How I taught myself to code | Litha Soyizwapi | TEDxSoweto

Summary

The speaker, a graphic designer from a small town, shares their journey of failure, growth, and success. They recount their early interest in geography and how it sparked their imagination, leading to a career in graphic design. Despite struggling with drawing, they persevered, learned the basics, and applied their knowledge to programming. They overcame challenges to create a successful train app, emphasizing the importance of understanding the process, learning by doing, and applying knowledge to create valuable products.

Takeaways

• 🌐 The speaker's early fascination with geography and maps sparked their interest in graphic design and visual communication.
• 🎨 Despite not studying art in high school, the speaker's determination led to significant improvement in drawing skills through consistent practice.
• 📈 The speaker emphasizes the importance of learning the basics, learning by doing, and applying knowledge, which are key lessons from their graphic design journey.
• 💻 A passion for programming was ignited, and the speaker overcame challenges such as lack of access to tools by seeking alternative resources.
• 🛠️ The creative processes in graphic design and programming are similar, both requiring critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
• 🏫 The speaker chose to further their education in technology by accessing free online courses from prestigious universities.
• 🚄 A real-world application was created by the speaker, a train schedule app, which was well-received and recognized internationally.
• 📱 The app was designed with user experience in mind, featuring a unique drag-and-drop interface and offline functionality.
• 🌟 The speaker believes in the power of ideas and the importance of execution, suggesting that understanding the process is crucial for creating lasting value.
• 📚 Picasso's advice to 'learn the rules like a pro so you can break them like an artist' is used to encourage learning fundamentals to foster creativity and innovation.

Q & A

What was the speaker's profession?

The speaker is a graphic designer by profession.

What misconception did people have about the speaker?

People often mistakenly introduced the speaker as an app developer.

Where was the speaker born?

The speaker was born in a small town in the Eastern Cape called Bethal.

What was the speaker's first introduction to graphic communication?

The speaker's first introduction to graphic communication was through reading maps and learning about different human settlements.

What was the speaker's struggle during the first year of graphic design studies?

The speaker struggled with drawing and was the only student who failed the subject during the first quarter of the first year.

What advice did the speaker receive to improve their drawing skills?

The speaker was advised to keep a sketchbook and draw everyday objects.

How did the speaker's drawing skills improve?

By the end of the second quarter, the speaker's drawing skills improved significantly, jumping from 44 percent to 75 percent.

What three lessons did the speaker learn from their drawing experience?

The speaker learned the importance of laying the basics, learning by doing, and applying knowledge.

What was the first challenge the speaker faced when learning programming?

The first challenge was access to tools, specifically the SDK (Software Development Kit) for iPhone app development.

What was the speaker's approach to learning programming?

The speaker downloaded free online courses from MIT, Stanford University, and Carnegie Mellon University, focusing on machine learning, iPhone programming, and computer science.

What app did the speaker create and what was its main feature?

The speaker created an app for the Gautrain, a rapid rail system, with a drag-and-drop functionality to simplify the user interface.

How was the app received and what recognition did it get?

The app was well-received, receiving four and a half stars out of five from the Financial Mail and being mentioned at a web and mobile conference in Stockholm, Sweden.

What advice does the speaker give for learning and creating new things?

The speaker advises learning the rules like a pro so you can break them like an artist, emphasizing the importance of understanding the process and learning the basics.