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 continually working in underfunded situations (to not point out diminishing alternative for work). As I looked for a brand new profession, John inspired me to learn to use electronic mail and educate others easy methods to use it. From there, he continuously inspired me to maintain going and choose myself up and transfer on after I stumbled and had doubts that I used to be sensible sufficient and adequate to work within the Tech trade. He caught his neck out many occasions by vouching for me in stretch roles that turned out there. I might by no means have been thought-about for them if he hadn’t finished 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 might not fail. He has an exquisite reward to assist folks see the brighter facet of life and provides us hope that we are able to do a very good job regardless of the quite a few obstacles that have to 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 easy methods to code, take a look at and perceive techniques. Earlier than John began working in Tech, he labored with disabled individuals in group properties. He has a substantial 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 weak. He talked about that relatively 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 staff. I feel these years working with disabled folks (enormously underrated and underpaid work) paid off in spades later in his profession.

Ian Robinson

co-author of REST in Apply

Jim Webber and I labored so much 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 the direction of our large concept 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 gradual counterweight, working in his affected person, humble method 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 finest rooted in day-to-day actions and habits, in belief, and may 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 influence on my profession, I feel there was a sensible influence then, and an affect now, as I proceed to work out how I’d dwell a major skilled life. Someday within the early 2010s, I assumed I wished a “title” for myself in our trade. 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 just isn’t a once-and-done affair. Each engagement is in 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 at present’s means of working collectively. There needs to be a robust core of compassion and openness, of here-and-nowness, for somebody to take care of that potential to construct staff foundations time 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 so much – largely 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 performed with a lightweight contact of endurance and humor – he was a humble however massively influential trainer, chief and good friend.

Sharlene McKinnon

This memorial was each simple and arduous to jot down. It’s simple as a result of John had such an enduring influence on my profession, and it’s simple to tease that influence out of all of the silliness that we take care of as consultants. It’s arduous as a result of it feels so fallacious 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 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 apprehensive 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 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 adjustments in know-how swirled round us at a blistering tempo.

What strikes me is that I keep 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 venture particulars, as a result of they weren’t that necessary. 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 individual 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. Nevertheless, I did need to describe the best way through which he dealt with a (generally tough) 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 method to the proper conclusion.

As an alternative, John simply spoke clearly and truthfully. A standup with John was all the time a type of palate cleanser, irrespective of how tough 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 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 have been actually doing. Typically this steering was technical and inside, generally 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 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 means 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! After 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 every of a handful of Thoughtworkers that actually helped me discover a method to have an effect for our purchasers and the corporate. We additionally had so many conversations about so many subjects past Thoughworks (household, children, tech trade, 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 might inform it was reasoning from a large expertise base and a excessive mind. I inherited him as one of many “elders” one in every of whom I felt that I turned later in my time at Thoughtworks.

I feel the factor I might spotlight was his expertise in working with groups making use of agile strategies to mainframe improvement, together with take a look at pushed improvement. I do know for a number of years afterwards I might join John with Thoughtworks groups all around the world once 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 an incredible good friend, mentor and an incredible human being. He all the time cared about folks, and means out of his method to really feel folks 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 all the time keen to share his perspective and to assist folks once 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 associates since they have been right here on task in Melbourne. One of many issues that actually stands out to me about John is his potential to essentially really feel the enjoyment in (nearly) any state of affairs and to need to share that pleasure with others, whereas concurrently not hesitating on calling bullshit when it must be referred to 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 sensible. 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

All people wants a mentor once 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 relatively 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 finished. He taught me to chuckle on the every day tribulations relatively than grow to be burdened by them. He helped me suppose not nearly know-how, however easy methods to implement know-how by folks, and easy methods to keep resilient when the challenges felt overwhelming. John did way over assist me grow to be a greater technologist and a greater chief; he helped me grow to be a greater individual.

Stefania Stefansdottir

I had the fortune to very briefly meet and work with John in 2020 at
Thoughtworks. John was an individual that in some way managed to depart such a
constructive impression on the folks round him. How he approached
structure and software program supply tied to legacy techniques was in some way
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 techniques and
purchasers.

Martin Andersen

After 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 have 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 may see the worth in that, however to be trustworthy 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 all the time an extremely youthful individual. He was enthusiastic and curious and all the time filled with power. And he beloved each the issues most crucial to make this trade work its finest: know-how and other people.

