Performance Tuning Benefits - More Than The Obvious Points

There are countless performance tuning benefits.  Well, maybe not countless, but there are a number of them that are readily apparent.  However, the typical outcomes from a performance tuning project are just some of the upside to doing this work.  There are many indirect silver linings of this black cloud.  The process of improving performance can be daunting.  Nevertheless, the ROI makes it all worthwhile.

One of the best performance tuning benefits outside of a better running application is the process itself.  We learn by being pushed beyond our limits.  When we are asked to expend beyond what we know or have done, it causes growth.  A steady stream of obstacles provides the bricks in the road to being a better developer.  That may seem cheesy.  However, the more difficult situations we face and overcome, the better we become.

Human beings tend to fall into thought patterns.  We approach new situations based on what we have experienced before.  There is nothing wrong with that habit.  Nevertheless, we add tools to our toolbox when we are forced to step beyond what we know.  This learning often comes from tuning a process; otherwise, we would have implemented it differently the first time.  We are effectively asked to solve the same problem in a different way.  That is an excellent way to grow.

The best software developers (and problem solvers) are very good at analyzing a situation or problem.  One of the performance tuning benefits is that it provides us practice at analyzing our code or something written by others.  We need to step through the solution and judge it step-by-step in an attempt to find a better solution.  This process is high-end thinking and problem-solving.  Think of it as similar to going to the gym and lifting the heavier weights.

Episode Challenge: Plan your next performance tuning project?

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