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How do I get leverage out of "unsexy, boring stuff"? Here are some scenarios that I'd like advice on: - In an analytics role, the junior is assigned the data c

How do I get leverage out of "unsexy, boring stuff"? Here are some scenarios that I'd like advice on: - In an analytics role, the junior is assigned the data cleaning work. It's boring, it requires a lot of dirty, ungeneralizable work. And they don't get to do the modeling work and delivering insights that appear more impressive. - A junior SWE is assigned to maintain some in-house software. They squash bugs, but don't get to design new products or present on new launches. "Everyone agrees" that data cleaning / maintenance is important, but there's hardly visible credit for this kind of work. What's the best way to gain leverage here?

webmaven 9y ago
> [data cleaning is] boring, it requires a lot of dirty, ungeneralizable work. How sure are you that it really is ungeneralizable? Just because it appears that way at first glance doesn't mean you won't find opportunities for automation once you understand the domain and the typical dirt in the data better than anyone else (note: 'dirt' can often be modelled). And well, once you're the developer and maintainer of the data-cleaning system that has become the company's competitive advantage... Similarly, bug-squashing is often an opportunity to really understand some important but unglamorous system (eg. payments, or authentication), as managers will notice that bugs in system X are fixed much faster and more thoroughly when assigned to jr. developer Y, and this often leads to becoming the go-to person for implementing new features in that system.
partisan 9y ago
Older systems tend to have a lot of business logic built into them. Use the time you spend going through them to learn the business domain. Learning to understand why you write code is just as valuable as know how to write it. Tackle boring or unsexy tasks with the same creativity you would bring to other tasks. Share your approach with team members. They may have similar problems and may appreciate your solutions.
xstartup 9y ago
Leverage the data pal. You are inside a company, access every day. Explore the limits of your access, how far can you get. What data can you access? Can you use that data to get some leverage? Surely, based on the data you are cleaning you can speculate what it is being used for. Can you shoot some questions about it to seniors and offer them some advise to improve?

webmaven 9y ago

> [data cleaning is] boring, it requires a lot of dirty, ungeneralizable work. How sure are you that it really is ungeneralizable? Just because it appears that way at first glance doesn't mean you won't find opportunities for automation once you understand the domain and the typical dirt in the data better than anyone else (note: 'dirt' can often be modelled). And well, once you're the developer and maintainer of the data-cleaning system that has become the company's competitive advantage... Similarly, bug-squashing is often an opportunity to really understand some important but unglamorous system (eg. payments, or authentication), as managers will notice that bugs in system X are fixed much faster and more thoroughly when assigned to jr. developer Y, and this often leads to becoming the go-to person for implementing new features in that system.

partisan 9y ago

Older systems tend to have a lot of business logic built into them. Use the time you spend going through them to learn the business domain. Learning to understand why you write code is just as valuable as know how to write it. Tackle boring or unsexy tasks with the same creativity you would bring to other tasks. Share your approach with team members. They may have similar problems and may appreciate your solutions.

xstartup 9y ago

Leverage the data pal. You are inside a company, access every day. Explore the limits of your access, how far can you get. What data can you access? Can you use that data to get some leverage? Surely, based on the data you are cleaning you can speculate what it is being used for. Can you shoot some questions about it to seniors and offer them some advise to improve?