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Agreed, when I see an opinion like no product input from the tech team it just makes me think that the company in question would just be better off hiring contr

Agreed, when I see an opinion like no product input from the tech team it just makes me think that the company in question would just be better off hiring contractors.

ekidd 10y ago
As a moderately senior consultant for small to mid-sized software companies, I discuss product plans even more than I do as an in-house developer. As an in-house developer, I get salary, and that is heavily protected by law. But as a consultant, I want to actually get paid, and paid well. If I work on ill-conceived design put together by an incompetent product team or an inexperienced founder, I'm also much more likely to have to push hard to get paid for each milestone. So I only consult when it's clear that I can add strategic value and that my client really understands their market. Once I'm sure those conditions are met, I can help them on the technology side. When I ask my clients probing questions about their product plans, they generally seem quite happy that I care. And yes, I have advised some of them that PHP would have been a terrible choice for their technical requirements. A large part of the value a senior consultant brings is knowing how far out on the bleeding edge is wise for a given company, product and team. You want a good balance of development speed and a reasonably mature ecosystem.
- __derek__ 10y ago
  The contractors mentioned are not the same as consultants. They are hired bodies, typically employed via an agency, rather than people operating a business. Whereas you're paid to think and to optimize, contractors are paid to just do without objecting.
tensor 10y ago
Having product and design teams be in charge of their respective areas doesn't mean that developers can't add their thoughts into the mix, they just don't get decision making power. Why do you think a developer should have decision making power in the area of design? They are not trained in design and UX. Conversely would you be ok with designers or other non-technical people dictating technical decisions? Of course not!

Agreed, when I see an opinion like no product input from the tech team it just makes me think that the company in question would just be better off hiring contractors.

ekidd 10y ago

As a moderately senior consultant for small to mid-sized software companies, I discuss product plans even more than I do as an in-house developer. As an in-house developer, I get salary, and that is heavily protected by law. But as a consultant, I want to actually get paid, and paid well. If I work on ill-conceived design put together by an incompetent product team or an inexperienced founder, I'm also much more likely to have to push hard to get paid for each milestone. So I only consult when it's clear that I can add strategic value and that my client really understands their market. Once I'm sure those conditions are met, I can help them on the technology side. When I ask my clients probing questions about their product plans, they generally seem quite happy that I care. And yes, I have advised some of them that PHP would have been a terrible choice for their technical requirements. A large part of the value a senior consultant brings is knowing how far out on the bleeding edge is wise for a given company, product and team. You want a good balance of development speed and a reasonably mature ecosystem.

__derek__ 10y ago
The contractors mentioned are not the same as consultants. They are hired bodies, typically employed via an agency, rather than people operating a business. Whereas you're paid to think and to optimize, contractors are paid to just do without objecting.

tensor 10y ago

Having product and design teams be in charge of their respective areas doesn't mean that developers can't add their thoughts into the mix, they just don't get decision making power. Why do you think a developer should have decision making power in the area of design? They are not trained in design and UX. Conversely would you be ok with designers or other non-technical people dictating technical decisions? Of course not!