Im pissed with idiots. I need a GOOD web developer
- Thread starter vladi
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I don't agree with the idea that all he needs is a good manager. From the sounds of it, the type of work he needs done is very shoot from the hip. He needs someone on demand. He doesn't want to have to sit down and collect all his thoughts and then call some dude in India and explain it to them and then wait for them to explain it to the team, and then get questions back, and so on. He wants the flexibility to stand right over the developer and say do "this" and then watch it get done in a couple minutes. Done. Doesn't get better than that.
Problem is there aren't many developers out there like that. They need loads of experience in that type on environment and the confidence to come up with a solution fast and make it work without days of research and playing and testing.
Problem is there aren't many developers out there like that. They need loads of experience in that type on environment and the confidence to come up with a solution fast and make it work without days of research and playing and testing.
The problem is also, that is NOT how you manage local programmers either.
"Shoot from the hip project management" "He does not want to sit down and collect his thoughts" "He wants the flexibility to stand right over the developer and say do "this" and then watch it get done in a couple minutes."
Are you even listening to yourself?
This is
aka Feature creep
aka The pointy haired boss
aka bad requirement specifications
aka a disaster waiting to happen
aka....AAAAaaaahhhhhhh!
If that is what you want, you will drive away every good developer. Get a book on IT Project management. Read it. Apply some of it to stay flexible.
Here are the better alternatives, one by one, OK?
Sit down and collect your thoughts.
Learn how to specifiy what you want. Maybe sit together with someone who knows how to do it (a developer maybe? Oh, what a thought). Learn how to manage programmers. And I can not stress it enough, good requirements are more than half the bargain.
Learn to leave programmers alone
They need to think, and be creative not be micromanaged.
audax, I thought you program yourself?
What you described (aaaaahhhhh) I worked in. We had a "shoot from the hip, pointy haired boss".
We all were very flexible, fast programmers doing our best (and succeeding) in meeting his demands.
BUT..
Working like that is shit. Programming for someone who will change his mind in 5 minutes is shit. The guy WILL get bigger ideas and he WILL managerize it the only way he knows..from the hip, every idea that floats through his head having to be done in 5 minutes while he is watching the blinkenlights.
You KNOW working like that sucks.
To the OP:
Get a good book or two and try thinking of programmers as human beings and not illoyal stupids who have to be pushed around. Learn your side of the trade. A lot of managers duck this responsiblity.
I am a project manager in IT.
It is not easy.
::emp::
PS: Programmers are very loyal and will go GREAT lengths for someone who makes them feel well and lets them play with their favorite toys.
A good work environment goes a long way. Get them a good computer, offer two screens and a keyboard and mouse of their choice (I use a trackball). All in all, that is a "cost" of well..maybe 1000$ more than for your average workplace. You will get far more in return.
Also: The occasional pizza is good. My pointy haired boss earned a lot of points because he saw it as a GIVEN that if we had to do overtime, Pizza delivery and a cab home was on him.
Also: Value their private time. Try avoiding overtimes. Send them home when they are sick. Value your employees. ( a no brainer, is it?)
"Shoot from the hip project management" "He does not want to sit down and collect his thoughts" "He wants the flexibility to stand right over the developer and say do "this" and then watch it get done in a couple minutes."
Are you even listening to yourself?
This is
aka Feature creep
aka The pointy haired boss
aka bad requirement specifications
aka a disaster waiting to happen
aka....AAAAaaaahhhhhhh!
If that is what you want, you will drive away every good developer. Get a book on IT Project management. Read it. Apply some of it to stay flexible.
Here are the better alternatives, one by one, OK?
Do this instead:
Sit down and collect your thoughts.
Learn how to specifiy what you want. Maybe sit together with someone who knows how to do it (a developer maybe? Oh, what a thought). Learn how to manage programmers. And I can not stress it enough, good requirements are more than half the bargain.
Do this instead:
Learn to leave programmers alone
They need to think, and be creative not be micromanaged.
audax, I thought you program yourself?
What you described (aaaaahhhhh) I worked in. We had a "shoot from the hip, pointy haired boss".
We all were very flexible, fast programmers doing our best (and succeeding) in meeting his demands.
BUT..
Working like that is shit. Programming for someone who will change his mind in 5 minutes is shit. The guy WILL get bigger ideas and he WILL managerize it the only way he knows..from the hip, every idea that floats through his head having to be done in 5 minutes while he is watching the blinkenlights.
You KNOW working like that sucks.
To the OP:
Get a good book or two and try thinking of programmers as human beings and not illoyal stupids who have to be pushed around. Learn your side of the trade. A lot of managers duck this responsiblity.
I am a project manager in IT.
It is not easy.
::emp::
PS: Programmers are very loyal and will go GREAT lengths for someone who makes them feel well and lets them play with their favorite toys.
A good work environment goes a long way. Get them a good computer, offer two screens and a keyboard and mouse of their choice (I use a trackball). All in all, that is a "cost" of well..maybe 1000$ more than for your average workplace. You will get far more in return.
Also: The occasional pizza is good. My pointy haired boss earned a lot of points because he saw it as a GIVEN that if we had to do overtime, Pizza delivery and a cab home was on him.
Also: Value their private time. Try avoiding overtimes. Send them home when they are sick. Value your employees. ( a no brainer, is it?)
I totally agree with you 100%, emp. I am a developer myself and I have worked in the type of environments I described and it does suck. It is definitely not the type of work I'd want to do again.
I was merely summarizing what I think the OP is looking for and how he wants things to run. I'm no sure exactly what his company does or how big they are. Below a certain size, it's understand why this type of management would be present.
Personally I prefer to work an environment somehere in the middle (between no management and over-management).
I think the key here is that he's unhappy with the lack of flexibility using outsourced developers and having to communicate through another manager to the team. It sounds like instead he just need a kick ass developer that manages himself as the team and later on can handle managing a team of developers.
I was merely summarizing what I think the OP is looking for and how he wants things to run. I'm no sure exactly what his company does or how big they are. Below a certain size, it's understand why this type of management would be present.
Personally I prefer to work an environment somehere in the middle (between no management and over-management).
I think the key here is that he's unhappy with the lack of flexibility using outsourced developers and having to communicate through another manager to the team. It sounds like instead he just need a kick ass developer that manages himself as the team and later on can handle managing a team of developers.
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