Re: how to measure programmer's job performance

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From: Rogue Petunia (speed_reader2000_at_yahoo.com)
Date: 04/05/04 

Date: Sun, 4 Apr 2004 21:50:56 -0400

Randy,
Other groups are also writing in VB, with the exception of one group that
codes XSL. This past year I did learn enough XSL to complete a small
project for that group.

They want me to do what I'm doing, just faster - all of it. Not any one
particular area of the development cycle. I am slower than the other
programmers - I have no CS background, am self-taught, and have been doing
this for about only 18 months. The other developers are CS grads and have
anywhere from 7 - 12 years experience.

They want me to increase my output. If that means I work on the weekends,
so be it. What I'm looking for is a way management can measure my output.
Something other than leaving it for my manager to make a subjective
judgement at the end of the year like, "ah, sorry that wasn't fast enough."

"Randy Birch" <rgb_removethis@mvps.org> wrote in message
news:uXWmHwqGEHA.3032@TK2MSFTNGP09.phx.gbl...
> I would think that if targets are met, documentation is complete, help
files
> are up to date and the code is fully commented, your efficiency is pretty
> good. Otherwise those are the goals I'd set. Ensure your employer
realizes
> all these, plus some I've forgotten, comprise the complete development
cycle
> and if your not dogging it, any push to increase output in one area will
> simply decrease output in others, which may affect others down the
> development line waiting for your work.
>
> "Write a COM component" doesn't do much for me as a goal, unless you need
a
> COM component ... in which case you should have learned that to do your
job,
> not as a "technical improvement goal" <g>. In my life as a Real Live
> Developer, a more suitable (and impressive) goal would have been to learn
> the languages other areas in the department were using.
>
> --
>
> Randy Birch
> MVP Visual Basic
> http://vbnet.mvps.org/
> Please respond only to the newsgroups so all can benefit.
>
>
> "Rogue Petunia" <speed_reader2000@yahoo.com> wrote in message
> news:#nKeXPqGEHA.1240@TK2MSFTNGP10.phx.gbl...
> : Hello,
> : I'd like to hear your ideas on how to measure a programmer's job
> : performance, particularly the output. Our company requires each
employee
> to
> : set goals for the year. My manager has told me that my output must
> increase
> : and this must be one of my goals for this year. This is a vague,
nebulous
> : statement. How can one quantify this?
> :
> : If I were a salesperson, I could say, my goal is to sell 10% more
vacuums.
> : Programming is different. Can't say, my goal is to complete 5 projects
> this
> : year because the size of projects vary.
> :
> : I don't believe in LOC (lines of code) as a job performance metric
because
> a
> : good programmer writes compact, efficient code that leads to application
> : stability. Sprawling, uncontrolled code full of workarounds might have
a
> : lot more lines but it's worse.
> :
> : Our company's goal setting guidelines encourage that we set quantifiable
> : goals. A goal such as, "to improve technical skills" is a poor goal.
It
> : would be better stated as, "to learn COM+". And even that is not so
good
> : because what constitutes having "learned" something? Perhaps, "to write
a
> : COM+ component" really narrows it down and leaves little room for
> : interpretation. At the year end performance review you've either
written
> a
> : COM+ component or you haven't. You've either met the goal or you
haven't.
> :
> : I'd like to hear from those of you with experience in a corporate
setting
> : where goal setting and performance reviews are standard fare. Do you
have
> : suggestions on how to quantify the goal of "to increase my output".
> :
> : Thanks a lot,
> : Rogue
> :
> :
>
>

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