Scott Allen on Learning Methods and Success

Scott Allen talks about Pluralsight, learning methods and how he become a successful author.

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About the speakers

Ode to Code

Scott has worked on everything from 8-bit embedded devices to large scale web sites during his 15+ years in commercial software development. Since 2001, Scott has focused on server-side and web technologies, like ASP.NET, ASP.NET AJAX, Windows Workflow, Silverlight, and LINQ. Scott is also a speaker at national conferences like VSLive!, as well as code camps and user groups near his hometown of Hagerstown, MD.

Scott has been recognized as a Microsoft MVP since 2005, and has written or co-authored several books on Microsoft technologies.

Lars Klint is a solution architect with SSW, Pluralsight Author, Microsoft MVP, and keen tech geek with a passion for the Microsoft ecosystem. He is a stickler for best practices and using industry standards to produce awesome, robust, and maintainable software. He was selected among 10 in the world to participate in Nokia’s FutureCapture hackathon in Sweden, developing cutting edge prototypes for the Nokia Lumia phones and won the Melbourne AppFest for his Image of The Day Windows Phone Application.

Microsoft Teams Etiquette: Simple Habits That Make Meetings Better | Adam Cogan

Whether you’re working remotely or in the office, small habits can make a huge difference in Microsoft Teams meetings. In this video, Adam Cogan shares practical etiquette tips to help meetings run more smoothly—from introducing people who join the room, to announcing yourself when joining a call, using screen sharing respectfully, and ending meetings with a recorded summary that can automatically create a Product Backlog Item (PBI).

These simple communication habits improve collaboration, reduce confusion, and make hybrid meetings more inclusive and productive.

Treat Your Code Like Uranium | Adam Cogan

Adam Cogan shares a striking story comparing two World War II factories—one ordinary, one handling uranium—and the surprising lesson that the uranium workers lived longer because they followed disciplined, risk-aware practices. He connects that idea to software teams: the best outcomes come from careful habits like automated tests, telemetry, pull requests, retrospectives, shared rules, and good tools. The message is simple: treat software delivery with the same respect as dangerous work, and you’ll reduce stress, avoid chaos, and get better results.

3 Tips for Better Video Recordings | Adam Cogan

Great coaching can dramatically improve how you present, communicate, and learn. In this video, Adam Cogan shares 3 practical coaching tips that SSW uses every day—from onboarding and role plays to improving video delivery. He explains why having a coach matters, why immediate interruption beats delayed feedback, and how repeating corrections helps lock in better habits.

TinaCMS + Fumadocs: Bring Visual Editing to Your Docs | Hark Singh

Discover how to connect Playwright with AI agents and unlock powerful workflows.

Stop Using 👍 Wrong in Teams | Adam Cogan

A quick communication tip from Adam Cogan: don’t use 👍 as a catch-all response when someone assigns you a task in Teams, Slack, or Google Chat. In the example Adam gives, if a task will take about five minutes, a thumbs up is too ambiguous because it does not clearly say whether you’ve read it, agree with it, are doing it now, or will do it later. Instead, use 👍 for agreement, 👀 to show you’ve seen the task and are actively working on it, and then replace 👀 with ✅ once the task is done. It is a small change, but it removes ambiguity and cuts down unnecessary follow-up messages.

How to record a done video in SSW | Sylvia Huang | SSW Rules

Sylvia Huang from SSW shares her SSW Cultural Exchange experience from Hangzhou, China to Australia

4 Essential Sales Tips for Engineers | Adam Cogan

Not a salesman? No problem. Adam Cogan shares 4 practical tips to help engineers navigate sales meetings with confidence. Learn how to stop “selling” and start solving, how to talk numbers without the awkwardness, and why being transparent about your process wins more clients.

Do you explain why you’ve deleted or updated an appointment? | Adam Cogan | SSW Rules

Ever wonder why a meeting was moved or cancelled? Adam Cogan explains the “Secret Ingredient” to professional scheduling: always include a version history and reason for change at the top of your appointments. Improve clarity, keep a record of changes, and hold participants accountable with this simple SSW Rule.

Chat first before changing others’ code | Adam Cogan

Changing someone else’s code? Don’t just dive in! Adam explains why it’s important to check the source history and talk to the original developer before making changes. A quick chat can save headaches and keep everyone on the same page. Perfect advice for devs working in teams!