A Year In Review – 2024

As I reflect on 2024, it’s clear this year has been one of profound personal challenges and resilience. It was a year where I had to stay strong despite major obstacles, yet I found joy in the small but significant moments.

Struggles and Supporting My Family

My personal year began much like 2023 ended: filled with difficult battles. Supporting my son through his struggles with school and navigating an education system that often felt indifferent consumed much of my energy. In early 2024, I once again had to pull him out of public school to homeschool him, just as I had in 2023, to prevent him from breaking down mentally and physically. I spent the first half of the year running on empty—emotionally and physically drained. Advocating for him required tireless effort, as I fought against a system that seemed more obstructive than supportive. The stress of these battles took a toll on my health. But even in those hardest moments, I could not give up. I had to remind myself that I have to fight for him and for our family, and while the road was long and painful, we made progress.

Finding Joy and Adventure in Summer

Summer brought the time to heal we so desperately needed. It became a season of joy and adventure. We camped, explored, and spent countless days by the lakes, soaking in the beauty around us. Saturdays with my husband Robert became cherished rituals, and my long afternoon walks alone offered moments of peace and reflection. These experiences gave me the strength to keep going and reminded me that even in difficult times, there is space for joy.

By the end of the year 2024, my family and I began to find some stability. All three of my kids started at a new school. While the scars of the past remain for Max, there is hope that now all three kids are in an educational environment that helps them thrive.

Professional Accomplishments Worth Celebrating

Professionally, I accomplished more than I sometimes give myself credit for (even though I would have loved to focus solely on business with no family struggles).

Code Review Workshops and Consulting

Throughout the year, I continued delivering code review workshops. And as you can imagine, the AI hype that is visible everywhere also reached my space. Many developers asked me how to incorporate AI into the code review process. Companies started requesting training on using AI and LLMs to help them with reviews. While I have been cautious over the last few years about recommending LLMs for reviews, I’ve observed that the models have improved and are entering a stage where they can indeed be helpful during the code review process. However, they can also be detrimental. This presented a wonderful opportunity to enhance my training.

Throughout 2024, I experimented extensively with LLMs for code reviews, studied empirical findings on their performance, and updated my workshops and courses to integrate lessons on using LLMs and AI effectively for code reviews.

I also consulted several companies on improving their developer experience. Some were struggling with their large test suites and the impact that long test execution times were having on their development processes. Several others faced challenges measuring developer experience and ensuring their improvement efforts resulted in tangible outcomes. It was incredibly enriching to accompany these companies on their journey and help steer them in the right direction.

Is it really happening? The Code Review Book

In the fall, I began writing my code review book, a project that has been on my mind for years. While it feels daunting at times, it’s also rewarding to finally see it take shape. With 150 pages written so far, the book is steadily progressing—one step at a time.

The book focuses on the processes and techniques that make code reviews more effective and valuable. It brings together lessons I’ve learned through years of consulting, training, and working closely with developers to improve their code review practices. Writing it has been both challenging and insightful, giving me the chance to reflect on and organize the knowledge I’ve gathered over the years.

With all the advancements in AI and seeing people claim to write books in weeks or even days, it feels a bit strange to take a more traditional approach—allowing the process to unfold over months, maybe years. At times, I’ve doubted myself. This is my first book, and I wonder: will it resonate with readers? What if it doesn’t meet their expectations?

But I keep reminding myself that I can do it and that if this book helps a few teams find more joy in their daily work, overcome challenges, and improve how they collaborate on code, it will be worth the effort. That thought keeps me going, one paragraph at a time.

Traveling to Amsterdam

One highlight of the year was traveling to Amsterdam, where I gave a talk at GOTO Amsterdam about Developer Experience and Code Reviews. Being back in that environment was energizing and reminded me how much I love engaging with the tech community and speaking about topics I care about. I met many interesting and kind people at the conference and just thrived on the vibe of learning, connecting, and exchanging ideas.

At GOTO, I was also invited to participate in a panel discussion on developer experience and developer productivity alongside inspiring developers and speakers like Charity Majors, Birgit Böckeler, Daniel Terhorst-North, and James Lewis.

