7 Working as part of a team

 

This chapter covers

  • Interacting with your manager and understanding their expectations
  • Being part of a development team and working to benefit the team, not just yourself
  • The importance of improving your skills and how to do it

You are never alone as a developer, even if right now you’re working on your first project by yourself in a dark room. That code may be intended as part of your portfolio, or perhaps it’s a new product you’re hoping to release, but the moment you need advice or help from others, you’ll stop being alone. It’s just a matter of time.

No matter how much you try to work on everything alone, you’ll soon realize that there is a lot more to a software project than just the code. And you know what? That’s good! Accepting that you’ll never be alone is the perfect first step to start learning how to be a good team player, because sooner or later you’ll be working as part of a larger team. If you don’t know what that means for you, the whole experience will go as smoothly as swallowing a smoothie made from rocks. This chapter will outline the social and technical tools you need to make that first team experience a success.

7.1 Getting your manager to love you

The development team you’re going to be a part of is not only composed of other coders like you; it’ll have multiple roles, and one that you’ll want to pay special attention to is your manager.

7.1.1 Task-tracking software is not the devil’s tool

7.1.2 Meetings!

7.1.3 I plan, therefore I code

7.1.4 Don’t reinvent the wheel

7.1.5 What you should never say to your manager

7.2 Being a good teammate

7.2.1 Make peace with your testers

7.2.2 Leave your ego at the door