The job would be a lot different if it were just you and the code. In your experience, what parts of the communication challenge are particularly tough in software?
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Deciding when it is possible to move on from a thing vs endlessly maintaining it — and generally communicating around and planning for ongoing maintenance. It seems like if you over-index on this factor, nothing gets done, but if you ignore it — your problems are much worse.
Yes this! If you decide against too many things because of the maintenance load, you lose functionality, but you'll lose it in the other direction if you just say yes to all the new dependencies, projects, etc.
Abstractions — without great principled alignment, it's really hard to get on the same page on how abstractly a problem should be solved.
Effective use of async vs synchronous communication. If either starts to show problems, we tend to go way in the other direction. Understanding the value of both and using them effectively is key.
Coming up with clear language to describe things that you rapidly discover are more complex than you had initially thought. Distinguishing intent from implementation detail. Describing complex, interdependent processes occurring within a software system. Describing logic that includes many "not necessarily" relations.
Ego vs effectivity by far is the toughest part for me.
Take a code review for instance, how does one criticize other's work without crushing their motivation? Choice of words in some cases will be more important than the message it conveys.
And the other way around: I need to keep in check that whenever I propose an alternative solution or drive a change it comes from purely technical perspective, not my own bias or personal goals.
Do you can talk openly with other people about how they want to be critise , with out they take it personally? I think this is not easy. Just because you know some one dont want to be mean, is not enough that you dont take it personally. its just the human Nature.
To (some) team members
To (some) higher ups
To my wife
Preach!
Eyes so glazed you could play a game of hockey on 'em
I will definitely quote this line: "It sucks working in Headless chicken mode we need a solid plan that doesn't change every 3 months" ~> 💯
That'd be in organisations governed by the Peter principle.
Was genuinely interested in reading the responses as this topic is undervalued in the software development. Thanks for creating the discussion! 👍😉
That estimations are nearly impossible. They're fractal, not granular.
Plenty of what I would say about documentation and such is already here, but the worst conversation I have had is about that member of the Team not pulling their weight. It's hard to have conversations like that unless you already have the soft skills, or experience in getting into personal issues and uncomfortable situations.