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Re: On programmer schedules and productivity

by Mungbeans (Pilgrim)
on May 11, 2001 at 15:00 UTC ( [id://79669]=note: print w/replies, xml ) Need Help??


in reply to On programmer schedules and productivity

My 2p.

After doing several projects, I noticed the following points about my work:

  • I do the same amount of work in a 50 hour week as I do in a 60 hour week.
  • If I'm motivated I can do a 50 hour week in 40 hours, and get out the door early to enjoy the sunshine and all is good.
  • The quality of my work declines markedly after 50 hours, and it takes me longer to do even simple stuff.
  • If I have an employer who is flexible, I'm happy to put the extra hours when it is required. If I get mucked about over time sheets I get annoyed and start to slack off.
  • The good project managers that I have worked with have judged my performance by my output, not by bum on seat time.
  • The more time I spend away from work, the more creative and lateral I am.

IT is a knowledge industry. It is very hard to measure the productivity of a coder. You have to rely on the motivation and the professionalism of the coder - and you therefore have to strenuously resist any initiative that may piss off that coder. Motivation is fragile, and very difficult to recapture.

What works for me is when my boss shows an active interest in my work, and gives positive feedback - 'the customers think this interface is really easy to use and intuitive', 'would this have been easier if it was done OOP?'. I really enjoy working hard when people appreciate my efforts (regardless of the £££s).

This has been a sample of 1 however so not statistically valid.

Replies are listed 'Best First'.
Re: Re: On programmer schedules and productivity
by lachoy (Parson) on May 11, 2001 at 16:04 UTC

    All this reminds me of the whole discussion on mappers versus packers (partucularly in Chapter 1). It's difficult for non-software-development people to understand the process of development -- to them, it sometimes looks like we're just goofing off and if they were just able to get us to apply ourselves we'd be that much more productive.

    One of the problems is that code isn't an easy product to create metrics for. Sure, there's quantity, and sure, there's output (does it do what it's supposed to?), but I think non-development people always have the suspicion that it could always do more and that it's the lazy developer's fault it doesn't.

    Chris
    M-x auto-bs-mode

Re: Re: On programmer schedules and productivity
by orkysoft (Friar) on May 11, 2001 at 21:01 UTC
    I really enjoy working hard when people appreciate my efforts (regardless of the £££s).

    True. I just finished Mapster: The Next Generation, with many useful features and much faster loading. This is quite a complicated program, and I didn't get paid a dime to make it, but the appreciation of the people who use it fueled my determination to finish it greatly.

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