Ruven, >Derek argues: > In software development there tend to be two levels.
This is a generalisation. >Following this argument, there is also no incentive to create a pyramid of excellence >in medical practice, mechanical engineering, or building garage doors. There is always some incentive. The question is how big is it and how is it measured. >Conversely, we can have experts in being a politician. Or to be more precise an expert at being elected :-( >I'm not sure what Derek's experience is, but in the software development company in >which I work there are way more than two levels. There are people who are barely >acceptable, good, very good, very, very good, and truely outstanding. Let me give an example from Go, a Japanese board game. Go is played with black and white stones and has a handycap system which balances out players of different strength. I could give a person who had been playing for a month a 9 stone advantage and win. I know somebody who could give me a 9 stone advantage and win. I know somebody who could give this person a 6 stone advantage and win. I am told that there are professional Go players who could give this person a 9 stone advantage and win. So we have at least 33 stones separating a rank beginner from a top professional. I can understand what a person who is 2 stones better than me is doing. He (I don't know any female go players) is doing what I do, but is better at it. A person who is 4 stones better than me appears to be using different strategies. I have trouble understanding what a person who is 6 stones better than me is doing. I don't really have a clue what a person who is 9 stones better than me is doing, he just walks all over me. Now this person who gives me a 9 stone advantage loses to somebody who gives him a 6 stone advantage. I have seen it happen. What is going on? I listen to this higher level expert teaching the person who walks all over me. I nod my head. But I don't really understand. And to think that this higher level expert is himself 9 stones away from the top of the tree! I think in software development there is a only a 9 stone difference between the worst and best performance, not a 33 stone one. derek -- Derek M Jones tel: +44 (0) 1252 520 667 Knowledge Software Ltd mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Applications Standards Conformance Testing http://www.knosof.co.uk - Automatic footer for [EMAIL PROTECTED] ---------------------------------- To unsubscribe from this list, mail [EMAIL PROTECTED] unsubscribe discuss To join the announcements list, mail [EMAIL PROTECTED] subscribe announce To receive a help file, mail [EMAIL PROTECTED] help This list is archived at http://www.mail-archive.com/discuss%40ppig.org/ If you have any problems or questions, please mail [EMAIL PROTECTED]