I also visited my old home, Delft, and the university, where I spent many years working toward my Ph.D. It was such a pleasure to meet my old promotor and supervisor, as well as many colleagues and friends, and to hear about their current endeavors.

Continued to publish research and write

Another highlight was the publication of our latest research on Developer Experience, which I collaborated on with Nicole Forsgren, Eirini Kalliamvakou, Abi Node, Brian Houck, and Margaret-Anne Storey. The article, titled “DevEx in Action: A Study of Its Tangible Impacts,” was published on ACM and explores how developer experience factors—such as flow state, feedback loops, and cognitive load—correlate with outcomes at the developer, team, and organizational levels.

Awesomecodereviews.com

My blog, awesomecodereviews.com, remained an outlet for creativity and sharing knowledge. This year, I wrote articles on topics like code review automation, using Copilot for code reviews, and reviewing techniques like bottom-up and top-down approaches. Writing continues to connect me with others and spark valuable discussions. I also finally released the membership feature on the site, which opens up new possibilities that I’m excited to explore. I love tinkering with the Gatsby site and enhancing the React application whenever I can carve out some time for it.

Podcasting and Social Media

Due to the turbulent times with my son, I had to pause or slow down my activities on social media and podcasting. However, I hope that as my personal life becomes more stable, I can dedicate more time to podcasting, as I genuinely enjoy the interactions and conversations it brings.

This year, I managed to release two new episodes of the SE Unlocked podcast. One featured a discussion on developer experience with Abi Noda, and the other explored how relationships can ruin code reviews.

I also published four newsletters during the year: one on the 10 best code review techniques, another on measuring developer experience, a third on managing code review anxiety, and, to close the year, an issue on AI-assisted code reviews.

Additionally, I began experimenting more with LinkedIn as an alternative to Twitter. For years, I viewed LinkedIn as a rather uninspiring platform filled with spammy recruiter messages and irrelevant job offers. However, with X (formerly Twitter) declining, I’ve noticed that many people have rediscovered LinkedIn as a valuable space for sharing insights and building professional connections. Looking ahead to 2025, I’m considering publishing more actively on LinkedIn and exploring its potential for meaningful engagement.

Guest Appearances On Other Podcasts

I was honored to appear on the Tech Lead Journal Podcast, hosted by the Henry Suryawirawan, whose thoughtful questions and dedication made it a great experience. Together, we talked about—no surprise here—Code Reviews. I also joined the Engineering Club Podcast, which was a chance to connect with fellow Austrian and German professionals. Additionally, I was interviewed by iSAQB about Developer Experience.
Finally, I was part of the GOTO unscripted crew, where we talked about balancing tech and human creativity. This was a fun and dynamic group activity that sparked a spontaneous discussion about developer productivity, the role of AI, and how organizations must adapt to the changes shaping our industry.

Holding Space for Myself

This year was also the first I worked entirely from my own office. Having a dedicated space provided not only physical room to work but also the mental space to focus and create. It became my sanctuary: a place to think, write, and sometimes escape the chaos and stress of my personal life.

2024 also taught me (once again) the importance of prioritizing my health to succeed personally and professionally. After the draining and detrimental first half of 2024, I began re-incorporating regular exercise into my routine, alternating between walking and strength training. I practiced mindfulness and patience, learning to be gentler with myself. These intentional steps helped me regain balance and reminded me that self-care is essential.

Looking Back and Ahead

As I look back, I see a year that was far from perfect, but one where I rediscovered resilience, creativity, and connection. I learned to appreciate the joy of small moments—the laughter by the lake, the satisfaction of a finished blog post, and the quiet happiness of working on my book.

Looking ahead to 2025, my goals are centered on healing, connection, and creativity. I want to continue prioritizing my health, strengthening relationships, and creating beautiful memories with my family. I aim to keep working on my book, explore new projects, and give myself the freedom to take things one step at a time.

Find my other Year-In-Review Reflections here:

• Year In Review 2023
• Year in Review 2020/21