Engineering thinking, quality and everyday life of a student programmer
If, while studying at the Institute, someone told that there is a quality assurance position - a quality controller and there is a chance to find a job for a first-year computer science student, life could have turned out quite differently.
But it was a different reality and our knowledge of the world was limited, as was the ability to access the Internet from a university laboratory converted into a computer class.
Sitting alone with a classmate in front of a computer models Iskra 1030, in turn entering commands into the blue Turbo Pascal dialog box, checking with the decrepit manual of not the most recent publishing house of our department, we were preparing to become programmers, and there was no doubt about the quality of the working code: the joint code either worked or not.
Therefore, their attention to detail had to be realized by playing a private detective and arranging the personal lives of friends, and to improve the skill in the evenings, gaining ideas from Commissioner Maigret and Miss Marple. And for perfectionism then they were completely criticized - in preparation for the next job interview, more experienced girlfriends-job seekers instructively instructed that to the question: "Name your weaknesses", you need to answer: "perfectionism, but I am fighting with it", and not : "Sometimes I can be late for work due to traffic jams." The meaning of the fight against perfectionism was not completely clear - they said that this shows the interviewer diligence with the simultaneous realization that due to excessive diligence and love for detail, the work may not be done properly and on time. This awareness was intended to hide more serious flaws, thereby conquering the employer and the position in a stable company smelled of a spicy scent of hope.
First job
Alas, despite the persistent declaring perfectionism as the main and most serious flaw, the taste of stability was never tasted. I was hired by a private recruiting agency, where I had to learn how to elegantly lead good stable specialists, who have been working for 20 years in one place, to the thought of moving to a “young and promising” client company.
There were always enough details in communication with people, therefore, the available talents did not remain unclaimed and received their development: the skill of negotiating, moving up the management ladder - an endless stream of meetings, letters, reports, contracts, decisions. And all in order to be able at the right time to be in the right place with the right offer.
Personal quality control
Attention to detail and perfectionism commanded and forced to do any work more attentively, and not to release “into people” that which did not pass my personal quality control. Email to a customer with an error? Incomprehensible wording? Not beautifully and dryly said? Have you thought about who will be reading this? - this is how the training of managers to work with clients began.
Undocumented code? Lack of naming convention? Where are the rules by which we work? Have you thought about who will work with this code after you? - there was an acquaintance with the development team.
Not unified data? An extra step in the process? Multiple entry points of information? Have you thought about users? - I asked the heads of departments.
How could you even have allowed to see it? This is our face and the reputation of the entire company! - from time to time indignation overwhelmed for some hastily done trifle.
I admit that in some cases you can react more mildly. If there is talent, then it is with you wherever you goand a person always acts in his context. After all, whatever I do, one way or another, I invariably act as a quality controller. Therefore, I am sure that quality is not a job, but above all an attitude. Love for what you are doing and care about who will interact with it.
