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>Engineering: How to increase speed and quality >https://docs.google.com/document/d/1yL_m10CT6bIVsvSfjsCcm_Q4phMP63DDmItepDONQg0/edit https://docs.google.com/

>Engineering: How to increase speed and quality >https://docs.google.com/document/d/1yL_m10CT6bIVsvSfjsCcm_Q4phMP63DDmItepDONQg0/edit https://docs.google.com/document/d/1yL_m10CT6bIVsvSfjsCcm_Q4... >You are now likely thinking: "Matt, there just aren't enough senior engineers in the world. We'd love to hire only senior folks, but we can't find them. We need to bring on junior engineers so that we can eventually train them to be senior." >That is absolutely true. But then recognize that you are training. Create an actual training program. Do not sap the energy and time of your senior developers with this process. Have it happen off to the side, where the teachers are only those who actually derive energy from the process of teaching and mentoring. I'm stoked to see someone preaching this to CEOs. I don't know how common this advice is given to other CEOs, but it's the first time I've seen it.

dclusin 4y ago
I agree. If management wants software development to be more like the trades they need to recognize that training is a line item cost that needs to be paid as part of the employment arrangement with both time and money allocated for it.
nradov 4y ago
There is the ideal, and then there is the reality. Only the very largest enterprises have the scale necessary to develop comprehensive engineering training programs. Doing it right is tremendously expensive, so it can generally only be justified in organizations that onboard hundreds of new engineers every year. And even then, some level of program specific training will always be needed after completing the initial standard training. Another perspective is to consider training junior engineers to be a core job responsibility of senior engineers. There are always going to be tasks that need to get done even if we don't "derive energy" from them. That's just part of being a professional. Most engineers who complain about teaching and mentoring shouldn't be promoted to senior level in the first place; in the long run they would probably be happier and more successful as independent consultants.
- rqtwteye 4y ago
  "Another perspective is to consider training junior engineers to be a core job responsibility of senior engineers. There are always going to be tasks that need to get done even if we don't "derive energy" from them. That's just part of being a professional. Most engineers who complain about teaching and mentoring shouldn't be promoted to senior level in the first place; in the long run they would probably be happier and more successful as independent consultants." All fine and good but you need to actually get the time and be recognized for the time you put into mentoring. In the companies I have seen senior devs are still measured by their output and setting time aside for mentoring younger devs doesn't really help their ratings. A lot do it anyways but the incentives are against doing so. .
  - gary_0 4y ago
    I think the advice can be more general than just "make a training program", too, because the point is that you can't stick a junior next to a senior and hope knowledge will transfer by osmosis. That's lazy management. Instead, responsibilities should be clear ("Bob will spend 4 hours a week mentoring a junior") and employee strengths should be factored in ("Steve prefers not to mentor, but knows the software internals very well and will spend some time improving documentation for Bob").
    - rqtwteye 4y ago
      I don't think "4 hours mentoring per week" works well. From my experience some weeks you need way more and some weeks way less. I would much prefer if I would get evaluated by the progress of the people I am mentoring.
- mrkurt 4y ago
  A "training program" starts with good onboarding. It might even start during the hiring process. A company with 10 devs can be training less experienced folks.
  - nradov 4y ago
pelasaco 4y ago
Not supporting or condemning but different than other markets, we can either just import cheaper seniors or offshore the work to seniors in another part of the world.

dclusin 4y ago

I agree. If management wants software development to be more like the trades they need to recognize that training is a line item cost that needs to be paid as part of the employment arrangement with both time and money allocated for it.

nradov 4y ago

There is the ideal, and then there is the reality. Only the very largest enterprises have the scale necessary to develop comprehensive engineering training programs. Doing it right is tremendously expensive, so it can generally only be justified in organizations that onboard hundreds of new engineers every year. And even then, some level of program specific training will always be needed after completing the initial standard training. Another perspective is to consider training junior engineers to be a core job responsibility of senior engineers. There are always going to be tasks that need to get done even if we don't "derive energy" from them. That's just part of being a professional. Most engineers who complain about teaching and mentoring shouldn't be promoted to senior level in the first place; in the long run they would probably be happier and more successful as independent consultants.

rqtwteye 4y ago
"Another perspective is to consider training junior engineers to be a core job responsibility of senior engineers. There are always going to be tasks that need to get done even if we don't "derive energy" from them. That's just part of being a professional. Most engineers who complain about teaching and mentoring shouldn't be promoted to senior level in the first place; in the long run they would probably be happier and more successful as independent consultants." All fine and good but you need to actually get the time and be recognized for the time you put into mentoring. In the companies I have seen senior devs are still measured by their output and setting time aside for mentoring younger devs doesn't really help their ratings. A lot do it anyways but the incentives are against doing so. .
- gary_0 4y ago
  I think the advice can be more general than just "make a training program", too, because the point is that you can't stick a junior next to a senior and hope knowledge will transfer by osmosis. That's lazy management. Instead, responsibilities should be clear ("Bob will spend 4 hours a week mentoring a junior") and employee strengths should be factored in ("Steve prefers not to mentor, but knows the software internals very well and will spend some time improving documentation for Bob").
  - rqtwteye 4y ago
    I don't think "4 hours mentoring per week" works well. From my experience some weeks you need way more and some weeks way less. I would much prefer if I would get evaluated by the progress of the people I am mentoring.
mrkurt 4y ago
A "training program" starts with good onboarding. It might even start during the hiring process. A company with 10 devs can be training less experienced folks.
- nradov 4y ago

pelasaco 4y ago

Not supporting or condemning but different than other markets, we can either just import cheaper seniors or offshore the work to seniors in another part of the world.