Software developers are a crucial part of the project. As a manager, you need to work on how to get them to be most productive, inspire new ideas, and work towards the goal in time.
If, as a manager, you plan to achieve the best out of each project, you need to outline some rules and ethos. Once implemented, you can get the best out of your software developers.
So here are some ways to work with your developers, supporting and nurturing them for best performance.
Freedom and Trust
For any developer to work to his full potential, his subordinates must trust his capabilities. Here are some ways you can make it easy for them:
- Create the brief
- List out your expectations from the project
- Mention the goal and aim of the software
- Choose the best automation testing platform to save your time while testing.
- Mention the timeline
Once you have briefed the software developer with all possible requirements – it is time to sit back and catch on to other work and trust their process.
Manage Outside of Development
While developing software, a developer isn’t responsible for writing code only. They also have other meetings, administrative, and paperwork to juggle. It hampers their creative process and takes them away from the goal, the software.
It would be best if these tasks didn’t loom over with strict deadlines. The software developer can attend to these tasks on days where they have roadblocks or creativity blocks.
This relaxation helps them manage things at their pace. They can utilize their skills in the best way without having to deal with any unnecessary jargon.
Also, give them a timeline as to when they need to update the administrative team and stakeholders about the process updates.
Listen!
Even when you have dotted all I’s and crossed all T’s in brief, the developer needs to discuss.
Some people are auditory and verbal learners. Understanding and talking about the process again helps them think more clearly.
You wouldn’t believe how much it will help to crease out all the problems that may arise.
Also, sometimes, when presenting the list of requirements as non-developers, there may be some downright ridiculousness at the developer’s end. Giving them the liberty to decline any such requirements is gold.
In this way, they do not have to oblige to something cynical for software. But they can bring another element that works better for the software’s lifecycle.
It is best if both parties are flexible about outcomes. With the room for adjustment comes better possibilities.
Cheer for the Progress
The quality of a good manager is always to encourage progress. In a typical situation, there is time for maximum creativity and then comes the downtime. So how a manager inspires his team without stress is important. Here are some ways to encourage progress:
- Plan workshops that inspire. Their progress is always going to benefit the company.
- A day out by nature always speaks back to you. Recharging your batteries and self-love always does wonders.
- Indulge in conversation regarding other projects. Brainstorming and hearing other ideas manifest in newer things and inspirations.
- Talk through the upcoming project and what the developers plan next. Encourage them in developing their skill set.
These elements may encourage progress. When the software developer thinks outside of the project, that may ignite some questions and answers.
Little or diverse things can inspire and lead to the best ideas.
Always Quality Over Quantity
You may think as a manager that assigning various developers may speed up the process. But that could go spiraling out the other way.
If you are adding new and inexperienced developers in the mix, it can delay and cause more bugs. Then fixing the bugs and bringing the developers to speed may take some time.
Instead, make teams. There should be a separate team for coding, testing, quality check, and implementation. Make sure each team has diverse developers with experts, mid-level, and interns.
In this way, each person will benefit from the other. Assign them dummy projects to build a better team in their spare time to make them well-oiled machines.
Test, Test, And Test!
It has become the Holy Grail for the best outcome.
Testing was always part of the implementation phase. But nowadays, successful software results from testing from the design and strategy phase.
The cost and time lost in resolving the bugs and problems are significantly reduced with testing. A good manager will always encourage the developers to test rigorously and test at each phase.
Switching Tasks
Often developers are bound to work on various projects at a time. For instance, they could be working on a project in a day and answer queries of another ongoing project.
That may divide their attention and cause them to burn out easily. A brain can go in overdrive with the clusters of projects and queries at hand. And may cause to lose the momentum on both.
Instead, you can divide the teams to work on different projects. Take advice from the development and progress of the project developer’s downtime.
In this way, the developer will focus on one project at a time, and we all know what we achieve from equal and undivided attention.
Review the Metrics
Metrics are an integral part of the process. Organizations and multinationals implement these religiously to benefit both organizations and employees.
It helps measure the developer’s performance and the project as a whole. Then, as a manager, review the only relevant metrics and encourage the developer to reflect on relevant ones for constructive feedback.
Hence, it is best to visit the tickets open from time to time. It will help determine the bug and use the information for the next step.
Conclusion
If you fail to keep your software developer happy and encouraged to work, they may plan to move ahead.
But, when all these measures are implemented, a good relationship between the manager and developer is built naturally.
Consequently, the developer does well not only for himself but for his managers and the company.
As a result, you get the best out of your software developer.
