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I've always been a fan of assigning maintenance tasks to junior devs (or anyone who's new to an existing codebase.) These are tasks that are often lower priorit

I've always been a fan of assigning maintenance tasks to junior devs (or anyone who's new to an existing codebase.) These are tasks that are often lower priority so there is less time pressure to get them done right, and they give the devs the opportunity to learn the codebase. Working on existing code you don't know yet is also a lot easier than new development on code you don't know (and coding standards you don't know), so that makes it a better introduction for the new devs too.

b3arlythere 9y ago
As a Junior - Intermediate Dev, I'd say these are usually pretty good places to start. These usually give the codebase some easy wins and help the junior build up confidence. In addition, since they're not part of the main project, it's not very stressful on the junior's side (assuming they realize that their work isn't blocking or holding up someone else). Probably one of the most stressful things I remember is trying to get up to speed as quickly as possible since I felt like I was holding back the work.
stronglikedan 9y ago
Not to mention the smaller chunks of code to be reviewed, which has it's own set of benefits.
chrisper 9y ago
This works, but guidance is needed otherwise frustration and demotivation could occur. New developers need to be told that it is ok to not figure out everything right away and asking for the solution is not "failure" but rather part of the learning.
ManlyBread 9y ago
I understand the rationale, but after getting the "maintenance" role a few times it feels me with dread. Usually when I get maintenance tasks it's for a system no one else wants / dares to touch. Evey time I feel like someone punched me in the face because it's always accompanied with the words like "we need someone else to know this system", "it's only for a little while" and the truth is that if you gain minimum competency in such a system you can say goodbye to more fun tasks - the maintenance of this old crap is your life now. No company will let someone with a knowledge of some obscure shit stop maintaining the obscure shit and move that person to a project that doesn't suck. Currently this is the 4th time I'm tied up in such a situation and while I was promised to be allowed to work on the "more fun" project "after 6 months so I can get my feet wet" the very last day of these six months I was told that one guy is leaving the company and that I can't work on the fun project because the obscure shit won't have enough manpower. The corporate machine works so slow that it will take at least another six months before someone gets hired. Hell, they're so incompetent that they don't even have a job posting yet.

b3arlythere 9y ago

As a Junior - Intermediate Dev, I'd say these are usually pretty good places to start. These usually give the codebase some easy wins and help the junior build up confidence. In addition, since they're not part of the main project, it's not very stressful on the junior's side (assuming they realize that their work isn't blocking or holding up someone else). Probably one of the most stressful things I remember is trying to get up to speed as quickly as possible since I felt like I was holding back the work.

stronglikedan 9y ago

Not to mention the smaller chunks of code to be reviewed, which has it's own set of benefits.

chrisper 9y ago

This works, but guidance is needed otherwise frustration and demotivation could occur. New developers need to be told that it is ok to not figure out everything right away and asking for the solution is not "failure" but rather part of the learning.

ManlyBread 9y ago

I understand the rationale, but after getting the "maintenance" role a few times it feels me with dread. Usually when I get maintenance tasks it's for a system no one else wants / dares to touch. Evey time I feel like someone punched me in the face because it's always accompanied with the words like "we need someone else to know this system", "it's only for a little while" and the truth is that if you gain minimum competency in such a system you can say goodbye to more fun tasks - the maintenance of this old crap is your life now. No company will let someone with a knowledge of some obscure shit stop maintaining the obscure shit and move that person to a project that doesn't suck. Currently this is the 4th time I'm tied up in such a situation and while I was promised to be allowed to work on the "more fun" project "after 6 months so I can get my feet wet" the very last day of these six months I was told that one guy is leaving the company and that I can't work on the fun project because the obscure shit won't have enough manpower. The corporate machine works so slow that it will take at least another six months before someone gets hired. Hell, they're so incompetent that they don't even have a job posting yet.