I used to be all the time impressed by his potential to stay focused on 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 all the time wished to be near the metallic. And whereas it’s not unusual for folks to need to stay concerned, in an trade all the time altering as quick as this has, so many don’t sustain. However John did. He by no means uninterested in studying, and you might all the time 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 give attention to others. While you have 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 all the time relatively be smiling, which he often was. All over the place he went he made associates 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 look like work, transactional, however I by no means received that sense with John. It felt like he really did simply take pleasure in making connections. Actually, he had the identical enthusiasm and curiousity concerning the folks he labored with as he did concerning the issues he labored on. He made all of it appear enjoyable. Greater than that, he made it truly enjoyable. It nonetheless makes me chuckle that I ever thought he is likely to 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 International

I met John throughout a Challenge Discovery whereas I used to be working at Thoughtworks, and I used to be instantly impressed together with his potential to take heed to the purchasers, ask perceptive questions and attain a fast understanding of the deeper below-the-surface points at hand. John all the time displayed a deep empathy for folks, and on the similar time a really sensible mindset that helped us all see how we may break down a big downside, perceive the human features and the way they intertwined with know-how issues. He was a incredible communicator, capable of break down a fancy answer into one thing very comprehensible by the viewers he was with. He and I used to joke that one of the best ways to be sure to understood an issue was to elucidate it to your mom first, and if she get’s it, nicely then you have to 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 have been capable of 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 in the long run modified throughout the group how software program was delivered, dragging their different consulting companies 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 highway time away from house 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 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 robust repute as a technical chief, modernization guru and all-round sort hearted human. John’s humor received everybody by essentially the most difficult occasions throughout formidable 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 might usually begin our working day at 5am, with John usually taking cost of driving crucial 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 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 will likely be enormously missed by his associates and colleagues at Thoughtworks.

Miguel Enriquez

Principal Software program Engineer at Subsequent Knowledge

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
obsessed with a number of subjects however John all the time had these pearls of knowledge to
share with me concerning know-how, management and, extra importantly, private
relationships.

I all the time puzzled why he all the time would transfer between conferences with executives to
our little warfare room downstairs with a smile that was contagious. Everybody was
virtually smiling and laughing every time 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, 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
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 appeared like. I first noticed his title on inside mailing lists. His contributions all the time felt well-balanced and considerate, contrasting with among the heated debates on a software program improvement checklist. When he posted, his phrases appeared to maneuver folks, and other people actually listened to him.

I understood this extra whereas engaged on an task in Canada. We labored on the similar shopper, albeit on totally different tasks, so I lastly received to place a face to the title. Though we labored on totally different tasks, we sat in the identical cubicle space. I keep in mind he would all the time greet me on arrival, say goodbye earlier than leaving, and, regardless of his difficult venture, all the time had a smile or a joke to share. Extra importantly, I found I may all the time flip round and ask for enter when uncertain about something. He all the time made time to fastidiously pay attention and noticeably pause and suppose earlier than responding.

In management circles, you usually hear the saying, “On the finish of the day, folks gained’t keep in mind what you mentioned 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 mentioned one thing. Although 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 great fortune of being a part of a staff that had introduced in Thoughtworks for what was presupposed to be a quick “consulting and technical” steering engagement. Simply prior, I keep in mind feeling relatively drained from continuously 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 transient 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 necessary profession choices and trajectory forks are laced with a little bit of his particular salt.

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

Chirag Lakhani

I contemplate myself extremely lucky to have had the chance to collaborate and work intently with John on current venture collectively. Our in-person interactions throughout a current venture have been invaluable, as John proved to be not solely an distinctive staff member but additionally a mentor and coach to me. His steering on main classes and public talking was notably enlightening. John’s insights reworked how we approached shopper issues, urging us to suppose outdoors the field and embrace risk-taking and fast iteration. Exterior 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 all the time stuffed together with his unwavering positivity, and he took delight within the medical care he obtained. Regardless of dealing with 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 beloved sharing scores each day with one another on our personal 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 depart. I used to be overwhelmed by this new stage in my life as I used to be looking for stability between skilled life and my new function as a mother. Kordyback was not solely a fantastic colleague who helped me discover my means again to work, he was an incredible human being who additionally shared parental ideas, beer and meals suggestions.

He was a pure chief with excessive values, a form smile, dad jokes in his pocket and an ideal method 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 may 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 unbelievable endurance for that type of dialog. He gave me diagrams explaining some fundamental information precepts and defined among the steps the shopper was going to must take alongside the best way to the transformation they wished; then gave me the fact of what they have been more likely to do once they ran out of time and money, and the place that will probably land them. He helped me fill in a giant hole in my understanding of knowledge platforms broadly. I may not ever learn to pay attention like John, however I actually discovered I ought to pay attention to him. I may not have had the abilities to acknowledge how deeply his information truly 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 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 very good dad joke, and his utter graciousness within the face of this unfair, infuriating analysis and sickness. To have such a person be reduce brief is actually tragic; for him to be praising his luck on the best way out, for the remedy he obtained and the help of his household and associates, and the care of his medical staff, 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 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 take care of these he left behind. It was yet one more hole in my information that he stuffed for me, and I like him for it.

