In this talk, I reflect on my transformative two-hour pair-programming session with Steve Yegge, where I explored “CHOP” (chat-oriented programming) where I got to build a video excerpt creation tool in less than an hour. This was something I had wanted to create for almost a year.

This was an ideal way to learn, because effective learning requires expert coaching, fast feedback, intentional practice, and tackling tasks just beyond one’s current abilities. I'll highlight prompts I used, techniques I learned, and some crazy new use-cases I never would have thought of trying if Steve hadn't suggested it.

I'll also discuss some mental models I started adopting to use LLMs better, and share my early thinking on the value that GenAI enables for developers and teams:

- build the things I want faster

- be more ambitious about things I can build

- be able to build them alone (as opposed to requiring other people or a team)

- and have so much more fun doing it

- more swings at bat, explore more options