4 ms·

Based on the linkedin profiles of people who work at the company that made this app it doesn't look like there was a single senior engineer involved. EDIT: the

by m_ke 7y ago

Based on the linkedin profiles of people who work at the company that made this app it doesn't look like there was a single senior engineer involved. EDIT: the CTO actually has a lot of experience, I didn't see her first two positions at SRI and Google because linkedin folded it.

dimgl 7y ago
The CTO, Krista Davis, has had staff backend engineer positions. However yes the team looks fairly inexperienced.
- Benjammer 7y ago
  >has had staff backend engineer positions Kind of slow-playing her 8yrs at the Googster with this description, aren't we? I also think U-dub is nothing to scoff at for CS schools, if you value that sort of thing. All this being said, her experience doesn't exactly scream "Lead architect and only senior engineer on project building critical democracy-infrastructure software to enable the base mechanisms of our entire nation."
  - dimgl 7y ago
    Yeah you're totally right. I missed that section of her profile.
- m_ke 7y ago
  Oh, I missed her google experience because it was folded over.
vsareto 7y ago
I hope no one comes away from this thinking the engineers were at fault
- m_ke 7y ago
  Yeah I didn't mean to blame them either. It falls on the DNC and the management at this company.
  - brutal_chaos_ 7y ago
    Iowa Democratic Party (IDP), not the DNC.
    - m_ke 7y ago
      Iowa wasn't the only state that planned on using this app. The DNC should have a process in place to validate whatever system is used to elect their candidate.
- Benjammer 7y ago
  Unfortunately, you can often point out failures in software leadership by pointing out collective attributes of the team being led. In a void, I don't think "inexperienced" is describing a fault of an engineer, it's an attribute that describes the fault of their leadership. It's a messy situation, I don't think it's black and white as to who's "fault" any of this is.
- designcode 7y ago
  ... they can't just deflect blame either. I'm sure they'd be happy to take credit for any success. Anyone who had direct control over the product is at fault.
  - asdfasgasdgasdg 7y ago
    I would not blame an engineer whose experience and training was inadequate to the task unless they participated in the misrepresentation of the app as ready for prime time. The blame lies with the leadership.
- deleted 7y ago
  [deleted]
- tmpz22 7y ago
  If the engineer started a company, solicited a bid on the project, and accepted payment they are at least partly liable...
  - vsareto 7y ago
    I do mean the regular developers, not company executives.
- vikascoder 7y ago
  Or better..that they outsourced it to them cheap Indians.
trianglem 7y ago
Krista Davis, if you know anything about her this was expected.
- AnimalMuppet 7y ago
  For those who don't, is there anything you'd care to share?
  - Fjolsvith 7y ago
    She was a Clinton campaign veteran. [1] So were a few others at Shadow, Inc. 1. https://www.latimes.com/business/technology/story/2020-02-04/clinton-campaign-vets-behind-2020-iowa-caucus-app-snafu https://www.latimes.com/business/technology/story/2020-02-04...

by m_ke 7y ago

dimgl 7y ago

The CTO, Krista Davis, has had staff backend engineer positions. However yes the team looks fairly inexperienced.

Benjammer 7y ago
>has had staff backend engineer positions Kind of slow-playing her 8yrs at the Googster with this description, aren't we? I also think U-dub is nothing to scoff at for CS schools, if you value that sort of thing. All this being said, her experience doesn't exactly scream "Lead architect and only senior engineer on project building critical democracy-infrastructure software to enable the base mechanisms of our entire nation."
- dimgl 7y ago
  Yeah you're totally right. I missed that section of her profile.
m_ke 7y ago
Oh, I missed her google experience because it was folded over.

vsareto 7y ago

I hope no one comes away from this thinking the engineers were at fault

m_ke 7y ago
Yeah I didn't mean to blame them either. It falls on the DNC and the management at this company.
- brutal_chaos_ 7y ago
  Iowa Democratic Party (IDP), not the DNC.
  - m_ke 7y ago
    Iowa wasn't the only state that planned on using this app. The DNC should have a process in place to validate whatever system is used to elect their candidate.
Benjammer 7y ago
Unfortunately, you can often point out failures in software leadership by pointing out collective attributes of the team being led. In a void, I don't think "inexperienced" is describing a fault of an engineer, it's an attribute that describes the fault of their leadership. It's a messy situation, I don't think it's black and white as to who's "fault" any of this is.
designcode 7y ago
... they can't just deflect blame either. I'm sure they'd be happy to take credit for any success. Anyone who had direct control over the product is at fault.
- asdfasgasdgasdg 7y ago
  I would not blame an engineer whose experience and training was inadequate to the task unless they participated in the misrepresentation of the app as ready for prime time. The blame lies with the leadership.
deleted 7y ago
[deleted]
tmpz22 7y ago
If the engineer started a company, solicited a bid on the project, and accepted payment they are at least partly liable...
- vsareto 7y ago
  I do mean the regular developers, not company executives.
vikascoder 7y ago
Or better..that they outsourced it to them cheap Indians.

trianglem 7y ago

Krista Davis, if you know anything about her this was expected.

AnimalMuppet 7y ago
For those who don't, is there anything you'd care to share?
- Fjolsvith 7y ago
  She was a Clinton campaign veteran. [1] So were a few others at Shadow, Inc. 1. https://www.latimes.com/business/technology/story/2020-02-04/clinton-campaign-vets-behind-2020-iowa-caucus-app-snafu https://www.latimes.com/business/technology/story/2020-02-04...