 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 subsequent 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, so as to perceive, and assist inform the story of, what we had 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 may see was a legacy spaghetti diagram; for serving to them discover a aspect door out of the technical corners they’d painted themselves into.

He had unbelievable persistence for that type of dialog. He gave me diagrams explaining some primary information precepts and defined among the steps the shopper was going to need to take alongside the way in which to the transformation they wished; then gave me the truth of what they had been more likely to do after they ran out of time and money, and the place that may possible land them. He helped me fill in a giant hole in my understanding of knowledge platforms broadly. I won’t ever learn to hear like John, however I actually realized I ought to hear to him. I won’t have had the talents to acknowledge how deeply his information truly rooted, however even I might inform the person was seeing the forests, the bushes, and all of the leaves and bugs and sub-bark phloem and xylem that stored 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 great 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 luck on the way in which out, for the therapy he acquired and the help of his household and mates, and the care of his medical workforce, and the life he received 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 way in which with realism and peace. We who knew him had been fortunate; and we might be fortunate to face what he did as he did, with vulnerability, equanimity, and take care of these he left behind. It was yet one more hole in my information that he crammed 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, along 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 robust believer in recognizing an individual’s strengths and amplifying these. He was one of many first few folks to indicate me the significance of the human aspect of know-how. Irrespective of how busy he was, he often 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 might be dearly missed…..

Nick Thorpe

The primary time I met John Kordyback, he swept right into a shopper we had 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 mentioned “Air Cowl”. I had no thought what he meant, however as we turned mates, I got here to grasp it meant “influencing folks many ranges up from what you see out of your vantage level”.

John was at all times involved about folks, however he by no means purchased into bullshit. In a while, we had been speaking about how a few of our colleagues had been deriding the undertaking as “waterfall”. I had no thought 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 mentioned.

Christopher Hastings

I met John on considered one of my earliest TW tasks. He was type and heat, but additionally had a tremendous perspective on what was essential. As a current rent, I used to be nonetheless attempting to type by means of find out how to method working with purchasers, and John was at all times a gentle hand to give attention to what was essential. He was type to swap tales of carpentry and different tasks, as nicely. He’s already missed.

Lejo Varughese

John was a guiding mild in my private {and professional} journey. As a mentor, he performed the function of the sensible ‘grownup’ throughout essential phases of my profession, providing steerage, and a gentle hand by means of 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, expensive 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 tasks to success in probably the most complicated and ambiguous conditions. I received to know him due to his work serving to a workforce at a big insurance coverage firm implement steady supply practices on mainframes. You may see the superb 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 occasions over time.

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 awesome deal for the folks round him. He would at all times lead with a giant 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 had been invaluable, and that they had been cared for. His deep follow of empathy and loving-kindness was a minimum of as essential as his technical talent in making the folks he labored with profitable, and I realized an awesome 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 guide due to him. I aspire to be the form of Thoughtworkers he was. His humility and kindness made a constructive impression on his colleagues, mates, and purchasers. I actually appreciated his relaxed angle, even when issues received “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 varieties, mainframes, and legacy modernization was unmatched. His means to command respect and restore calm to chaos in a room stuffed with executives was magical. Nonetheless maybe my favourite trait of his was the persistence and empathy with which he handled everybody round him.

It isn’t usually that somebody as good and excellent as him can be keen to put apart their lofty accomplishments to have deeply impacting conversations about all the pieces from work and profession, to household and the goofiness of American versus Canadian tradition, to random conversations in regards to the superb pictures he had taken of his cat. I learnt lots from John, and for that I’m deeply grateful.

Relaxation in peace, type good friend.

Ben Escudero

I’ve nothing however fond reminiscences of John’s prolonged tour of Australia that go nicely 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 workforce, you at all times knew that each single member of that workforce would have him looking for them, supporting them, encouraging them to think about a distinct perspective to the scenario at hand. This went means past being beneficiant along with his time, John merely embraced the concept that offering pastoral care was in line with the years of expertise that he introduced to each interplay.

Listening to John categorical his timeless love for his gal, normally within the presence of mentioned 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 had been lucky sufficient to have had his help on the powerful 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 undertaking 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 atmosphere 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 operating with scissors writing Ruby scripts for take a look at automation, and management felt that it’d 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, nevertheless it was easy. I used to be additionally utilizing a precursor to what turned 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 mentioned type 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 workforce, and was so constructive about nicely, nearly all the pieces.

Someday, 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 info 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 unimaginable to create the reporting dashboard we required in Excel, he mentioned: “You are able to do something with Excel in case you actually need to.” He was proper, and he taught me find out how to make API calls and leap by means of all types of hoops and awkwardness in Excel to resolve the issue. It labored, and the managers I labored with had been happy. Over time, he would deliver it up, grinning, with a gleam in his eye. “I advised you, you can also make Excel do something, even in case 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 an alternative of him reviewing and advising, we began to actively work collectively. We began pairing to see how testers and builders might collaborate on Take a look at Pushed Growth for software program tasks. We discovered the perfect areas for a software program tester to contribute, and we additionally discovered plenty of practicalities about having two folks 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 realized find out how to write take a look at instruments utilizing TDD, one take a look at at a time. Once I moved on to grow to be an unbiased guide, these hours spent with John actually paid off. I had very important expertise, a greater command of obligatory instruments, and the affect of his constructive angle and unflappable presence, irrespective of how chaotic the atmosphere was. I used to be additionally capable of write articles and converse 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 hung out instructing and inspiring me.

Apart from the technical aspect of his affect, what I’ll bear 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 improbable particular person to bounce concepts off of, or to ask recommendation once I skilled tough conditions as a guide. If my thought was half baked, he’d let me know, nevertheless it was at all times a constructive expertise. John would additionally problem my concepts, and information me in the direction of different views, all with out me feeling challenged or interfered with. Later, once I was on the street myself, I seemed ahead to our paths crossing if we occurred to be in the identical place on the similar time. Assembly John like this meant I used to be in for a night of fine meals, nice dialog, sharing struggle tales, heaps and many laughter, and luxury.