Developers Are the Most Valuable Resource When Creating Software • Hacker News Board

Re: Developers Are the Most Valuable Resource When Creating Software

#21

Post by pjmlp » Mon, Aug 23, 2021, 12:21 PM UTC

nickmyersdt wrote: post #18

pjmlp wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

True, the sad reality of capitalist society is that fun doesn't pay bills.

I would like to think the two aren't mutually exclusive, however I do think that sports players (and actors/musicians) are turned into what are essentially money making vehicles (whether that be advertising in sports or royalties in entertainment). Those that are considered "A" game are those that earn the most money for other people.

Well, that is what passionate development is all about. :)

Re: Developers Are the Most Valuable Resource When Creating Software

#22

Post by nine_zeros » Mon, Aug 23, 2021, 12:53 PM UTC

nickmyersdt wrote: post #9

lloydatkinson wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes, a daily meeting every morning to tell people what you did the day before feels like baby sitting.

If that's what you're doing then you're not using that opportunity correctly. It's a very quick coordination between members of a team to align among one another, share important information (including managing expectations) and ask for help. It's for members of the team, and if the team don't feel it's adding value, raise it in the retrospective and decide whether to iterate or kill it. If you're using it well it cu…

That's ridiculous. If I need help,I don't need to wait 24 hours for a standup. I'll just go ask right away

Re: Developers Are the Most Valuable Resource When Creating Software

#23

Post by Smeevy » Mon, Aug 23, 2021, 3:26 PM UTC

nickmyersdt wrote: post #17

black_13 wrote: post #16

I want to be a manager so I can say „no“. I am tired of some career climbers science project. I home that being I might have less of this.

I think of my own style of management being less about "saying no" and more about supporting the team and business to find ways to say "yes" that are both sustainable (no burn out or dissatisfaction from developers) and impactful (makes a valuable difference to our customers or business). I think of management being able to influence the conversation in a direct way, and also committing to the company direction (even…

I absolutely agree with that approach.

Maybe it's just me, but "no" isn't as much of an option as it seems from the outside looking in. I've had much better results by refining and redirecting outside requests than by just denying them outright. There's also the chance that whoever you just denied will now just try to find a way to get what they want without you.

If you're in a place where you are constantly being asked for unacceptable things, there's a chance that one of the parties in those exchanges is going to be asked to leave. If we accept that premise, then the likelihood of you being dismissed goes up as you deny more requests from more people.

I use "no" rather judiciously and I avoid saying it in front of too many people at once. This isn't about cynically appearing reasonable as much as it is about being polite.

Re: Developers Are the Most Valuable Resource When Creating Software

#24

Post by lloydatkinson » Mon, Aug 23, 2021, 4:15 PM UTC

nine_zeros wrote: post #22

nickmyersdt wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If that's what you're doing then you're not using that opportunity correctly. It's a very quick coordination between members of a team to align among one another, share important information (including managing expectations) and ask for help. It's for members of the team, and if the team don't feel it's adding value, raise it in the retrospective and decide whether to iterate or kill it. If you're using it well it cu…

That's ridiculous. If I need help,I don't need to wait 24 hours for a standup. I'll just go ask right away

100% - it's an absurd reason for the existence of standups

Re: Developers Are the Most Valuable Resource When Creating Software

#25

Post by nickmyersdt » Mon, Aug 23, 2021, 5:15 PM UTC

lloydatkinson wrote: post #24

nine_zeros wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's ridiculous. If I need help,I don't need to wait 24 hours for a standup. I'll just go ask right away

100% - it's an absurd reason for the existence of standups

I didn't say it was reason for a daily meeting. If you don't find you need them, don't do them. Just agree with your team they are unnecessary. The teams I have worked with have always found it helpful to be able to adjust their plans with the whole team in situ (e.g. I need someone to help me with X; ok, I can help if someone else could do Y; cool, if Z can work with me, I think we could do Y. If we do this, we should tell A that B won't be done this week.)