I read an article today that might explain exactly what my future might bring. With my interest in Project Management and my background in IT I guess this article explains correctly how I could be an asset for a company.
http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/successful-sofware-development-its-not-rocket-science.html
One of the items Duncan Haughey talks about is the communication problem a manager can have when talking to a developer
The Mistake
Have you ever stood next to a group of software developers and wondered what on earth they were talking about. It’s like a completely new language and to non-IT people it often is. The pitfall comes when the customer and IT think they are talking the same language when in fact they are not. This leads to a problem when the IT department delivers what they understood the customer wanted and it turns out to be something different.
The Solution
Communication problems are the hardest to resolve, as often it is only looking back that the problem is identified. Regular communication and a close working relationship with the customer will help. What you really need is a person with a foot in both camps. Someone who understands the business and IT equally well. If you can identify this person make sure you keep hold of them, they are hugely valuable. If you are unable to find this person, the next best option is to have two people, one from the business and one from IT. By working closely together and sharing information, they can minimise any communication problems.
This is a huge problem indeed, but not only for the project manager. This is for the developer also a point of frustration as they have to explain complex matters several times before managers get their point. Even if you can create a good team of two people who work very close together, i guess this will not be as sufficient as one person who has the 2 qualities. Minimizing the communication problem is therefor a good description, but is only a temporary solution.
I believe that, if the company finds the budget and time, it might be better to get the IT guy some education in project management, then the other way around. Being a good, or even basic developer takes a huge amount of time (years) and asks a huge effort of the person. I am certain that teaching the IT-er how to manage project is a more efficient way because:
- takes less time to get knowledge of the theory
- can practice his learned theory in the company
- after a while can replace the project manager
- a software developer already talks the developer-talk and this is not something you learn, you have to be or been a developer
- it is one of the logical steps in a career for a developer
