Recap


It has been observed that Moses did not come down from the mountain with The Ten Guidelines. Any time I see (or create) a list with 10 items, I become nervous. Even Woodrow Wilson received some ridicule for his "Fourteen Points": his critics pointed out that God had been able to fit all His wisdom into only 10.

On the other hand, calling this list "Joe's 10 Tips" seems to undervalue it just a tad. These are ideas that have proven useful to me time and time again. They are synthesized from watching some extremely good managers ply their trade during a 40-year time span. And when I see a manager grossly violating one of them, I can be pretty sure that there will be adverse consequences.

Now people will look over the list and remark, "What does this have to do with managing a software development project?" Well, two things. First of all, a software development project is a project; you can't get away from the fundamentals of good management just because you are managing software development. Second, I have noticed throughout the years that software developers are perhaps a touch more cynical about their managers than engineers in other domains. This is fairly easy to understand; they work in a rapidly changing field, and it is easy for them to dismiss their managers if they (the managers) are even a half-step behind technically. The only way to compensate for that perceived deficiency is to demonstrate extreme management prowess. For, if your developers think you are an old fart from the technical perspective and a screw-up as a manager, it is unlikely that you will be able to effectively lead them.




The Software Development Edge(c) Essays on Managing Successful Projects
The Software Development Edge(c) Essays on Managing Successful Projects
ISBN: N/A
EAN: N/A
Year: 2006
Pages: 269

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