i think you hit the nail on the head at the end. what businesses _should_ value is the attitude of constant improvement and progressing toward perfection. does that make you or i perfect? hardly, but we try to get better every day. baring complete idiocy, in the aggregate we should improve incrementally and visibly.

i think it should be a little like baseball. developers that combine winning attitude with winning skills/talents should be compensated at the high end. like the paul graham idea of pay your superstars 10x normal.

good post.

It's a tough problem because it's not always easy to tell when you've succeeded, or worse, when you've failed despite putting in a valiant effort. And there needs to be some measurable way of determining "mediocrity" because, and this is just a guess, I suspect most people would not claim they are mediocre developers. It's like asking if you drive better than half the people on the road and having 90% of the respondents say yes.

I like Dave's addition of the winning attitude to the equation. You would be shocked and awed at how long you can coast on a positive outlook alone.

Wow, man. Your post screams passion. I dig it, and I wish the development community had more posts of inspirational / offensive nature (depending on which one you are). The main problem with our industry is that 80% (or more) of developers could care less to learn. They care about the task at hand. Write the code to fix the current problem and write the current program. Long-term thought is rare. On that note, they learn at a crawling pace which a passionate developer will surpass ten fold, because a passionate developer learns to out of curiosity and drive.

I continue to run into it, and while I may not be the most efficient, best developer in the world, at least I try. Hard.

Well put, sir.

Nice post - it made me think:

I have heard about painters who were fired for doing a lousy job. I have heard about carpenters, accountans and bar staff who have been fired for being lousy at their work. But after some 6 years in the software industry I haven't heard about _anyone_ involved in developing software who have been sacked merely for being a lousy software developer... Why is this?

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Given that the 'experts' disagree on what counts as great software (just to use an example, try to get people to agree on what counts as proper TDD), I don't know what progress can be made.

'Maintainability' is sort of buzzword.  I mean, I think most people can agree on what doesn't count, but that's not enough.

jdn

I can assure you that developers are not paid nearly enough.

Varying levels of workforce competency is not an exclusive condition of the Software Development craft, I can gaurantee that!

Some of you movie buffs will get where the title of this post is going, so I'll refrain from filling

Thanks for the response.

It seems to me you might work with better-paid developers.  I frequently hear complaints from talented and mediocre developers alike that their pay is crap, their benefits stink, etc, etc.

As for the ROI argument I have to say there is a major management problem with the companies that behave the way you've described.

Companies that undertake software projects with no thought to profits and then overpay developers to the point that they're fat and happy are either doomed or up to something that we don't understand.  

As for the solution to the motivation problem: artful leadership.  Just like artful technical solutions, projects lacking this component are far riskier than without.

There are lots of folks out there who obsess over people's feelings and motivations.  They won't be able to code their way out of a wet paper bag but if they're competent, you can bet they'll be able to develop a team that can.

While I agree there is a lot of money in the Software Development industry I think your totally wrong if you believe:

1. The reason most projects fail is down to the individual developers. I reckon that unless your working as a one man band (or at least a very small team) then the team, structure and processes that you work within have a much bigger impact on the success/failure of the projects you work on.

2. Paying your developers less will help improve the quality of the work they do. (I'm assuming that you mean this if your saying we pay developers too much) In fact it'll just drive more smart people out of the industry becuase the'll ask the question "Why put up with rubbish wages when you can earn more in another profession?"

3. Picking on developers as the reason for project failures will some how improve future projects. Sorry but what I've seen of the majority of permie, professional developers is a lifetime of 9-5 being beaten with the "you will do as your told" stick, no decent training, no-arguments-you-will-release-your-product-on-this-date-regardless-of-quality project management and generally no opportunity to try different techniques. Oh yeah and the're not paid well.

So yes .. the're are rubbish developers out there, and yes there are people that make no effort to improve. They may even be paid loads of dosh. However the vast majority of developers I've meet in the last 10 years of my professional life would just love to work on agile projects using the latest technologies (hell even technologies from 5 years ago) and you know what .. a real large chunk of 'em would do a bloody good job of it too. Why have these people not moved to companies that would let them do this? Lack of roles, lack of job security, family commitments to a location, the list goes on.

Me .. for the last seven years I've been a freelancer .. it's the only way to get a really good wage as a professional developer. It has it's pros and cons (not for everyone) but really, for the effort I put into the constant relearning of just about everything I know on a 4-5 year cycle, it's probably about right in terms of payment vs effort.

Ray,

Shame is a pretty good one...but probably not practical...people tend to get their feelings hurt easily in today's society.  I think the reality is that with development, as with any field, there are very individuals who improve upon mediocrity for the sheer challenge and sense of self fulfillment they get from it.

Most people, sadly, are really only in it to make a quick buck.  This is probably true of any field that requires very little sacrifice from the individual in order to gain entry into it.

