Crossing the line
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I am a software developer, and I have a manager. So who is best qualified to manage resources? So this morning I am greeted with a "We need a breakdown of what you did over the last 4 months, and how long each bit took you." Last time I checked it was a manager's (probably more specifically a project manager's) job to track these things. When I get given a task to do, either written or verbal, I just do it, and report my progress (normally verbally), and let them know when the task is completed. Do you really think I need to be the one doing the math on how long it took? The manager should have all that handy in my opinion. I also mentioned that to him and even made a suggestion on how to deal with this better in the future. So, basically I am stuck having to do this, as no one else clearly has any trackable data on tasks performed. I dont mind, I just feel its a waste of time. I thought I would use the SVN log for checkins across my name, but that information posted to Word, is an odd 170 pages! A message to all managers and wannabee managers: You have job, make sure you know what it entail!
xacc.ide - now with TabsToSpaces support
IronScheme - 1.0 alpha 4a out now (29 May 2008)Every day before I leave, I record what I did in this handy little application[^]. Should I ever need to document what I have done, it is all there in an easily digestible format. Plus, having this record makes performance review time a snap: I'm always able to give my manager a detailed breakdown of my past tasks and accomplishments, and why I feel they are raise-worthy. :-D Maybe a similar system could be of help to you (going forward).
Jon Sagara On a traffic light yellow means yield, and green means go. On a banana, it's just the opposite, yellow means go ahead, green means stop, and red means, where'd you get that banana? -- Mitch Hedberg .NET Blog | Personal Blog | Articles
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Every day before I leave, I record what I did in this handy little application[^]. Should I ever need to document what I have done, it is all there in an easily digestible format. Plus, having this record makes performance review time a snap: I'm always able to give my manager a detailed breakdown of my past tasks and accomplishments, and why I feel they are raise-worthy. :-D Maybe a similar system could be of help to you (going forward).
Jon Sagara On a traffic light yellow means yield, and green means go. On a banana, it's just the opposite, yellow means go ahead, green means stop, and red means, where'd you get that banana? -- Mitch Hedberg .NET Blog | Personal Blog | Articles
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I am a software developer, and I have a manager. So who is best qualified to manage resources? So this morning I am greeted with a "We need a breakdown of what you did over the last 4 months, and how long each bit took you." Last time I checked it was a manager's (probably more specifically a project manager's) job to track these things. When I get given a task to do, either written or verbal, I just do it, and report my progress (normally verbally), and let them know when the task is completed. Do you really think I need to be the one doing the math on how long it took? The manager should have all that handy in my opinion. I also mentioned that to him and even made a suggestion on how to deal with this better in the future. So, basically I am stuck having to do this, as no one else clearly has any trackable data on tasks performed. I dont mind, I just feel its a waste of time. I thought I would use the SVN log for checkins across my name, but that information posted to Word, is an odd 170 pages! A message to all managers and wannabee managers: You have job, make sure you know what it entail!
xacc.ide - now with TabsToSpaces support
IronScheme - 1.0 alpha 4a out now (29 May 2008)I think it is inevitable that at some point someone in the company is going to want a time breakdown of your activities. I don't think it is reasonable to expect your manager to have this information when you don't. Having said that, it is also not reasonable to ask for a breakdown of past activities going back months. It sounds like the result of some hare-brained scheme dreamed up in a managers meeting. In any case it is always good, as others have suggested, to use some tool to keep track of your activities. I use outlook tasks with some custom fields I have set for priority. About 10 minutes spent each day going over your tasks and priorities is time very well spent. (ok I got that from a book , but it is true!)
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I am a software developer, and I have a manager. So who is best qualified to manage resources? So this morning I am greeted with a "We need a breakdown of what you did over the last 4 months, and how long each bit took you." Last time I checked it was a manager's (probably more specifically a project manager's) job to track these things. When I get given a task to do, either written or verbal, I just do it, and report my progress (normally verbally), and let them know when the task is completed. Do you really think I need to be the one doing the math on how long it took? The manager should have all that handy in my opinion. I also mentioned that to him and even made a suggestion on how to deal with this better in the future. So, basically I am stuck having to do this, as no one else clearly has any trackable data on tasks performed. I dont mind, I just feel its a waste of time. I thought I would use the SVN log for checkins across my name, but that information posted to Word, is an odd 170 pages! A message to all managers and wannabee managers: You have job, make sure you know what it entail!
xacc.ide - now with TabsToSpaces support
IronScheme - 1.0 alpha 4a out now (29 May 2008)When I got these kinds of reporting task, I usually read back through my emails. They usually give me quiet a good idea of what I have been up to and help jog my memory. You manager sounds like a poor one though, especially when asking for a report of such a long period, unless something has suddenly become directly chargeable to the customer I can't think why he would need this ? If he is hoping that by analyzing your work-rate over this period he is going to get an impression of your productivity .... well I have bad news for him.
