Understanding the Phrases That Developers Find Off-Putting
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Chapter 1: The Developer's Perspective
What drives developers away from engaging in their work?
While the obvious answer might be any interruption from their keyboard, there are six specific phrases that can significantly irritate the developers in your team. Curious about what these phrases are? Keep reading!
Section 1.1: The Hat Metaphor
The concept of "wearing different hats" often comes up in workplace discussions to signify various roles, such as HR or coding responsibilities. This metaphor, inspired by Edward de Bono’s thinking hats, can be confusing.
"What exactly does this mean? Can I wear a hat at work now?"
Section 1.2: The Call to Action
The phrase "reach out" is commonly used, but there’s a time and place for it. For instance, approaching Julie from accounting at a social event might not be the best idea.
Isn't this behavior endorsed at companies like Uber?
Chapter 2: Business Jargon That Misses the Mark
The term "buy-in" often suggests that a developer has to concede a crucial technical issue, which may not be fully grasped by business representatives.
In this video, titled "What Do Developers Say in Chats? // 3 Phrases from Developer Communication," you can learn about common phrases that can lead to misunderstandings in developer communication.
Another phrase that tends to frustrate is "defect," which implies a fault in the code.
"There was no defect in my code; you altered the requirements without updating the ticket or informing anyone."
Section 2.1: Unclear Terminology
Expressions like "cover off" can leave developers puzzled.
"I’m still unsure what this means. We can cover a production issue, but what does 'cover off' imply?"
The term "face-off" introduces some ambiguity as well, but at least it differs from a mere face.
Subsection 2.1.1: The T-Shaped Developer Concept
While the idea of T-shaped developers is appealing, it often falls flat in practice. In many organizations, the focus isn't on hiring diverse skill sets or nurturing the existing workforce.
Conclusion
These phrases are just a few examples of what can irritate developers. However, they highlight a broader issue: anything unrelated to programming can often be frustrating for those deeply immersed in their coding tasks.
About The Author
The author, known as "The Secret Developer," is a professional software developer who shares insights on Twitter @TheSDeveloper and regularly publishes articles on Medium.com.
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