The CPA “Developer” Mindset
Everyone knows that accountants are widely regarded as “number-crunchers” and are very rules orientated. Another profession you are unlikely to compare with accountants is software developer. However, the only limitation an accountant would experience working on software development would be attributed to their mindset.
In order to be successful as a CPA, accountants have already developed a skillset that can be highly beneficial in software development. By adopting the “developer” mindset, CPAs can extract more value from their skills and expertise.
Creative Problem-Solving
Accountants and developers are adept problem solvers, but accountants should be encouraged to be more creative and exploratory in this area. When accountants are worried about meeting deadlines or not going over budget with time, they are incentivized to do thing “as per prior year” in an attempt to be efficient. Getting stuck in this mindset can be beneficial in the short term but ends up limiting your potential. There is always a better way to do things and accountants are already posed to develop creative and unique solutions if they free themselves to explore the problems they face.
Continuous Learning and Skill Development
A big part of the developer mindset is characterized by a thirst for knowledge, continuous learning, and staying up-to-date with the latest tools and technologies. A developer knows that there is no limit to what can be created and is constantly seeking new ways to perform a task. All it takes for accountants to get hooked on this mindset is venturing in basic programming or even advanced Excel functions. Once you get a glimpse of what you are capable of creating as a developer you perception of how to practically apply technology and approach problems will change forever.
The Power of Logic-Based Reasoning
At the end of the day, computers simply run on a series of 1’s and 0’s. This is common knowledge but the underlying power of this statement isn’t appreciated by most people. Essentially everything can be broken down into a string of yes or no questions. Understanding the power of this logic-based reasoning is a major step towards the “developer” mindset. This approach uncovers patterns, defines rules and allows for consistent results. Simply understanding the practical use of a nested if function in Excel can change the way accountants approach problems.