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Peter Cepeda

From Critique to Commit: What Graphic Design Taught Me About Writing Code 🎨🧑‍💻

From Critique to Commit: What Graphic Design Taught Me About Writing Code 🎨🧑‍💻

What do design and software engineering have in common? A lot more than you'd think. Here's how lessons from my graphic design career made me a better coder—starting with how to take critique, simplify solutions, and stop overworking your ideas.

What We Weren’t Doing: Takeaways from Agile Training

What We Weren’t Doing: Takeaways from Agile Training

Our agile training wasn’t mind-blowing—it was a mirror. We weren’t doing the basics: real planning, clear stories, realistic commitments. This is a reflection on the fundamentals we skipped and the lessons that still stick with me today.

🧭 Aligning Goals and Execution: Let Teams Steer, Not Just Row

🧭 Aligning Goals and Execution: Let Teams Steer, Not Just Row

Direction is only useful when paired with context. If you want teams to steer, not just row, give them the why, make space for voices, and focus on building people—not just products.

Why I Left Digital Retail

Why I Left Digital Retail

I left Digital Retail to find a space that matched my values. After 3.5 years of stalled growth, unrecognized contributions, and philosophical misalignment, Developer Experience gave me a fresh start—and a chance to make engineering better for everyone.

Interviewing a Potential Teammate 101: Tips to Nail the Conversation

Interviewing a Potential Teammate 101: Tips to Nail the Conversation

Interviewing is about connection, not interrogation. Here’s how to approach it like a conversation, make people feel safe, and maybe even solve a real problem together—especially when hiring someone you’ll actually be working side by side with.

✅ Start Simple: Why You Can Safely Make Assumptions When Building Web Applications

✅ Start Simple: Why You Can Safely Make Assumptions When Building Web Applications

Most web development isn’t complex—it just mirrors how we already live. Focus on conversations, things vs. events, and building value fast. Here’s why it’s safe (and smart) to make assumptions when building apps.

Turning Turds into Diamonds: The 5 Cs of Engineering Value 💎💩

Turning Turds into Diamonds: The 5 Cs of Engineering Value 💎💩

Effort alone doesn't create value. Like diamonds, great engineering work is judged by its cut, color, clarity, carat—and cost. Here's how to evaluate what you build before polishing another pointless feature.