Finding the best programmers can be a daunting task. For non-technical people, such as entrepreneurs and small business owners, work can be completely nervous. People are looking for one elusive “Super Developer” or “Uber Programmer” to solve all the problems with their software, in half of the cases, without errors. These super programmers exist. I met them. I lived with them. They live on a different plane than we, mere mortals. And they all work for Google.
But you can find excellent developers who will complete projects in a timely manner, with the required specifications. One key to finding amazing developers is to know how to evaluate them. This article will guide you through the process of choosing programmers with the right qualities.
Because everything in abbreviations allows coins to be used to describe exercises by a great developer - JUICED (despite the negative meaning of the word using steroids and OJ Simpson.) Although you do not want your programmers to kill to get the code on time, you are looking for someone aiming for a goal.
decision
First we start with J (which is the first letter in the word “Juiced”), which represents the Judgment. No judgment, as in you, you expect when your web developer completes the decision day to complete the project. Like your programmers, judgment has a good judgment, and they use it. To emphasize why judgment is so important, I will give you one big secret to software development:
Most software projects fail because people work on the wrong things.
You can forget anything else in this article and still be more informed about software development than 97% of businessmen (without having to spend thousands of dollars on expensive levels). What does it mean to work on the wrong things? I will give you an example. Let's say you have a project to create a website that tracks gas prices by geography. The user enters the address and sees a list of gas stations and the latest prices submitted by the user.
Now your developer may want to copy the Google map because it’s interesting. But he can spend too much time when a simple list can be enough. Before spending a lot of time coding one particular function, a good programmer will use the estimate and check with the client or project manager to make sure that the elapsed time matches the budget, time frame and priorities.
Understanding
Of course, the programmer needs to understand the application so that it works at the request of the client. At the basic level, it helps the programmer to understand written and spoken English well. I ran many programmers with English as a second language with excellent results. These days you will probably come across programmers with English as a second language, so this is not a problem.
While the spoken language is important, the programmer needs to learn the language of the client’s business. Each industry and project has its own set of terms, a unique nomenclature. A good programmer will understand the language and how it relates to the final application.
In addition to understanding the problem space, an excellent programmer will accurately read and interpret project specifications. Since the specification is not completely written, an excellent developer will ask the relevant questions after reviewing the functional specifications. These questions will demonstrate an understanding of the application and may reveal missing details or inconsistent design.
intelligence
While a good developer doesn’t have to be the ingenious miracle of the Star Trek star track, they need a certain type of intelligence. Programming requires exercise, in addition to simple problem solving and pattern recognition. Writing code involves a lot of abstract thought. A person should keep in mind a multitude of interrelated concepts, choose software design patterns and tools appropriate to the task, remember the correct syntax, and write code. Appetites for math, science, and Cube solving would allow you to find the right candidate.
Mental focusing plays a small role in programming. Finding an error in a few thousand lines of code can be the most embarrassing Where & Waldo game? A decent developer will be able to correct errors, restore state of mind when the code was originally written, and make the appropriate corrections. In addition to having good error correction skills, an intelligent programmer develops software that essentially reduces the number of errors through modular design.
competence
A well-written program looks good inside and out. From the outside (from the point of view of all important customers) the application has a good user interface and fulfills functional requirements. The system behaves as expected, solves the desired problem and provides peace of mind. For a well-written application, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. It has a smoothness. To achieve this quality, the developer takes into account the final point of view when creating the application. How many times have we used unpleasant websites or applications and thought: “Did the programmer even try to use it?” The thought of the end user shows courtesy, as well as competence.
Although users are familiar with written applications when they see them, a programmer is required to search for well-written code. What does it mean? Properly written, extensible code - written with a view to future changes. Extensible code contains extensive comments, functional organization, meaningful variable names, and modules with a manageable size. A decent programmer can write code that works and meets the requirements, but it will be difficult to add functions. The super developer writes the code, knowing that he needs to be supported - either by him or by someone else. Programmers of this caliber not only write extensible code, they recognize and appreciate other developers who do the same.
An experience
This is one of the most controversial areas in evaluating potential programmers, so let them explore it for a while. Experience can be classified in two ways: an approach using the “buzzword” and an expert approach. The mosaic-word approach, also known as the HR (Human Resources) method, involves scanning a candidate’s resume in search of a minimum number of years using certain languages, technologies, databases, software packages, etc. Without it , the right boxes are in their list, the developer never passes the first round. The programmers themselves refer to this as the “grep” method, named after the Linux command-line tool that scans files for a specific string.
The strict buzzword method does not work for several reasons. Using the right words does not make a classic novel or even a good reading. I personally worked with programmers with a decade of 9-5 experience in a certain language, which until now has not given the basic concepts of software development. Their code is difficult to maintain and the overall system has suffered. I also trained people who never wrote a line of code that intuitively understood the design of the software. Within six months after programming, the quality of their code exceeded a person with ten years of experience. Ultimately, the buzzword method does not work, because HR personnel lack the mentality to find excellent programmers.
The second way to judge a programmer is an expert method. You are looking for the depth of knowledge in a particular technology and the difficulty of problems to be solved. Programming is a solution to a problem more than knowledge of commands in any one language. Here's another secret - look for programmers who have worked on the course or compiled it. As soon as the developer understands how to create his own programming language, mastering the new becomes routine.
Again, let us use the analogy with natural language. Say that you need to write a novel in Spanish. You have two candidates: one who has been in high school for three years, and one who has translated a 500-page novel from French to English in one year. The HR method will select the first candidate and will not even consider the second. What would you choose?
Ultima, when we think about experience, we talk about the difference between theory and practice. Theoretically, someone with three years Spanish should write a better Spanish novel than someone with years of experience in French. And first the Spanish student will produce more words for you. But ultimately, the translator will come out and create a better job.
So, how do you find great programmers based on experience? Use a hybrid approach. Find someone with a depth of experience in a particular area, then evaluate adaptability. We use a customizable selection process that displays problem solving capabilities in addition to knowledge of a specific language.
reliable
At the same time, dependent developers can be an oxymoron, as the type of personality that is used and superior in programming is an ironically unloved structure (at least a social structure). Tao Programming tells a parable about programmers who rebelled when they were told that they needed to work from 9 to 5. But, given the freedom to make their own schedule, “they came at noon and worked in the early hours.” This story illustrates why people say that managing programmers are like "wandering cats."
The last feature of a solid developer may well be “Reliable”, but “Juicet” is not a word. Since programmers often have access to important business and personal information, the importance of trust cannot be underestimated. Your best developers will adhere to a personal standard of trust and integrity, reliably execute code, and be skeptical of social norms. All about balance.
So you are looking for a programmer you can trust, and who has the self-discipline to stay on schedule. Give this developer the flexibility of planning and interesting projects, and he will achieve maximum performance.
Final words about juicy
There is a common quality for the programmer “Juiced” - juicy about what you are doing. Good programmers have a passion for their craft. They are very happy to solve problems and work on new and interesting things. Quality developers see programming as an art; although art can sometimes appreciate only a different practice. When you're looking for developers, look for people who program because they like it.
