Techniques for Educating Those Who Do Not Hold a Degree in Computer Science to Think Like Programmers

Witnessing a software developer at work is truly impressive. It’s astonishing how concentrated they can be, and how much they can achieve in a day, often outperforming the collective efforts of the entire team. Do these abilities come naturally to them? Partially, yes. Nonetheless, this level of efficiency is frequently influenced by expectations rather than inherent talent.

It’s crucial to acknowledge that programming is a demanding profession. The people you hire for the job comprehend its importance since they handle the majority of your business workload. Your company’s financial performance will suffer considerably if they fail to provide high-quality applications on a regular basis or solve issues with the software that powers your multiple pipelines and processes.

Individuals who are not proficient in programming may not always possess the technical skills to handle the job’s demands and pressures. Nevertheless, this does not justify imposing unrealistic expectations on them.

Nevertheless, there are methods you can employ to inspire your team to think like computer scientists. Efficiently managing your team not only results in increased efficiency and productivity but also enhances the likelihood of retaining your staff.

Surely that cannot be accurate, can it? Let’s delve deeper and investigate this premise.

Utilize Kanban

Incorporating Kanban boards for all your employees is a highly effective and advantageous approach. Kanban is useful not only for software development teams but also for any team that needs to manage a substantial amount of tasks. Kanban facilitates the planning and execution of these tasks, which makes it an invaluable tool.

Kanban Boards can be effortlessly implemented in most organizations with the aid of suitable software. The boards’ significant advantage is that they necessitate minimal investment or even no cost at all, making them uncomplicated to use.

Acquire the Skill to Identify Trends

It is widely acknowledged that everything adheres to a particular pattern. This is applicable to natural occurrences, human conduct, and processes. Programmers comprehend the significance of identifying recurrent structures in code, as this serves as a valuable point of reference for past occurrences.

It’s crucial to acknowledge any patterns in employee work and assess their impact on productivity, whether positive or negative. To avoid micromanaging, it is vital to encourage staff to identify work patterns and incorporate this practice.

Please Consider This

Programmers achieve optimal productivity by adhering to their commitment of remaining mentally alert. This can contrast with individuals who are less focused, who may experience distractions from their daily tasks.

It’s crucial to make sure that your team comprehends the significance of staying focused on their current task. That doesn’t signify they need to remain in a state of uninterrupted alertness during the entire workday, but rather that they can sustain their concentration on the task at hand.

Take Action, Do It Correctly, and Do It Swiftly

Kent Beck, a software developer, is famous for his guidance of ‘Make it work, make it right, make it quick’. This advice is esteemed within the development community as it encompasses an effective approach to projects.

The philosophy of “Make it work, make it right, and make it quick” is relevant in all fields. This entails that employees should prioritize understanding the problem and its solution instead of introducing unnecessary complexity to the task. Adopting a simplified and focused approach can assist them in accomplishing more.

Don’t Hesitate to Ask for Help

It’s frequently assumed that programmers operate in an isolated environment, but this is not the case. All staff members should feel at ease with asking for assistance, regardless of their position or area of expertise. This is particularly valid for those in the programming team.

At times, an issue may arise that is challenging to solve. Rather than persisting fruitlessly, it’s advisable to reach out for support to expedite a more efficient resolution. Co-operation can simplify the task and accelerate its resolution.

The difficulty lies in dispelling the notion that seeking assistance is an indication of inadequacy. This is incorrect; it reflects the diligence of the work being carried out and yields positive results. Therefore, it’s crucial that employees work efficiently rather than excessively.

Remember GIGO (Garbage in, Garbage Out).

The renowned saying “Garbage In, Garbage Out” is particularly appropriate in the realm of Computer Science. In essence, if low-quality data is inputted, the output is likely to be of an inferior quality. This is comparable to the traditional carpenter’s phrase “Measure Twice, Cut Once”.

It’s crucial to convey this notion to your employees who work outside of the programming field. If they take the time to review their data, the results should be dependable. Nonetheless, if they fail to verify the information that is entered into the system, erroneous outcomes may arise due to either human or mechanical error. To avert a potentially detrimental cycle, it’s paramount to instruct staff to prioritize providing accurate input.

Conclusion

In conclusion, it’s relatively easy to guide non-programmers in embracing a programming approach. If successful, this will lead to a noteworthy boost in productivity, a decrease in errors, and an enhancement of employee morale. It’s crucial that your team works efficiently and effectively, so make sure they are cognizant of this when effecting changes.

Join the Top 1% of Remote Developers and Designers

Works connects the top 1% of remote developers and designers with the leading brands and startups around the world. We focus on sophisticated, challenging tier-one projects which require highly skilled talent and problem solvers.
seasoned project manager reviewing remote software engineer's progress on software development project, hired from Works blog.join_marketplace.your_wayexperienced remote UI / UX designer working remotely at home while working on UI / UX & product design projects on Works blog.join_marketplace.freelance_jobs