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I have two big rules for developers that report to me: 1. The 5 minute rule. If you are stuck for more than 5 minutes reach out. Once the developer is on the

I have two big rules for developers that report to me: 1. The 5 minute rule. If you are stuck for more than 5 minutes reach out. Once the developer is on the team for a while, this becomes 15 or 30 minutes. Caveat ... truly stuck ... tried a couple of things, googled, tried some more ... wondering what to try next. One thing I try to do with a new start is go ask them for help in the same way, "Hey, 5 minute rule, I'm think I'm missing something simple here." 2. Project Initiation Memo The is NOT a PRD, it is a high level "I think this is what I'm supposed to be doing on this project and why". It might turn into a PRD if one is warranted. It's really just a "did you understand the problem correctly" I've avoided so many massive f'ups or developers drifting into silent frustration for hours with these two rules.

ketzo 5y ago
What's a PRD? Love the five-minute rule, by the way. I tried to apply that a lot especially when I was just starting at my job. So many things that I would spend two hours trying to fix, only to be told the next day that we had a super simple internal process to fix that thing.
- Ensorceled 5y ago
  Product Requirements Document ... a full specification of everything the software needs to do. Sometimes VERY detailed, sometimes not so much.
  - TameAntelope 5y ago
    They could probably just write this in code, and save a lot of time.
watwut 5y ago
> Caveat ... truly stuck ... tried a couple of things, googled, tried some more ... wondering what to try next. That is not even possible within 5 minutes. I would not want to work there honestly. Just being unable to solve problems demotivates me. It sounds like I will get off everytime I am slightly slower to pick something. This would be too stressful for me.
- Ensorceled 5y ago
  Yeah, you missed the point. You don't need to solve the problem in 5 minutes. You need to be 5 minutes in a state where you have no idea what to do next. Why would you want to be sitting there spinning your wheels? Most people find that feeling of helplessness demotivating and stressful which is why I created the rule.
  - watwut 5y ago
    Because, when I don't know what to do for 5 minutes, there is super high chance I will figure it out within reasonable time still. Giving up after 5 minutes of not knowing what to do is absurd. > Most people find that feeling of helplessness demotivating and stressful which is why I created the rule. Your rule is making people helpless, it makes them think slight stuck means they can't do it. So they will forget how to solve problems and will end up limited to do only simple straightforward tasks.
    - Ensorceled 5y ago

ketzo 5y ago

What's a PRD? Love the five-minute rule, by the way. I tried to apply that a lot especially when I was just starting at my job. So many things that I would spend two hours trying to fix, only to be told the next day that we had a super simple internal process to fix that thing.

Ensorceled 5y ago
Product Requirements Document ... a full specification of everything the software needs to do. Sometimes VERY detailed, sometimes not so much.
- TameAntelope 5y ago
  They could probably just write this in code, and save a lot of time.

watwut 5y ago

> Caveat ... truly stuck ... tried a couple of things, googled, tried some more ... wondering what to try next. That is not even possible within 5 minutes. I would not want to work there honestly. Just being unable to solve problems demotivates me. It sounds like I will get off everytime I am slightly slower to pick something. This would be too stressful for me.

Ensorceled 5y ago
Yeah, you missed the point. You don't need to solve the problem in 5 minutes. You need to be 5 minutes in a state where you have no idea what to do next. Why would you want to be sitting there spinning your wheels? Most people find that feeling of helplessness demotivating and stressful which is why I created the rule.
- watwut 5y ago
  Because, when I don't know what to do for 5 minutes, there is super high chance I will figure it out within reasonable time still. Giving up after 5 minutes of not knowing what to do is absurd. > Most people find that feeling of helplessness demotivating and stressful which is why I created the rule. Your rule is making people helpless, it makes them think slight stuck means they can't do it. So they will forget how to solve problems and will end up limited to do only simple straightforward tasks.
  - Ensorceled 5y ago