The developer is my friend...

So...a new post has been a long time coming...

Wow what a busy start to the new year....

ok here goes...

I have found that it's good to have friends in the dev team...I mean real friends like 'go out socially outside of work kinda friends'.
(Yes I know context people..you can stop pinging my brain cell..that may depend on your context..distrubuted teams and all that..)
However, I have been fortunate in the past that I have been able to call some developers I've worked with 'friends'.

Why do I think this helped me?

I think it's easier to be open with each other, less formal - is there more free thinking? - maybe, there's a definate trust, perhaps more inclined to listen to each other...more comfortable perhaps...you can have some banter without offending - knowing the other persons boundaries. Knowing and understanding each others strengths and weaknesses. I may have got this all wrong, but I think it becomes easier to push together to the 'common' goal. You do more downtime (non-working environments) discussions, questioning, thinking, helping?...

You don't have to be friends to achieve this, but I think these traits get enhanced if you do...

Having just read Joel's post here I think it's maybe about getting good regular feedback, growing together and building relationships... does that mean friends?


Are you friends with your developers? Does it help you?

p.s. Does anybody know of any MS Research project/ Cem kaner article about this?...
Well any justification for pub time right? 'We must go down the pub because the research suggests...'