Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
by the client, even if a functioning piece of software is built. Later in this section,
we will discuss common practices used by software engineers and project man-
agers to ensure that the product produced and the product requested are the same
piece of software.
4.3.1 Assessing Employee Skill Levels
We explained in the Sect. 4.3 that the proper assignment of development activities
and the establishment of efficient yet realistic production goals depend on a project
manager's understanding of the skills of his or her employees. Because people's
abilities and attitudes can be difficult to quantify, this can present a challenge.
However, we are software engineers and creating meaningful abstractions of real
world information is our job.
Employee assessment begins with information. Said information comes in three
forms: that which is provided by the employee up front; that which is attained from
those who have worked with the employee in the past; and that which is gathered
directly by management at the software engineering firm. The first type of infor-
mation is usually provided as a résumé, or curriculum vitae (CV). These resources
contain material regarding an individual's education, motivation, goals, and rel-
evant work experience. They also provide a deeper insight into a person's com-
munication and organization skills. The way in which they are written (level of
formality, proper spelling, correct use of grammar, etc.) describes both the written
communication skills, and attention to detail that can be expected from the can-
didate. The way in which they are formatted, on the other hand, can be used to
assess the organizational skills of the candidate. That is, a résumé that lacks flow
and a meaningful system of organization might be a warning sign that an indi-
vidual is unable to effectively order his or her thoughts. On the other hand, a well
composed document can indicate that a candidate can easily and usefully arrange
his or her thoughts, and can use those skills to effectively communicate ideas.
The second resource in assessing a potential team member is the information
gained from those who have worked with the candidate before; this provides a real
world understanding of the individual's skills. Recommendations from previous
supervisors or coworkers compliment the information provided in a résumé or CV
by establishing that a candidate is actually capable of putting their education and
experience to use in a practical way. Furthermore, the use of references can
provide an understanding of a candidate's strengths and weaknesses in a real world
context. Finally, communication with those who have worked with a candidate in
the past can help a project manager be aware of the candidate's ability to work
with others in a team scenario.
The last way of assessing a candidate's ability is to actually interview him or
her. Many consider this to be the most useful method, and it is often the deciding
factor in whether or not a candidate will be assigned to a development team. First
off, an interview gives a candidate the chance to restate the information already
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