While working through STEC, I was inspired by @jesseberkeley’s mention of keeping a feedback journal where he can track his growth. @stuthomas says his team keeps what they call “brag docs”. They spend each week writing down wins for the week. My supervisor is encouraging me to keep a brag sheet.
I was wondering what tools or formats people use to track growth throughout their careers.
What has worked for you?
What is the benefit you’ve noticed from tracking your growth professionally?
And, if you struggle tracking your growth:
What prevents you from keeping a brag sheet or a feedback journal?
I don’t personally keep one because I’m hopeless at carving out regular time for self-reflection but keeping a ‘gratitude journal’ is supposedly good for mental health - maybe particularly useful if one is prone to picking up on the negative vibes of a challenging project, something that testers are particularly exposed to! I would also think a bragging journal would dovetail well with a gratitude journal - ie seeing achievements and growth more objectively?
I have a blog which I use to get me spending some time reflecting. More recently I’ve also been sharing my thoughts. Each year I also do an annual reflection on achievements and failings.
In my previous job I had my own Mural board for tracking tasks and kept hold of what I’ve done.
To help track my learnings I started sketchnoting. Kind of lost momentum lately but as I keep them all in a binder it gives me something to look back through and remind myself what I’ve been learning.
After starting STEC, which is taking me a while, I have started a portfolio including some skills, links etc plus of course my STEC activity notes. I want to be challenging myself to add to it.
I have a hype myself up task that I have on a reminder. Helps professionally and personally. Especially on days where you can forget how much you have grown.
