I enjoyed reading this. "Over the next few years, our team of five grew to 20. Four times the size does not equate to four times the productivity" A lot of th

I enjoyed reading this. "Over the next few years, our team of five grew to 20. Four times the size does not equate to four times the productivity" A lot of this reminds me of my first job as a software developer. My first big project, a complicated CMS web project, trying to peice together something with EVER CHANGING ideas from the client. There was a Senior developer and 2 juniors (myself included) The senior was getting so fed up with the project, it was really me and the other dev trying to keep it together. At the time, we did not have the authority to speak up like the senior could.. so we did our best. One day, without the senior, our manager wanted us to build a Gantt chart and see how long it would take to complete the project. We spent the whole day on it and were very proud of the flow. Everything was organised and reasonable. Our manager would look at it for a few seconds and say:- "This is really good, guys. I see the two of you believe you can get this done in 9 months. Try and slash it to two" I looked at the other dev. We were both shocked. We spent a WHOLE DAY on this Gantt Chart yet the end date was already locked in place! What was the point doing this? The manager would say other stupid comments, similar to the quote I covered above, that if we "could get another person on this with you, it would two weeks instead of four" type of thing. His viewpoint that, to get our gantt chart to two months, was simply to add more resources. Even a JUNIOR developer like myself at that time knew it doesn't work like that! I couldn't help but think of various sentences from Fred Brooks' Mythical Man-Month. This other junior dev... we went our seperate ways... but we are still in contact, and meet up a few times a year. (looking back, I see areas I could have done better. Of course I have nearly 20 years experice as a software developer. I am just disappointed in the senior dev. I am basically his age now that he was then. As long as I am treated with respect and proof they are willing/keen, will go out of my way to help younger devs)