Everyone is expendable
Leastways everyone should think they are in a development organization.
However, where I work, the developers don't think they are. There is no accountability for the developers who work on the most critical of our projects. Management is "afraid they might leave" if "too much stress is placed on them".
These are the developers who:
- on the most important project we've ever had, generated 313 defects while coding 900 requirements. Slightly more than 1 out of 3.
- on phase 2 of this project, managed to generate errors on 4 out of 5 requirements. Amazingly, these defects (I know; I found them and logged them) were ones that would have been glaringly obvious had unit tests been performed.
- recently generated huge problems when over-writing other people's changes in the code base. When asked, they explained that they don't think they should have to check out files before making changes. That's right, folks, they make changes, then overwrite the file in source control without regards to whether or not they have the latest version or whether or not someone else has the file checked out. I've not used the source control system they use, but it seems to me like something is wrong if the system used will even allow this.
- Routinely send busted code to QA knowing it is broken. They figure we'll just write it up anyway, so it allows them to deliver their work less late than normal.
When asked about them, their management, off the record, has told me that department management refuses to let anyone discipline them for fear they will leave.
My response to this? Let 'em go, yer better off without them.
No one who abuses their secure position this badly should be allowed to continue.
Print | posted on Wednesday, April 09, 2008 7:42 PM