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Motivating Your Co-Developers?
"Deadlines are super-tight (what else is new)... but all 'my' parts are ready on time, and I enjoy what I'm doing. After about a month of design and two weeks of coding, I've got about 50% of my software features. The others definitely do understand the requirements and the design, because we had plenty of discussions. 'All right, lets get what you've got so far, we'll just try the interfaces, even if your code doesn't do anything much yet.' 'I haven't tried to compile it yet.' Then I looked at the little code they've produced, and it's a disaster (abhorent coding style, serious logical mistakes, etc). Obviously, these guys understand the 'domain' problem (I would think that's the hard part), but suck at coding (which is apparently the really hard part for them).
Hiring new people this late in the project won't work, as anyone who has read 'The Mythical Man Month' knows. On this project, I have a de-facto role of a software team leader. Before, I've always been just a coder, not responsible for others. So okay, I'm doing fine with my part of coding, but that's no use. If others don't catch up quickly, we'll have serious problems delivering on time. I need to stop hacking on 'my' part of code, and help elsewhere. They definitely do understand the requirements and the design, because we had plenty of discussions. 'All right, lets get what you've got so far, we'll just try the interfaces, even if your code doesn't do anything much yet.' 'I haven't tried to compile it yet.' Then I looked at the little code they've produced, and it's a disaster (abhorent coding style, serious logical mistakes, etc). Obviously, these guys understand the 'domain' problem (I would think that's the hard part), but suck at coding (which is apparently the really hard part for them).
Obviously, I need to look into some way of helping or motivating, but without putting them off. I could just take over someone else's module and code it in no time. But if anyone did that to me... well that's out of the question."
Block "http://www.slashdot.org" at the firewall :)
-JT
send them all to XP Agile programming conference in chicago.. then when they come back.. fire their asses.
Fire their sorry asses, then ask for a raise. Then fire the incompetent bozo who hired them.
No no no no no. The perfect motivator is donuts, and the possibility of MORE donuts, to come.
-- Mesmer is the Dairy King Remove your panties to email me.
know where I can get a hammock?
The greatest right given is the right to be wrong...
Emebedded system, C and assembly? The other developers can't write code fast enough? If youre company is in Austin, TX, may I suggest that you fire one of them and hire me instead? I can assure you, you won't regret it.
And the men who hold high places must be the ones who start
To mold a new reality... closer to the heart
"One excuse I've heard is that if you don't have enough evidence that someone is not being productive and you fire them, they can sue you (WTF, I highly doubt that). "
Allow me to introduce you to the term "At Will" employment. That means that one is employed at the will of the employer. If the employer loses the wiil to employ someone, they can be let go with no reason whatsoever.
HOWEVER...
Thia only applies if one is male, white, under 40, has no disabilities that fall under the scope of the ADA, and (in some states) straight. If you are not one of these, you fall into a "protected class" and, although one can still be fired, the employer needs to document it REALLY well.
"As God is my witness, I thought turkeys could fly." A. Carlson
Dilbert
"Did you write that code for me yet?"
"No. I'm one of those people who needs to be threatened every day, or else I won't do anything"
Have a coding contest...
1st place is a new Cadillac
2nd place is a set of steak knives
3rd place is "you're fired"...
It's worked before...
q:]
MadCow.
I used to have a sig, but I set it free and it never came back.
Well, there's The Hammock Hut, over on Third...
Homer: Sir, I need to know where I can get some business hammocks.
Hank: Hammocks? My goodness, what an idea. Why didn't I think of that? Hammocks! Homer, there's four places. There's the Hammock Hut, that's on third.
Homer: Uh-huh.
Hank: There's Hammocks-R-Us, that's on third too. You got Put-Your-Butt-There?
Homer: Mm-Hmm.
Hank: That's on third. Swing Low, Sweet Chariot... Matter of fact, they're all in the same complex; it's the hammock complex on third.
Homer: Oh, the hammock district.
Hank: That's right.
--
pants ahoy
You've got it made. Management will surely know that you've been doing all the work - because right now you're working with your future management team. So try not to piss them off too much !
The Earth is truly flat - it's only space that's curved
Block "http://www.slashdot.org" at the firewall :)
Personally, I just complain about my co-workers on the front page of Slashdot... they all get pissed and quit, and then I can replace them with new people who know what they're doing. Seems to work....
Sometimes the best solution to morale problems is just to fire all the unhappy people.
You could steal their red stapler. That always seems to motivate people.
.... this motivational speaker for developers:
ballmer
All the creatures will die, And all the things will be broken. That's the law of samurai. (Jubai, 1605)
Show me three useless programmers....
And I'll show you two testers and an aspiring manager!
Opinions on the Twiddler2 hand-held keyboard?
Are you hiring?