Subj : Re: Personal connections
To   : comp.programming
From : Phlip
Date : Sun Sep 04 2005 08:53 pm

Patricia Shanahan wrote:

>> How is that possible? When I had a job, I was paid to write software,
>> not to socialize with co-workers thereby distracting them from the
>> work they were trying to do.
>
> I think this embodies a basic misconception. A programming team can be
> much more effective than its members would be working in isolation.

Way! Working in isolation is "heroism". That adds risk and is not 
sustainable.

Team players share their burdens in ways that encourage others to share too. 
You can make the team stronger by making your own burden lighter.

> Many programming and engineering managers understand this. For example,
> I've known managers discussing proposed office space layouts to treat
> spaces that support informal, casual conversation as an important design
> feature. They plan activities, such as a weekly "donut hour", for the
> purpose of getting random individuals to talk to each other.

Some managers put their programmers on a ring of workstations, each with 
dual keyboards. This can replace a long inefficient e-mail with an efficient 
raised eyebrow.

-- 
  Phlip
  http://www.greencheese.org/ZeekLand  <-- NOT a blog!!!

.