I find that at some employers even if the devs have the enthusiasm and knowledge to create well architectured solutions, management just wants to build/sell the cheapest/quickest to build solution possible, which results in a hacked up mess - against the desires of the devs. Maybe this situation is not that common but its one I tend to find myself in. Perhaps its the ozzie boom causing it?

It’s due to company never thinking about developer social background. Company always interesting in them profit book.

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Raymond,

Thanks for your reply to my comment.

How do you think of role played by smart folks like you in mentoring?

I am sure, people who are eager to learn to design solutions in a better way - will get benefited which might help add value to businesses, reduce bugs/maintenance cost

Somehow, upfront investment in a good solution is better than rushed solution with patches on it. That mindset, needs to be changed. For which, developers like you (smart people) - should get into higher roles to take decisions, which otherwise would be taken by someone who is more good at cost estimation.

A balance of cost/technology can help make informed decision.

And, I would like to work for you & get better. Right environment & company of right people can help developers get better (for those who want to do better).

Sometimes it stems from mediocre business requirements with mediocre business men who don't understand technology - mediocre business analysts who write mediocre business cases, mediocre project managers who can't estimate  - which are architected by mediocre architects with pie in the sky ideas.

Makes for mediocre software built by mediocre software developers.

And this is because we make too much money?  Hmmm.  Interesting  :)  Maybe you make too much money!!!  ;)

It's because of this mediocrity that I moved onto independant consulting.  It bothered me that the hack sitting next to be, who took a month to do poorly what took me a week to do well

A) Had a job

B) Had equal pay

I think consulting is a great way to take your superior skillset into your own hands and get superiorly compensated for it.  Are there mediocre consultants?  Of course, but I think it would be harder to remain mediocre as a consultant (constantly having to get hired) than to keep a desk warm as a perm.  

Of course it's compensation & challenge that motivates me.  Some people need a manager to regularly stroke their ego, or perhaps robust family health benefits, or can not tolerate the stress of selling themselves.  So one size doesn't fit all.

Good post!

The comments are just as interesting to read as the post.  I agree there are mediocre software developers out there, but it pains me to see some of the responses to the comments about mediocre management and their impact on code outcomes.  Raymond, I could be mis-interpreting, but you seem to indicate that accepting mediocre mangement decisions is part of the mediocre programmer mindset.  I don't agree with that.

I'm currently involved in a web project where our most experienced web programmer is determined to build an excellent, secure site, and is taking the time to do it.  However, this may not mesh with the timeframe in which the project was promised (initial promise made by someone who no longer works at the company...)  This is of great concern to the higher levels of managment, because time frame is once again more important that quality.  But after a project is implement (at least in my experience with this company), the same upper managment that made the "time frame is more important" decision will come back and ask why the highest level of quality was not incorporated.

IMHO, mediocre software is created by mediocre businesses, not just by mediocre developers.  And as you mentioned earlier, the ENTIRE team (clients, users, managment at all levels, and developers) is responsible for that outcome.  So the question for me becomes not just how do I become a better, more educated programmer, but also how can I help the client / user / manager become more educated?  There is an underlying assumption in IT that users should not become familiar with technology or have to "speak our language" - instead it is up to us as developers to learn to speak "business language".  I disagree somewhat - I think the responsibility belongs both to us and to the rest of the team, so part of my role (as I see it) is to educate!  The users, for instance, don't need to speak ".NET", or any other programming language - but they sure do need to know what quality assurance testing is, and why we need to allocate time to do it!  And they need to know their role in reviewing new software (we're a small shop, so we don't have an entire team we can dedicate just to software testing and review).  They also need to understand WHY we ask all those detailed questions about process up front (hopefully we get to do analysis and design before touching any code) - it's to create a better product, not because we're stalling.

Having been in the industry for over 25 years (and having left companies that really don't "get it" about good software development practices), I'm sad to say that I still see too many times where we as developers are told "don't waste time on talking to the users, just start coding!"  I'll refuse that up to a certain level, but yes I do have other responsibilities and life-events that sometimes make walking out the door a poor choice for me.  So yes, I have implemented mediocre software at times, at the demand of upper management.  But I have also ignored direct instructions to not code properly, in order to create an exemplary product.  (Why would anyone NOT code new software to be Y2K compliant when it takes no extra effort - even though Y2K was "still 4 years away? Craziest request I ever got.)

So am I a mediocre developer?  Since you've already indicated that I can't answer that question reliably (thru your comments to others), the least you can do is set down some standards for determining that.  Oh wait, you did!  If I continue to educate myself, try to write excellent code (despite the obstacles) and provide short-term value to the company, then I have risen above mediocrity.  Whew!  I meet those criteria!

