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> if you spot something "wrong", don't react immediately and don't interrupt. Let the other party finish. Make a note. Gather more information The problem is t

> if you spot something "wrong", don't react immediately and don't interrupt. Let the other party finish. Make a note. Gather more information The problem is that people doing the " wrong" thing (with varying degrees of wrong, which I did too and still do) will think they are right, they will usually do a presentation of their solution to people that are less knowledgeable than they are to win the "this was the only practical way given the time we had and also it works" (kinda, if we don't count when it fails) argument, lure them in their teams, keep pushing out half baked solutions that they will then rewrite "to improve them" for karma points, wasting everybody's time and company money. It works because there are always processes that are worse than bad software. So bad software usually is not the worse thing you can find in a company and can always blame some other department for being horribly inefficient, everybody wins, salaries are paid every month and 2 years later nobody knows what "the thing" does and why. But it's an excuse not not do better when it's possible. a task that takes half an hour can't take 12 days and 6 meetings "so we can talk about it" they say, truth is they are simply pushing their view. I get people are different and have different incentives, but we don't let people like me go into space just because we shouldn't point out a problem when we see it Software development is about being as thorough as possible while also being flexible. I always wonder why we keep asking people who see the problem to stay quiet while people causing them are encouraged to keep making them, so they can learn. What if people doing the "wrong" thing start listening and do what they are told and if it doesn't work they can blame who said them they were wrong? Saying no sometimes makes you the lonliest person in the office, but somebody gotta do it or nothing will ever change.

galaxyLogic 5y ago
I think it is most often wrong to use the word 'wrong'. That implies there is the right way and the wrong way. But in fact there are only better ways and worse ways, to do things. The "right way" somebody envisions to be THE right way can be worse than something even better. So instead of saying "Hey you are definitely doing it wrong" you can say "I can see an alternative way of doing this which might be better in some cases, for some purposes, for some users".
- jq-r 5y ago
  We just have a guy in the team (he's smart, but very abrasive) who instead of using the word "wrong" uses "antipattern" for everything. And usually those are mostly his unfounded opinions on something but taken as a gospel as it sounds authoritative.
  - galaxyLogic 5y ago
    I know that guy
- peoplefromibiza 5y ago
  > I think it is most often wrong to use the word 'wrong' agree, that's why the word "wrong" in in quotes in my post. I usually say "I see a potential problem here" and explain why I think it could be.
  - galaxyLogic 5y ago
    It is just one of those words, like never say never. I think the article has a good point, it's not good for team dynamics if we are often and overly critical of other people's accomplishments. It is their baby after all.

galaxyLogic 5y ago

I think it is most often wrong to use the word 'wrong'. That implies there is the right way and the wrong way. But in fact there are only better ways and worse ways, to do things. The "right way" somebody envisions to be THE right way can be worse than something even better. So instead of saying "Hey you are definitely doing it wrong" you can say "I can see an alternative way of doing this which might be better in some cases, for some purposes, for some users".

jq-r 5y ago
We just have a guy in the team (he's smart, but very abrasive) who instead of using the word "wrong" uses "antipattern" for everything. And usually those are mostly his unfounded opinions on something but taken as a gospel as it sounds authoritative.
- galaxyLogic 5y ago
  I know that guy
peoplefromibiza 5y ago
> I think it is most often wrong to use the word 'wrong' agree, that's why the word "wrong" in in quotes in my post. I usually say "I see a potential problem here" and explain why I think it could be.
- galaxyLogic 5y ago
  It is just one of those words, like never say never. I think the article has a good point, it's not good for team dynamics if we are often and overly critical of other people's accomplishments. It is their baby after all.