Software project management is in deep trouble, and project managers should blame themselves for the situation.
Had a chat with a junior Software Engineer working in a leading MNC. I know for sure he is a very good technology person with great analytics and programming skills. But he thinks he is a misfit in his organisation.
As a software engineer, he often finds himself feeling like he is speaking a different language than his Project Manager. It’s like the PM is fluent in “Business-ese” and this young guy is stuck speaking “Tech-lish.”
Despite their best efforts to communicate with each other, there always seems to be a disconnect. “PM asks me for estimates on how long a feature will take to implement, and I give him a number based on my technical expertise. But somehow, that number always gets translated into a deadline that’s completely unrealistic.”, he says.
And it’s not just him — I’ve seen this happen to many other engineers as well. They are all left scrambling to meet these impossible deadlines, which inevitably leads to compromise on the quality of our code.
In my opinion the root cause for this communication and relationship breakdown is project managers not being hands-on.
One of the biggest problems with project managers who aren’t hands-on with coding is that they may not fully understand the technical challenges and complexities involved in a project. This can lead to unrealistic deadlines and expectations, as well as a lack of understanding and empathy for the engineering team.
Without a solid understanding of the technical aspects of a project, project managers may struggle to effectively prioritize tasks and allocate resources. This can result in suboptimal decision making and ultimately, a lower quality product.
Additionally, a lack of technical expertise can make it difficult for project managers to effectively communicate with and provide guidance to the engineering team. This can lead to misunderstandings and frustration on both sides.
And software engineers take revenge by bitching about managers in their WhatsApp groups.
So dear managers, it’s time you keep pace with technology and go deep beyond jargons. Or you will end up spending rest of your life blaming the new generation and screwing your team.
