The Hawthorne Effect

 Kathleen Dollard, one of my favorite authors on software development, once made the remark that a lack of experience is holding our profession back. Over the years I’ve spent in software development, I’ve found substantial reason to agree. Here’s what I see as some of the obstacles to gaining a sound reservoir of experience in a software development organization. • The loss of experienced developers and architects from software development: Experienced developers and architects may go out the back door and take their experience with them. • Micromanagement by technically atrophied management: A number of times experienced developers go into management in software development organizations. Usually, their technical skills quickly atrophy, and they do not keep up with current software development processes. They may continue to give directions, but their directions make less and less sense because of the growing divergence between their own base of experience and current and appropr...

 Most of what I put down in my previous post, Part I: How to Make a Consulting Gig Mutually Effective and Rewarding, had to do with defining the assignment and preparing for the new consultant. Here are some more suggestions that I have to make. Make Sure That All Prospective Interviewers Are Prepared. • Interviewers need to have a current copy of the consultant’s resume. When I’m interviewed about a prospective assignment, I usually have additional copies with my business card and contact information. It’s best to give any prospective interviewers a copy of the resume far enough in advance to go over and assess the fit of the consultant to the assignment. • Interviewers need to have a current job description for the assignment. The assignment is usually important enough and costly enough to write down a list of what is relevant to the assignment. • Interviewers need to know what skills and experience are relevant to the assignment. This simply comes down to what parts of the job d...

Before I retired, I had done consulting / contracting for a number of years, and I’ve worked with a few companies and managers. Here are some pointers on how to get the most of a **highly skilled** consultant / contractor like myself. 1. Clearly define the purpose of the assignment beforehand, and inform the consultant / contractor. Is it: • Staff supplementation: a consultant taking over a role in the organizational chart normally assigned to a permanent employee who may be going on leave or another long term project. • A specific short or long term development or infrastructure project. 2. Define whether this engagement is considered to be a contract to hire position. Again, inform the contractor as to whether this is your expectation. Some consultants do not want to leave consulting, and the consultant should know whether this is a ‘try-buy’ opportunity. 3. Define the reporting structure of the consulting position, and the expended duties, procedures and time and status reporting me...