RE: Teaching programmers to care RE: Benefits by Level

So said  Charlie Poole  on  2003-01-03 --------------------

>JB,
>
>> >I think that the programmers get something out of it but it's main
>> >value in my mind is that management sees the programmers getting
>> >something out of it. IME, management often thinks that programmers
>> >do not care about giving value to the business.
>> 
>> I find it difficult not to be personally offended by management 
>> making that assumption. By the time I become personally offended, 
>> I'm too angry to be rational; then I don't get anywhere with the 
>> whole discussion. Sad, really.
>
>I woulder if it would be useful to explore the kinds of statements 
>or behaviors that could lead managers to form such an impression.

One way to find out.

I'll ante with the general perception that programmers would rather play with new technology than work with the technology that the organization has already put in place. 

I know that I am not jazzed up by new computer technology. I am interested in solving problems using technology. That makes me more generally aligned with the business needs, at least within the narrow context of solving their business problems using technology. The question "Ought we to use technology AT ALL to solve problem X?" is not quite outside the scope of my interest, but I don't find myself amply qualified to consider the alternatives.

Now I don't know how rare among programmers I am in that way of thinking. My guess is that I'm rare, since if I weren't, there shouldn't be such a general perception of programmers.

How do managers observe this misalignment? I can think of one way they likely "misobserve" this misalignment.

Programmer reads about a new technology, decides it can solve one of his team's problems. Programmer does some research, does a little prototyping on the side, beyond work hours. Programmer concludes that this is a Good Thing and presents it to Manager. Manager does not know how much thought and effort Programmer has put into deciding whether to present this to Manager. If Programmer does this often enough, Manager begins to wonder why Programmer does this so often, forgetting that Programmer still gets all his work done. Manager concludes that Programmer is "wasting time" looking at technology, rather than simply using whatever the organization has decided to go with. Manager feels that Programmer is presenting TOO MANY options. Overwhelming, perhaps, for Manager.

Is Programmer misaligned with the business needs to solve its business problems? Certainly not. Manager may miss this and conclude otherwise.

Comments?


J. B. Rainsberger,
President, Diaspar Software Services
Let's write software that people understand.
http://www.diasparsoftware.com/
telephone: +1 416 791-8603
All correspondence (c) 2002 Diaspar Software Services.
If you want to use it, just ask; don't steal.


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