How to Learn Only What You Need Without Wasting Time
Kicker:
How Just-in-Time Learning Makes You a Sharper Software Engineer
Practicing Just-in-Time Learning as a Software Engineer
Subtitle: Why learning only what you need, when you need it, is the ultimate developer hack
Alright, let’s talk about just-in-time learning. If you’re anything like me, you’ve probably binged a ton of videos, Udemy courses, Coursera stuff, university lectures, and all sorts of online content. It’s easy to get sucked into that endless loop of learning, but here’s the thing: if you can’t apply what you just learned right away, you’re going to forget it. It won’t be as relevant as it was when you first watched or read it.
Why Just-in-Time Learning Beats “Just in Case” Learning
Let’s be real. Most of us have fallen into the trap of learning “just in case.” You know, picking up a new framework or tool because you might need it someday. But if you don’t use it soon, it fades away. It’s like trying to memorize the entire manual for a car you don’t even own yet. Don’t do that. Be a minimalist with your learning. Only learn what you need, when you need it.
For example, say you suddenly need to create a data visualization with Tableau or PowerBI. That’s the moment you should dive into the docs, watch a focused tutorial, or read the relevant chapters in a book. Gather the information you need at the right time, apply it, and iterate. That’s how you actually retain knowledge and improve your skills.
Teaching Back: The Secret Sauce
Here’s another trick that works wonders: teach back what you’ve learned. Seriously, this is a game changer. When you teach something, you’re forced to reorganize the knowledge in your own words, clarify it, and break it down into key lessons. That process helps you really understand and remember it.
Let’s say you just finished a killer course on data science or AI, but then your work project shifts and you don’t need those skills right now. Don’t let that knowledge go to waste. Host a workshop at work if you can, or just record a video for yourself. You could even write a blog post on Dev.to, Substack, or Medium. The point is, teaching back reinforces what you’ve learned and helps you schematize the knowledge.
Don’t Waste Time on Irrelevant Info
This applies to books too. Don’t feel like you have to read every chapter. Only use the parts that are relevant to what you’re doing right now. Iterate, leverage, and scale your learning to fit your current needs. That’s how you make your life as a developer better and more efficient.
Level Up with AI Tools
And don’t forget, there are tons of AI tools out there to help you learn faster. For example, Pinecone Assistant is pretty cool. It’s like a database where you can upload a bunch of PDFs, and then you can ask questions using the right AI or ML model. If you’re into Gemini, you can use Notebook ML. There are so many tools out there—use them to level up your learning journey.
The Bottom Line
Don’t hesitate to use AI and modern tools to boost your career. If you practice just-in-time learning, teach back what you’ve learned, and focus only on what’s relevant, you’ll be a much better software engineer. Trust me, this is how you stay sharp and keep growing, even as the tech landscape keeps changing.
“Never learn for learning’s sake. Learn for doing’s sake.”
— Me, after too many forgotten online courses
Key Takeaways
- Only learn what you need, when you need it—ditch the “just in case” mindset.
- Reinforce your learning by teaching back: host a workshop, record a video, or write a blog post.
- Use only the relevant chapters or sections of books and courses—don’t waste time on the rest.
- Leverage AI tools like Pinecone Assistant and Notebook ML to organize and access knowledge efficiently.
- Iteration and application are the keys to retaining and scaling your skills as a developer.
Pierre-Henry Soria
#Continuous Improvement #Developer Productivity #Just-in-Time Learning #Learning Strategies #Productivity #Software Engineering #Tech