I’ve been promoted at work to what is currently being called “Manager of Development Methodology and Process”. It’s a great feeling, because I had been doing a lot of extra work in the department and this makes it more official. Also, rather than trying to push new technologies and initiatives, I have an easier time doing so with a little authority.
It’s not an org chart kind of role. I will not be managing any emloyees, and I prefer it that way. Basically it boils down to the following:
- Manage projects that are outsourced completely to the company
- Set technology and process standards, and measure compliance. All standards are only in the abscense of client standars
- Evaluate technical abilities of potential new hires
I already see very specific challenges. I’ll be working with clients to merge their standards with ours and present them concisely to our developers. Measuring compliance will be difficult at times. And while screening technical ability can be challenging, I look forward to it. I recently read Joel Spolsky’s Smart and Gets Things Done
and it has some great ideas.
Finally, I think a large part of the challenge will be balancing technologies that are new and exciting with the existing expertise and experience of the staff.