more than just a commodity
DESCRIPTION
Presented at CodepaLOUsa 2011The economy is still tight. Companies continue to reduce costs across the board. With outsourcing and off-shoring achieving success, how can today’s in-house technical professional prove his value to the business? Technical expertise is valuable to product and technical management. However, it’s the understanding of the business and your role in generating revenue that’s invaluable. This presentation explains various techniques we can use to increase our business savvy and show we are providing value and not just an expense.TRANSCRIPT
More Than Just A Commodity
Presenter: Joe Kuemerle / @jkuemerle
Session Number: 212
Code PaLOUsa 2011 Sponsors
Code PaLOUsa 2011 Sponsors
Background of Joe Kuemerle
• Lead Developer at PreEmptive Solutions
• Over 15 years of development experience
with a broad range of technologies
• Focused on application and data security,
coding best practices and regulatory
compliance
• Presenter at community, regional and
national events.
Commodity
Function: noun 1 : an economic good: as a : a product of agriculture or
mining b : an article of commerce especially when delivered for shipment c : a mass-produced unspecialized product
2 : something useful or valued3 : obsolete : quantity, lot4 : a good or service whose wide availability typically
leads to smaller profit margins and diminishes the importance of factors (as brand name) other than price
5 : one that is subject to ready exchange or exploitation within a market
UnderstandingIf one does not understand a person,
one tends to regard him as a fool. -Carl Jung
What’s on our mind?
What’s on the boss’s mind?
$Revenue – $Cost = ?
Driving Factors
What drives us• Clean Architecture• Automation• Normalization• 100% Coverage• SOLID• Elegant Patterns• Dynamic Languages• Compile without
errors• Craftsmanship• …and so on…
What drives the boss
•Dollars•Deadlines•Deliverables
Dollars
Deadlines
Deliverables
“People don’t want to buy a quarter-inch drill. They want a quarter-inch hole!”
- Theodore Levitt
Communication
http://www.thousandtyone.com/blog/UnderstandingSoftwareDevelopmentDisastersPart1.aspx
http://www.thousandtyone.com/blog/UnderstandingSoftwareDevelopmentDisastersPart2.aspx
Self Catalog
Documentation
How does your boss perceive you?
Changing Perceptions
Visibility
Visibility
Know the Enemy Teammates
Know the Enemy Teammates
Politics
Professional Networking
“You have not done a good enough job with professional networking if within 5 phone calls you would not land on your feet.”
-Shawn Upchurch, Upsearch
Networking Events
Choices and DirectionsJuniorMid LevelSeniorArchitectTeam Lead
ManagerExecutive
DeveloperSupportOperationsDatabaseQuality
Assurance
Telecom
Resources
• Career Tools: http://www.manager-tools.com/podcasts/career-tools
• Manager Tools: http://www.manager-tools.com/• Ask The Headhunter: http://www.asktheheadhunter.com/• Upsearch: http://www.upsearch.com/• Business of Software: http://blog.businessofsoftware.org/• From 9 till 2: http://www.from9till2.com• Esther Derby: http://www.estherderby.com• Management Straight Talk:
http://mgtstr8talk.wordpress.com/• NOOP.NL: http://www.noop.nl/• Five Whys: http://5whys.com/
@jkuemerle / joe at kuemerle.comhttp://www.speakerrate.com/jkuemerle
Photo Creditshttp://www.flickr.com/photos/the-cbi/3253086344http://www.flickr.com/photos/66164549http://www.flickr.com/photos/maisonbisson/156901708http://www.flickr.com/photos/buck82/129408997http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pressure_points.jpghttp://www.flickr.com/photos/phauly/236340065http://www.flickr.com/photos/sheilaellen/111377949http://www.flickr.com/photos/wing-mui/389171028http://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/delivery.pnghttp://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Dragon_boats_crossing_finish_line_at_2008_SFIDBF_09.JPGhttp://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/69/DOE_Org_Chart.jpghttp://www.flickr.com/photos/jonnygoldstein/3752101709/http://www.flickr.com/photos/hopemeng/3708216109/http://www.flickr.com/photos/killermonkeys/128619313http://www.flickr.com/photos/colinkinner/2200500024/