I'd add another criteria to that, tho.  A person who want to truly excel at whatever they do will re-evaluate themselves and their skills on a regular, on-going basis.  And they will ask others to evaluate them, since it can be tough to be brutally honest with ones self.  (I believe that is one value that certification brings, by the way.)  And they will listen to criticism from others - it's not constructive :)  but it can be useful in the right hands (or mind)!

I havent  gone through complete discussion . But I entirely agree with mediocrity  in development.

I would go  to th extent of saying that at times organized medicrity is promoted and ingenious developerers are killed (read ignored , sarcasted , ridiculed ....). This happends when ur ingenuity is against larger organized interest.

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Feeling kind of lazy lately due to a lack of sleep the last few days, so I am going to coast today with a batch of links. I dug down really deep into my grab bag, so there are some oldies but goodies here. I am currently working on a post for Friday

This is just another post on elitism and bourgeois mentality in software. What does pay have to do with anything. The simple truth as is evitdent in some o fthe replies is that certain people believe they're the only one's who know how to write "good" code. We all need to get on with the job and quit bickering like high school cheerleaders over what the best way to do something is. Just do your job and STFU

I don't hear lawyers or doctors crying that they're paid too much to bother being good. some of the very people in this reply are very guilty of GroupThink and are completely biased to one way of doing this.

Today’ s NY Times article about PartyGaming is pretty interesting. This week, the company will go public in what is expected to be the largest offering in years on the London Stock Exchange, one that will make billionaires out of its ragtag assortment

Raymond you are an idiot.

You talk about big budgets, teams failing miserably and delivering business value but have you ever heard of the phrase called management? There are these things called employers that hire people called employees and can choose what people they want to hire. Then they do things called management like organising work, training, tasks, etc for these employees.

Basically sales people get the work and workout with the client what they want done and then someone else works out the technical details with the client on the specifics. Then a project manager is given this work to then get the developers to EXECUTE or develop up.

There is a thing called processes that people called management are supposed to work out and get their employees to follow and those processes should allow for finding the ‘bad eggs’ during software development and doing something about it. If a company doesn’t realise that there is a problem with some of their developers then they are idiots. As they say you reap what you sow.

Is it a developer’s fault that they are not good and that management still hires him despite that? Is it a developer’s fault that if he fails that the company throws more money at it? I maybe a complete noob here but last I checked when I go to my bosses and demand anything (i.e. a pay raise) they don’t go ‘yes sir, anything you want’ and bow before me. In fact come to think about it anything to do with money is usually entirely in their hands and they tend to say no.

If you want to talk about big budgets and people throwing money to solve problems (and that sort of thing) then you might want to talk about IT management more than developers. If you want to talk about bad developers and professional software development well that’s a totally different story that I’ll join you on, especially about a few Microsoft products.

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Well, I kind of partly agree with the author's comments, strong as they are. But the problems as I see it (and get increasingly frustrated by at my own personal expense) is that the decision makers don't want to know about software, coding, limitations, possibilities, techniques - they just want to say things like "I want to click here and see a list of everything; then I want to click an item and the system know that I'm wanting to reallocate it to Joe Bloggs because I viewed his record last". When you try an explain that "the system" doesn't read minds they get very defensive. So to them, programming is a black art. If the next person down says "yes you can have that" just to shut them up, then it's no wonder that thousands of dollars get poured into development. Just tell the assholes "The system doesn't read minds and can't be made to do what you want. If you can't get to grips with that, we're not going to waste your money pretending that it can.".

In my opinion, we need smarter bosses, NOT smarter developers.

The majority of programming work I've seen people do in my 10 years is: adding/subtracting numbers, building strings, CRUD operations with data, populating textboxes. A small percentage falls outside of that.

So if your average programmer is sitting earning big bucks, what's he gonna do? Have an attack of concience and start studying the next technology so that he can still add/subtract numbers next week?

Don't get me wrong, I care about my career and always think what I'd do if I was made redundant next week; could I earn the same salary as I do now? What skills are employers looking for at the moment? Do I need to do some studying/exams?

The sad truth of any profession is that it's more about your personal interaction with your superiors than your skills. Once someone is employed, it's getting increasingly hard for employers to get rid of deadwood due to ever increasing regulations. But then if the deadwood is pleasant and talks about their favourite subjects...

In India, there is cut throat competition in software companies... People get hired at cheaper rates.... and now china is also entering in competition... God knows what will happen !!!

# 1. Compile ebook, with E- Book Pro, ( It\'s been written and on the hard drive for years...) but graphics are always an issue, a pic IS worth a thousand words and i love PShop... However I have recently bought a very expensive HDcamcorder and really

Its not that software development is an art of bug hiding :).

but yes we must have to listen our inner soul that are we doing something that is helping society? Are we entering in a vicious circle? can it be avoided?

Greed makes people to make any kind of grid ....

Please wake up and do what is really worthy instead of producing 1000s of bugs and then spend your whole life to resolve it.