Michelle D’Souza

John and I labored collectively in 2008 for plenty of 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 large and reassuring smile (the factor I’ll miss essentially 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 facet of know-how. Irrespective of how busy he was, he ceaselessly 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 pay attention. He will likely 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 mentioned “Air Cowl”. I had no concept what he meant, however as we turned associates, I got here to grasp it meant “influencing folks many ranges up from what you see out of your vantage level”.

John was all the time involved about folks, however he by no means purchased into bullshit. In a while, 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 mentioned.

Christopher Hastings

I met John on one in every of my earliest TW tasks. He was sort and heat, but additionally had an incredible perspective on what was necessary. As a current rent, I used to be nonetheless attempting to kind by easy methods to method working with purchasers, and John was all the time a gradual hand to give attention to what was necessary. He was sort 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 necessary levels of my profession, providing steering, and a gradual 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 tasks to success in essentially the most advanced and ambiguous conditions. I received to know him due to his work serving to a staff at a big insurance coverage firm implement steady supply practices on mainframes. You may see the wonderful discuss he gave on this subject at a convention I organized in 2013. I will need to have proven excerpts from this discuss over 100 occasions over time.

What actually made John a particular individual for me was not simply what he did, however how he did it. He mixed being tremendously laid again with caring a fantastic deal for the folks round him. He would all the time 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 have been worthwhile, and that they have been cared for. His deep apply of empathy and loving-kindness was not less than as necessary as his technical talent in making the folks he labored with profitable, and I discovered a fantastic 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 marketing consultant due to him. I aspire to be the form of Thoughtworkers he was. His humility and kindness made a constructive impression on his colleagues, associates, and purchasers. I actually appreciated his relaxed perspective, even when issues received “fascinating”. 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 potential 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 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 concerning the superb pictures he had taken of his cat. I learnt so much from John, and for that I’m deeply grateful.

Relaxation in peace, sort good friend.

Ben Escudero

I’ve nothing however fond recollections of John’s prolonged tour of Australia that go nicely past studying about how watching ice hockey may be thought-about a marital exercise in Canada. At all times 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 all the time 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 state of affairs at hand. This went means past being beneficiant together with his time, John merely embraced the concept that offering pastoral care was in step with the years of expertise that he introduced to each interplay.

Listening to John categorical his timeless love for his gal, often 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 have 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 venture collectively, and by gosh I like that fella for it.

Jonathan Kohl

I met John over twenty years in the past after I was in my first company IT setting as a software program tester. John had been requested to check out my work, and supply steering 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 after I confirmed John what I had been engaged on. My code solved the issues I wanted it to resolve, however it was easy. I used to be additionally utilizing a precursor to what turned the Watir automation software, and he was enthusiastic when he noticed what I used to be doing. Not solely did he praise my work and mentioned sort issues concerning 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 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. After I fumed to John that it was inconceivable to create the reporting dashboard we required in Excel, he mentioned: “You are able to do something with Excel should you actually must.” He was proper, and he taught me easy methods to make API calls and soar by all types of hoops and awkwardness in Excel to resolve the issue. It labored, and the managers I labored with have been happy. Over time, he would deliver it up, grinning, with a gleam in his eye. “I instructed you, you may make Excel do something, even should 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 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 totally different talent units pair programming collectively. That wasn’t sufficient although, John wished me to study and personal TDD myself, so from then on, we might pair and I discovered easy methods to write take a look at instruments utilizing TDD, one take a look at at a time. After I moved on to grow to be an unbiased marketing consultant, these hours spent with John actually paid off. I had important expertise, a greater command of obligatory instruments, and the affect of his constructive perspective and unflappable presence, irrespective of how chaotic the setting was. I used to be additionally capable of write articles and converse at conferences on subjects we had skilled collectively, all as a result of a form and beneficiant man noticed one thing in a brash child, and frolicked instructing and inspiring me.

Other than the technical facet of his affect, what I’ll keep in mind essentially the most is John the individual. After I moved on and we didn’t work collectively anymore, we nonetheless stayed in contact. He was a incredible individual to bounce concepts off of, or to ask recommendation after I skilled tough conditions as a marketing consultant. If my concept was half baked, he’d let me know, however it was all the time 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, after I was on the highway myself, I appeared 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 warfare tales, heaps and plenty of laughter, and luxury.