ZyphoodOct 5, 2025
/\ndy

want to know the real, honest, dirty little secret about what makes a successful, high performing software development team?

Decent and skilled human beings.

That's it. Apparently it's a really high bar to both know what you're doing and not be an ass.

Oct 4, 2025 at 12:16pmMastodon for iOS
Show threadTane Piper ⁂Oct 4, 2025

@PragmaticAndy @RuthMalan my team is me, PO and two devs. We are able to deliver consistently, work closely with multiple stakeholders using our platform, and the feedback is we listen well and are easy to work with.

Like to say it's two simple things - know your craft, and don't be a dick about it.

Show threadSeth RichardsOct 4, 2025
@PragmaticAndy Agree, and I think that both the decency and the skill are contagious. If you can establish a norm of “don’t be an a-hole, and share your knowledge with your teammates so they can grow”, I’ve found most people will rise to meet it.
Show threadKeith WilliamsOct 4, 2025
@PragmaticAndy A software team is closer to a band making music than a factory making widgets. You need to have A culture and everyone needs to be playing IN TUNE to that culture. One bad note can ruin the performance. Honestly, even a "defective" culture CAN WORK as long as everyone is the same kind of "defective".
Show threadWild Eyed Boy From FreecloudOct 4, 2025
@PragmaticAndy I would add one more item: treat them well. Why is this so fucking difficult to understand? Right: greed.
Show threadDavid Chisnall (*Now with 50% more sarcasm!*)Oct 4, 2025

@PragmaticAndy

Step one: Hire kind and competent people.

Step two: Trust them.

Show threadSteve's PlaceOct 4, 2025

@PragmaticAndy The worst company I worked for had me hooked for years because the people I worked with were outstanding human beings. I wrote some amazing code for them because I truly enjoyed working with them.

A certain dick of a VP, not so much.

Show threadAlex OrloffOct 4, 2025
@PragmaticAndy combined with the dedication that only comes with belief in the thing you are building, that's basically the entire recipe
Show threadCavyherdOct 4, 2025

@PragmaticAndy

I would also add: "competent, kind, & intelligent management." But, yes.

And also: s/software development/any complex human endeavor/

Show threadPhilip Mallegol-HansenOct 5, 2025
@PragmaticAndy You know, I thought of a third and a fourth, but after a second thought, everything I can think of is really just a subcategory of being decent or skilled.
Show threadThree plus or minus fiveOct 5, 2025
@PragmaticAndy @lisamelton
I would add: people who either care about the work or are treated well for their labor.