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Expectations of professional software engineers

adamj.eu

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Re: Expectations of professional software engineers

#71

Post by vlunkr »

MajimasEyepatch wrote: post #68
vsareto wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This list will impede velocity by quite a lot, especially with coming up with and implementing Plan B's

You only implement the Plan B if Plan A fails. Plan B doesn’t have to be elaborate. It can be as simple as, “I’m going to look into using this third-party service to solve 99% of this problem, but if it isn’t a good fit or it’s too expensive, I think we can put together a home-grown 80% solution in a couple of sprints.”

One of the points is "I have already implemented my Plan B in case my solution to my current problem doesn’t work."

So that's not what they're advocating. Though I think they're 100% wrong on that point, and most managers would probably think so too.

Re: Expectations of professional software engineers

#72

Post by poopnugget »

ctroein89 wrote: post #57

> 1. I can articulate precisely what problem I am trying to solve. > 6. I have a Plan B in case my solution to my current problem doesn’t work. > 9. I can clearly articulate unknowns and risks associated with my current problem. These rules imply one of 3 things about the author: * That author only encounters problems that have been fully solved before * The manager gives zero weight or value to discovery * The manag…

No post body was provided.

Re: Expectations of professional software engineers

#73

Post by pardon_me »

ChrisMarshallNY wrote: post #70
ctroein89 wrote: post #57

> 1. I can articulate precisely what problem I am trying to solve. > 6. I have a Plan B in case my solution to my current problem doesn’t work. > 9. I can clearly articulate unknowns and risks associated with my current problem. These rules imply one of 3 things about the author: * That author only encounters problems that have been fully solved before * The manager gives zero weight or value to discovery * The manag…

> figuring out the problem is part of the work IME, finding the problem is almost all of the work. Once I can reproduce an issue, and trace it to its genesis, it's as good as solved.

Exactly. The hardest part about software is deciding how to implement the tools we have, and not knowing the answer until we start developing and uncover the true problems we must solve. A list of small tasks to complete is solvable by AI.

Re: Expectations of professional software engineers

#74

Post by BlargMcLarg »

jvanderbot wrote: post #54
horsawlarway wrote: post #12

Personally - I don't see a lot of value in this list (I read all 50 items and watched the video and I regret wasting the time). There are certainly some valuable concepts - but the presentation is fairly incoherent (including the video of the talk he gives) and not particularly helpful. Many of these items are utterly unrelated: Some are fairly specific to gaming (profiling/memory layout/timing) some are basic profes…

I loved the early and often emphasis on communication. That gets swept under the rug far too often. This list makes it clear that communication (of designs, of status, of workarounds, etc) is vital for the professional software engineer.

Does it? Almost every day we get articles on every existing medium regarding the importance of communication. Even the tech circles in 4chan parrot it. Yes, the place known for anti-social recluses parrots it, too.

And it's showing. There is so much emphasis on communication, people started equating quantity to quality. "Just talk more, that's what great communication is about" wouldn't be an observation too far from the truth.

Far too little is invested into researching what makes quality communication. It's just the same old rational arguments against rational arguments, day in, day out. For a field entirely about managing and sharing information, be it to machines or to people, that's pathetic.

Re: Expectations of professional software engineers

#76

Post by unicornhose »

All good as far as it goes, but not very common in the industry. Poor management and no mentorship, and this is what you'll get.

Now what are everyone's expectations of Mike Acton? If someone sends me an email like this before I'm about to start on a job -- I just know he must be feeling some pressure.

Re: Expectations of professional software engineers

#77

Post by jstimpfle »

sidewndr46 wrote: post #59
jstimpfle wrote: post #43

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This guy in particular has collected some serious credibility. In the past he's worked at Insomniac Games. He is also credited for popularizing Data-Oriented Design and has delivered at least one talk that went viral and that video thumbnail of him in his red flower shirt has become a meme for a no-bullshit and requirement-focused engineering approach. Go check him out on Youtube.

Is this reply sarcasm?

How did you get the idea? Not at all, only sharing what is pretty much facts.

Re: Expectations of professional software engineers

#78

Post by jvanderbot »

BlargMcLarg wrote: post #74
jvanderbot wrote: post #54

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I loved the early and often emphasis on communication. That gets swept under the rug far too often. This list makes it clear that communication (of designs, of status, of workarounds, etc) is vital for the professional software engineer.

Does it? Almost every day we get articles on every existing medium regarding the importance of communication. Even the tech circles in 4chan parrot it. Yes, the place known for anti-social recluses parrots it, too. And it's showing. There is so much emphasis on communication, people started equating quantity to quality. "Just talk more, that's what great communication is about" wouldn't be an observation too far from…

If you only compare the sermon to the hymns, it does seem a little redundant. But if I look around my workplace, clear, frequent communication is absolutely a huge need.

Re: Expectations of professional software engineers

#79

Post by BlargMcLarg »

jvanderbot wrote: post #78
BlargMcLarg wrote: post #74

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Does it? Almost every day we get articles on every existing medium regarding the importance of communication. Even the tech circles in 4chan parrot it. Yes, the place known for anti-social recluses parrots it, too. And it's showing. There is so much emphasis on communication, people started equating quantity to quality. "Just talk more, that's what great communication is about" wouldn't be an observation too far from…

If you only compare the sermon to the hymns, it does seem a little redundant. But if I look around my workplace, clear, frequent communication is absolutely a huge need.

Again, this is purely anecdotal and at best rational only. Our field is already loaded with rationality, and most of our "this is clearly better" cases fail to reveal any improvements in case studies.

If people are so certain it is better and believe it is important, let them stake money on it and do research. Until then, the cat is both dead and alive.

Re: Expectations of professional software engineers

#80

Post by [deleted] »

osigurdson wrote: post #55

Items 1-11 (+ a few others) are essentially, "show me the ROI (in $) of the work that you are doing". That is fair but ROI driven organizations tend to have very little appetite for risk (or tend to be command and control driven). Sometimes however you can't connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So, you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have…

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