CS 501: Software Engineering Fall 2000 Lecture 25 Management III Managing People

2 Administration Return of laptops and wireless cards -> Dates for return will be announced on "Notices" -> All equipment must be returned before the examination. Bring the receipt to the exam. -> If an extension granted, (e.g., independent research) must return and be issued again If any repairs needed, please swap for replacement since warranty runs out on December 15.

3 Administration Early examination December 7, 10:00 to 11:30, Upson 5130 Send to if you plan to take the early examination, by December 5 All laptops and wireless cards must be returned before the examination

4 Administration See "Assignments" for information about final presentation and documentation -> Schedule time with client and teaching assistant -> Must demonstrate operational system -> Presentation must include hand-over procedure to client

5 Managing People Theoretical: Organizational behavior Industrial psychology Group behavior Cognitive fundamentals Economic motivation

6 Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs Self-realization needs Esteem needs Social needs Safety needs Physiological needs

7 Software Engineering Basics Professional staff are the major cost of software Professional staff vary greatly in productivity => Ability => Education and training => Motivation => Interaction with colleagues and leaders => Work environment People are productive when happy and happy when productive

8 Software is Built by Teams Best size for a team is 3 to 8 people Team members may include: developers (from trainee to expert) domain experts graphic or interface designers software librarians testers Teams must have: administrative leadership (manager) technical leadership

9 Group Working 50% interaction with others 20% non-productive 30% working alone

10 Communication Informal Kitchen, smokers' doorway, after work, etc. Walkabout (tours) Ad hoc meetings Staff meetings (non-technical) Example: Tektronics Technical meetings Facilitation Record of decisions

11 Administrative Leader (Manager) Personnel Assigning tasks Hiring, promoting, etc. Resources Budgets Space, facilities Equipment Project management Relationships with other teams and clients Project plan and schedule

12 Hiring Criteria Productivity is a combination of: Analytic ability Verbal ability and communication skills Education Application domain knowledge Adaptability and inquisitiveness Personality and attitude Platform experience Programming language experience

13 Staff Retention Technically interesting work up to date hardware and software opportunities to learn and experiment Feeling of appreciation management recognition money and promotion Working conditions space, light, noise, parking flexibility Organizational dynamics

14 Firmness Managers must be firm when needed: Assignment of tasks must be equitable and open; everybody will have to tackle some of the dreary tasks Carrots are better than sticks, but poor performance must be addressed. Nobody is indispensable; nobody should be allowed to think that they are indispensable

15 Technical Challenges Canceling projects Example: the Andrew window manager Changes of environment Example: the World Wide Web Technical tinkering v. needed re-engineering

16 Turning a Group Around To turn a weak group into a strong one is the greatest challenge of leadership The art of the possible Promotion of the best over the old leaders Using opportunities to reorganize Resignations and terminations Respect people who try, yet refuse to accept problem areas Brutal and abrupt rarely equals persistent and firm

17 How to be Led As a junior member of a team, what can you do to make it productive?