Leave The "Business Guys" Alone Already(felixoginni.com)
felixoginni.com
Leave The "Business Guys" Alone Already
http://felixoginni.com/leave-the-business-guys-alone-already/
6 comments
You have made a very great point, and i certainly was not aware that this "idea guy" problem is this bad in game development.
Maybe a different approach would be appropriate, starting things off on "the right foot" by focusing on what they can bring to the table first, rather than the business opportunity. Resumes may get binned too, but not at the 100% rate. Focusing on the person rather than the idea also lets you focus on if you'd be a good fit for any project, rather than tossing one idea at a time their way... or if they're such a great fit you'd be willing to find a different business opportunity that suits both of you.
I think if this is the common response the "clueless kids" get, there will much less clueless kids in the world. This response is infinitely more valuable than insults and rants.
Maybe a different approach would be appropriate, starting things off on "the right foot" by focusing on what they can bring to the table first, rather than the business opportunity. Resumes may get binned too, but not at the 100% rate. Focusing on the person rather than the idea also lets you focus on if you'd be a good fit for any project, rather than tossing one idea at a time their way... or if they're such a great fit you'd be willing to find a different business opportunity that suits both of you.
I think if this is the common response the "clueless kids" get, there will much less clueless kids in the world. This response is infinitely more valuable than insults and rants.
A "business guy" complains about developers allegedly making contemptuous generalizations about clueless business guys by making contemptuous generalizations about developers.
He assumes that the reason that we who know how to write software don't (generalism) do his job is because we're "blind to those opportunities."
He sees himself as the architect and software developers as the grunts who lay the bricks.
He assumes that the reason that we who know how to write software don't (generalism) do his job is because we're "blind to those opportunities."
He sees himself as the architect and software developers as the grunts who lay the bricks.
His whole analogy of architects and builders falls apart once you realize as an architect of a business you have much less control and information as to what the market will actually do!
A building architect can design and make a blueprint based on knowing the qualities of various materials and a final outcome/design. That design isn't likely to change [much] after it is approved, unless the architect omitted something (or screwed up) or there are material issues.
Most ideas presented to 'coders' are half-baked. "I have this awesome idea! Let's build a building! With four bedrooms that will sleep a family!" "That's quite the well thought out blueprint there! Where do I start building?!"
A building architect can design and make a blueprint based on knowing the qualities of various materials and a final outcome/design. That design isn't likely to change [much] after it is approved, unless the architect omitted something (or screwed up) or there are material issues.
Most ideas presented to 'coders' are half-baked. "I have this awesome idea! Let's build a building! With four bedrooms that will sleep a family!" "That's quite the well thought out blueprint there! Where do I start building?!"
Most ideas presented to 'coders' are half-baked. "I have this awesome idea! Let's build a building! With four bedrooms that will sleep a family!" "That's quite the well thought out blueprint there! Where do I start building?!"
Does that make it justifiable to respond with insults?
Does that make it justifiable to respond with insults?
Software developers are not Grunts. They are hardworking creatives and certainly not grunts who lay bricks.
Also no where in the article did it say or imply that "those who know how to write software don't (generalism) do his job is because we're "blind to those opportunities.""
You obviously didn't read the article before writing this comment
Also no where in the article did it say or imply that "those who know how to write software don't (generalism) do his job is because we're "blind to those opportunities.""
You obviously didn't read the article before writing this comment
"You can code now shut-up about it already. You are a great developer and I am a great businessman; I have my skills and you have yours (well actually I now have yours to some extent)."
Really? I don't think so.
HN isn't populated exclusively with code monkeys. A lot of us have solid educational backgrounds, including some with graduate degrees and published research. To imply that you have our skills to 'some extent' is pure hubris on your part.
Really? I don't think so.
HN isn't populated exclusively with code monkeys. A lot of us have solid educational backgrounds, including some with graduate degrees and published research. To imply that you have our skills to 'some extent' is pure hubris on your part.
My experience with "business people" almost always seems to be adversarial, as they tend to see the relationship in much the same way: combining mutually exclusive skill sets.
The problem is, developers are often very opinionated product guys, and they can execute! They typically don't have the insider knowledge on securing funding and navigating business politics.
The problem finally emerges when the developer is seen as only the executor of the vision, rather than a business man as well.
The problem is, developers are often very opinionated product guys, and they can execute! They typically don't have the insider knowledge on securing funding and navigating business politics.
The problem finally emerges when the developer is seen as only the executor of the vision, rather than a business man as well.
I am talking about enough skills to be able to execute on my ideas at least at the MVP level.
Definitely not comparing myself to a computer scientist, neither do I want to be one; I chose a Mechanical Engineering degree for good reasons.
Definitely not comparing myself to a computer scientist, neither do I want to be one; I chose a Mechanical Engineering degree for good reasons.
Just a suggestion - run your articles through a spell checker. Makes it more credible when you share it with HN.
Thanks for the advice but a spell checker wont have picked up on the fact that I spelled Jeff Bezos's name wrong, which after looking at my article again is the only spelling mistake i spotted
Also, you should be consistent with your grammar. Capitalizing everyone's first and last name except for "bill gates" in the middle stands out as sloppy. For better or worse, this affects the impression you make.
First I was surprised that this was on the svtble network. (Then I looked again.)
No.
Suggesting they learn to code might be inappropriate, but pointing out they need to be able to bring something to the table besides "ideas" -- any of the above skills would be a great start -- is exactly the sort of "sensible advice" called for, but that's often not enough to get through and make the point. When people start throwing around how much they're paid, they're trying to underscore what the "ideas guy" is competing with, to explain why that idea alone just isn't enough. When people start getting frustrated, angry, and ranty, perhaps it's because this isn't as rare as the author thinks. It certainly isn't rare in game development. Maybe a different approach would be appropriate, starting things off on "the right foot" by focusing on what they can bring to the table first, rather than the business opportunity. Resumes may get binned too, but not at the 100% rate. Focusing on the person rather than the idea also lets you focus on if you'd be a good fit for any project, rather than tossing one idea at a time their way... or if they're such a great fit you'd be willing to find a different business opportunity that suits both of you.