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I think this might be due to a difference in optics. What you see as 'asking for a second or third opinion' might be seen by others as lack of independence, lea

by q3k 6y ago

I think this might be due to a difference in optics. What you see as 'asking for a second or third opinion' might be seen by others as lack of independence, leadership and ownership. Mostly everywhere senior developers are expected to self-manage and make difficult decisions on their own, unprompted, and just present working solutions to the business. It's okay to take time on this - solving it on your own, consulting literature, peers, etc. But looping in management into technical decision making might make you look like you can't make decisions on your own, or need micromanagement. Management, business and product care about things being done - not technical approaches or having to choose between multiple solutions.

blaser-waffle 6y ago
I agree with this. Even if you as an engineer aren't 100% sure, sign-offs from other groups or extra opinions are something for a project manager or product manager to fish around for. There are some optics to consider there too -- e.g. the implication that the PM things you're a fool -- but having them fish around for buy-in and alternatives sells better than you doing it -- it makes you look weak or unprepared. Context matters here too, if you know Alice and Bob on Team [X] are just great at crypto or DB work or whatever, then getting their feedback before implementing a feature might make sense / be a standard due-diligence thing.
- zimpenfish 6y ago
  > sign-offs from other groups or extra opinions are something for a project manager or product manager to fish around for Not always possible - my current gig, for example, has neither project manager nor product manager.
zimpenfish 6y ago
> What you see as 'asking for a second or third opinion' might be seen by others as lack of independence, leadership and ownership. Is somewhat in conflict with > It's okay to take time on this [...] consulting peers. > But looping in management into technical decision making Note that I did not say at all that I was looping in management.

by q3k 6y ago

blaser-waffle 6y ago

I agree with this. Even if you as an engineer aren't 100% sure, sign-offs from other groups or extra opinions are something for a project manager or product manager to fish around for. There are some optics to consider there too -- e.g. the implication that the PM things you're a fool -- but having them fish around for buy-in and alternatives sells better than you doing it -- it makes you look weak or unprepared. Context matters here too, if you know Alice and Bob on Team [X] are just great at crypto or DB work or whatever, then getting their feedback before implementing a feature might make sense / be a standard due-diligence thing.

zimpenfish 6y ago
> sign-offs from other groups or extra opinions are something for a project manager or product manager to fish around for Not always possible - my current gig, for example, has neither project manager nor product manager.

zimpenfish 6y ago

> What you see as 'asking for a second or third opinion' might be seen by others as lack of independence, leadership and ownership. Is somewhat in conflict with > It's okay to take time on this [...] consulting peers. > But looping in management into technical decision making Note that I did not say at all that I was looping in management.