This pattern is exhibited by engineers whose work is focused, consistent, and engaged. They have a knack for getting in the zone and shipping high quality work week in and week out.
Their work is reliable and predictable in nearly every way.
Professional software development is an endurance sport. Real value creation comes from small iterations delivered consistently over time.
How to Recognize It
- Work Log: Coding days are consistently above average.
- Work Log: Commits are small, frequent, and consistent.
- PRs: Sized for their stage of development (large PRs earlier in development and smaller PRs closer to the end of a sprint).
- Review Collaboration: High review participation.
- Project Timeline: Lower than average rework.
What to Do
As with all other productive behaviors, acknowledging and rewarding them encourages more of that behavior and sets an example for the rest of the team. Emphasize consistency and achievements, while also being careful not to reward potentially damaging behaviors such as all nighters and working weekends.
If increasing overall team velocity is important to you, helping everyone on your team find their zone is a foundational place to start. In your next team meeting, ask the team what might be holding them back from being in the zone more often and ask the person exemplifying the pattern to share what’s helped them.
Small changes in scheduling and reduction of interruptions can amount to significant increase in capacity. An essay from Paul Graham, titled “Maker’s Schedule, Manager’s Schedule” offers context and strategies for blocking meetings and creating space to get in the zone. Furthermore, consistently getting in the zone allows your team to ship at a sustainable pace without suffering from the burnout of heroic sprints.
- Author
Patryk Nowak
Backend developer
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