Chillisoft realised that the current market offerings primarily focus on teaching a specific language or approach that is designed to increase a software developer’s employability.
In the absence of an integrated approach, Chillisoft researched and developed a model to improve software development performance levels in business. We used systems theory, activity theory and the theory of performance to understand the dynamics of improving the performance of a system, which is the performance level of a software developer in business.
Performance is a multidimensional concept. The performance level of an individual software developer in business is dependent on interactions between specific key components. We found that the following key components interact to impact performance levels:
Chillisoft built a model to drive performance at an individual and business level i.e. DevFluence’s Performance model. The model increases the software development capacity and capability of the business and the software developer by promoting values driven behaviour and actions to impact on the key performance components mentioned above. It is used by the business and by the software developer to continually evaluate and discuss why the performance of the software developer in business changes.
As the software developer focuses on contextual learning and doing, his/her practice in self –mastery is furthered. The increased focus on self-mastery, increases his/her ability to make a contribution to the business. Making a contribution increases his/her credibility in the business and amongst his/her team members. The increased credibility gives the software developer the courage to continue making a contribution.
The existing training models do not work for you in the long term! The current offerings are geared towards short term gains of earning BBBEE points or solving today’s critical problems quickly by treating software developers as replaceable resources. This is illustrated in DevFluence’s Performance model where the current actions of a business (such as outsourcing key software development, or any behaviour that treats software developers as replaceable resources), decreases an in-house software developer’s ability to make a contribution.
As his/her ability or opportunity to contribute decreases, his/her levels of disengagement increases causing them to leave. The unexpected loss by the business generally causes panic and an urgent need to replace the software developer as quickly as possible. This is generally achieved by outsourcing or hasty recruitment. These actions increase the demand for software developers, without necessarily increasing their capacity or capability to add value to a business.
There are numerous training academies and bootcamps who are focused on lowering the barrier to entry and increasing access to software development jobs.
These academies allow you to earn your BBBEE points and you are hopeful that you are building a pipeline of skilled individuals. After graduation, you are delighted to have a fresh batch of apprentices and juniors who have learnt the technology and language. They enter the workplace and after 6 months of being left in the corner or feeling swamped, they start looking for new jobs. After a year of gaining some software development experience they are able to get a higher paying job. The pattern of job hopping continues because we as an industry are competing for skilled resources and we are desperately competing for black skilled software developers. We have inadvertently created this false economy. Are you in the business of creating jobs or do you want to create software development careers that naturally instils loyalty?
You have recognised that your team consists of all senior developers and your salary bill is rapidly escalating. You recognise the need to diversify your team and grow your juniors and intermediates. You hire or make a team lead or senior developer accountable for mentoring and coaching the juniors and intermediates. Business pressure on the other hand is increasing and there are new initiatives which requires senior developers. The senior developer or team lead that you assigned is under the whip. Do you really believe that he or she will have the time, aptitude and environment to train or coach anyone?
You don’t understand what has happened. You have spent a small fortune in employing coaches, scrum masters, agilistas and various dynamic individuals. You hoped that their expertise and energy would inspire your team. You were told about how your team would transform into rockstar developers. There definitely was a shift whilst these individuals were present but these practices did not stick. Do you really need rock star developers for your typical business delivery? Why did you believe that the change that a single individual made within a relatively short period of time would be sustainable?
The existing training models do not work for you in the long term! We do training differently…We train to improve the overall performance of the system now and in the long term.
Chillisoft realised that the current market offerings primarily focus on teaching a specific language or pproach that is designed to increase a software developer’s employability
In the absence of an integrated approach, Chillisoft researched and developed a model to improve software development performance levels in business. We used systems theory, activity theory and the theory of performance to understand the dynamics of improving the performance of a system, which is the performance level of a software developer in business.
The existing training models do not work for you in the long term! The current offerings are geared towards short term gains of earning BBBEE points or solving today’s critical problems quickly by treating software developers as replaceable resources. This is illustrated in DevFluence’s Performance model where the current actions of a business (such as outsourcing key software development, or any behaviour that treats software developers as replaceable resources), decreases an in-house software developer’s ability to make a contribution.
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