Regards Ray "Je Suis Mort De Rire" Blogging @ Keratoconus Watch If its fast and ugly, they will use it and curse you; if its slow they will not use it -- David Cheriton
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When I got these kinds of reporting task, I usually read back through my emails. They usually give me quiet a good idea of what I have been up to and help jog my memory. You manager sounds like a poor one though, especially when asking for a report of such a long period, unless something has suddenly become directly chargeable to the customer I can't think why he would need this ? If he is hoping that by analyzing your work-rate over this period he is going to get an impression of your productivity .... well I have bad news for him.
Regards Ray "Je Suis Mort De Rire" Blogging @ Keratoconus Watch If its fast and ugly, they will use it and curse you; if its slow they will not use it -- David Cheriton
I eventually broke it down to 4 major tasks and just gave him a days spent breakdown. He said he will see if they accept that (obviously comes from higher up).
xacc.ide - now with TabsToSpaces support
IronScheme - 1.0 alpha 4a out now (29 May 2008) -
Every day before I leave, I record what I did in this handy little application[^]. Should I ever need to document what I have done, it is all there in an easily digestible format. Plus, having this record makes performance review time a snap: I'm always able to give my manager a detailed breakdown of my past tasks and accomplishments, and why I feel they are raise-worthy. :-D Maybe a similar system could be of help to you (going forward).
Jon Sagara On a traffic light yellow means yield, and green means go. On a banana, it's just the opposite, yellow means go ahead, green means stop, and red means, where'd you get that banana? -- Mitch Hedberg .NET Blog | Personal Blog | Articles
Jon Sagara wrote:
this handy little application[^].
Todolist is an excellent tool. I have been using it since at least for more than three years. I am voting a '5' for this message.
Vasudevan Deepak Kumar Personal Homepage
Tech Gossips
A pessimist sees only the dark side of the clouds, and mopes; a philosopher sees both sides, and shrugs; an optimist doesn't see the clouds at all - he's walking on them. --Leonard Louis Levinson -
I am a software developer, and I have a manager. So who is best qualified to manage resources? So this morning I am greeted with a "We need a breakdown of what you did over the last 4 months, and how long each bit took you." Last time I checked it was a manager's (probably more specifically a project manager's) job to track these things. When I get given a task to do, either written or verbal, I just do it, and report my progress (normally verbally), and let them know when the task is completed. Do you really think I need to be the one doing the math on how long it took? The manager should have all that handy in my opinion. I also mentioned that to him and even made a suggestion on how to deal with this better in the future. So, basically I am stuck having to do this, as no one else clearly has any trackable data on tasks performed. I dont mind, I just feel its a waste of time. I thought I would use the SVN log for checkins across my name, but that information posted to Word, is an odd 170 pages! A message to all managers and wannabee managers: You have job, make sure you know what it entail!
xacc.ide - now with TabsToSpaces support
IronScheme - 1.0 alpha 4a out now (29 May 2008)How many does this manager manage? What kind of software are you writing? Is it a contracting gig?
regards, Paul Watson Ireland & South Africa
Fernando A. Gomez F. wrote:
At least he achieved immortality for a few years.
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I am a software developer, and I have a manager. So who is best qualified to manage resources? So this morning I am greeted with a "We need a breakdown of what you did over the last 4 months, and how long each bit took you." Last time I checked it was a manager's (probably more specifically a project manager's) job to track these things. When I get given a task to do, either written or verbal, I just do it, and report my progress (normally verbally), and let them know when the task is completed. Do you really think I need to be the one doing the math on how long it took? The manager should have all that handy in my opinion. I also mentioned that to him and even made a suggestion on how to deal with this better in the future. So, basically I am stuck having to do this, as no one else clearly has any trackable data on tasks performed. I dont mind, I just feel its a waste of time. I thought I would use the SVN log for checkins across my name, but that information posted to Word, is an odd 170 pages! A message to all managers and wannabee managers: You have job, make sure you know what it entail!
xacc.ide - now with TabsToSpaces support
IronScheme - 1.0 alpha 4a out now (29 May 2008)leppie wrote:
no one else clearly has any trackable data on tasks performed
Looks like your manager hasn't managed the project. /ravi
My new year resolution: 2048 x 1536 Home | Articles | My .NET bits | Freeware ravib(at)ravib(dot)com
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I am a software developer, and I have a manager. So who is best qualified to manage resources? So this morning I am greeted with a "We need a breakdown of what you did over the last 4 months, and how long each bit took you." Last time I checked it was a manager's (probably more specifically a project manager's) job to track these things. When I get given a task to do, either written or verbal, I just do it, and report my progress (normally verbally), and let them know when the task is completed. Do you really think I need to be the one doing the math on how long it took? The manager should have all that handy in my opinion. I also mentioned that to him and even made a suggestion on how to deal with this better in the future. So, basically I am stuck having to do this, as no one else clearly has any trackable data on tasks performed. I dont mind, I just feel its a waste of time. I thought I would use the SVN log for checkins across my name, but that information posted to Word, is an odd 170 pages! A message to all managers and wannabee managers: You have job, make sure you know what it entail!
xacc.ide - now with TabsToSpaces support
IronScheme - 1.0 alpha 4a out now (29 May 2008)leppie wrote:
but that information posted to Word, is an odd 170 pages!
Which is the perfect thing to hand to your manager with a little smile "here you go." [edit] In hardcopy, so he has to enter all the dates and times again by hand into his Excel spreadsheet! [/edit] Marc
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I eventually broke it down to 4 major tasks and just gave him a days spent breakdown. He said he will see if they accept that (obviously comes from higher up).
xacc.ide - now with TabsToSpaces support
IronScheme - 1.0 alpha 4a out now (29 May 2008)If they want more send the 170 page report instead :)
-- The Obliterator
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I am a software developer, and I have a manager. So who is best qualified to manage resources? So this morning I am greeted with a "We need a breakdown of what you did over the last 4 months, and how long each bit took you." Last time I checked it was a manager's (probably more specifically a project manager's) job to track these things. When I get given a task to do, either written or verbal, I just do it, and report my progress (normally verbally), and let them know when the task is completed. Do you really think I need to be the one doing the math on how long it took? The manager should have all that handy in my opinion. I also mentioned that to him and even made a suggestion on how to deal with this better in the future. So, basically I am stuck having to do this, as no one else clearly has any trackable data on tasks performed. I dont mind, I just feel its a waste of time. I thought I would use the SVN log for checkins across my name, but that information posted to Word, is an odd 170 pages! A message to all managers and wannabee managers: You have job, make sure you know what it entail!
xacc.ide - now with TabsToSpaces support
IronScheme - 1.0 alpha 4a out now (29 May 2008)Yeah he has been asked by a bean counter and doesn't know or can't track it himself. Best problem is someone elses so he's passed it to you. You could look at your code history / sign in dates, emails or just make it up; I suggest a combination of the above.
DEVELOPER DAY SCOTLAND 10th MAY 2008 http://www.developerdayscotland.com/[^]
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If they want more send the 170 page report instead :)
-- The Obliterator
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How many does this manager manage? What kind of software are you writing? Is it a contracting gig?
regards, Paul Watson Ireland & South Africa
Fernando A. Gomez F. wrote:
At least he achieved immortality for a few years.
Directly, just me, and he does the design (architectural) and HTML as well, so not strictly a manager, but he is still my manager! Life is good at the bottom of the food chain ;P
xacc.ide - now with TabsToSpaces support
IronScheme - 1.0 alpha 4a out now (29 May 2008) -
Directly, just me, and he does the design (architectural) and HTML as well, so not strictly a manager, but he is still my manager! Life is good at the bottom of the food chain ;P
xacc.ide - now with TabsToSpaces support
IronScheme - 1.0 alpha 4a out now (29 May 2008)That sounds weird man. My condolences. Anytime I hear "can you update your time from the past 6 months" I use
randand see if they notice. Most of the time, they don't and I don't hear about it until 6 months later when they want more time data. If they do notice I argue until they give up. I'm really stubborn on this issue. But I have a secure position, so I can be a bit stubborn.regards, Paul Watson Ireland & South Africa
Fernando A. Gomez F. wrote:
At least he achieved immortality for a few years.
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leppie wrote:
but that information posted to Word, is an odd 170 pages!
Which is the perfect thing to hand to your manager with a little smile "here you go." [edit] In hardcopy, so he has to enter all the dates and times again by hand into his Excel spreadsheet! [/edit] Marc
I hate to agree with you. It saddens me but from my experience you can hand them 170 pages of crap or 170 pages of accurate data and it makes no difference. They'll punch it in and not know the difference. The first few times I tried explaining but they didn't care.
regards, Paul Watson Ireland & South Africa
Fernando A. Gomez F. wrote:
At least he achieved immortality for a few years.
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I hate to agree with you. It saddens me but from my experience you can hand them 170 pages of crap or 170 pages of accurate data and it makes no difference. They'll punch it in and not know the difference. The first few times I tried explaining but they didn't care.
regards, Paul Watson Ireland & South Africa
Fernando A. Gomez F. wrote:
At least he achieved immortality for a few years.
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scrolls vertically in FF 2.0.0.14
You know, every time I tried to win a bar-bet about being able to count to 1000 using my fingers I always got punched out when I reached 4.... -- El Corazon
Wish I knew why. It is just basic HTML tags that worked until the new version of CP came along.
regards, Paul Watson Ireland & South Africa
Fernando A. Gomez F. wrote:
At least he achieved immortality for a few years.