developer characters
Recently on Golem was an article about characterizing a developer (it’s written in german). In the article the author Maja Hoock talked about the problem that very opposite characters can influence the software development process negative – from my own experience, that’s true and sometimes it’s not true.
In conclusion, it is important to know what developer characters work in a team. At this point the article introduced two people, Matthias Wittum and Christian Rehn, who had an idea how to call the characters (ninja, sorcerer, gardener and more) and how to distinguish between them. Kindly, they did not keep their thoughts for themselves but have created a website in english language with a self-test 🙂
From this point on the thing became really funny and interesting. The character titles reminded me of a hero group from a role playing game like Wizardry. I was really busy with the self-test because you must agree to a maximum of five statements within a group of different statements. Even if you would say that other statements fits to you and your opinion … just five please.
At the end I got my result: The Technician. Well, that doesn’t sound glorious. Sounds a bit like the person who is fixing my car or the elevator. Fire fighter would be cool or even better, a Ninja. No matter, I will check if Technician was the right result.
Just one thought at the end of this blog. Perhaps there is a question in your next job interview like “What developer character are you?“. So what’s your answer? Let me know, hope you will have the same fun as I had …
Michael
Yeah, cool Test, Michael!
I am also an engineer. ?
I like the motto "There's nothing to fear for an engineer!" 🙂
I like those structures and classifications. It makes me attentive of my own strengths and weaknesses.
It also reminds me that there are tasks where different skills are needed than the ones I have.
Especially in gamification it's interesting which types of players are around. Here is a test in different languages. And here is the Bartle test. (For those you like questionnaires... 🙂 )
Is the motto for a magician "Be afraid, be very afraid"?.
Or perhaps - do not meddle in the affairs of wizards, for they are quick to anger and not all that subtle.
If you are sorcerer or magician and your motto is "you shall not pass", perhaps you write a lot of firewall software 😉
That's my response to the first draft of programs for review. "You shall not pass my code review."
Yes - that was fun, Michael. Apparently I'm a Firefighter.
Do not bring a fire ax to work. Could be a security incident 😉
Interesting, it put me in the Craftsman box.
Interesting word "box" ... that reminds me on one thought I had after finishing the self-test: Thinking in categories and boxes is typical in the west. Try to talk about categories and boxes with a chinese daoist monk 😉
Actually the term 'box' was an attempt at irony. The best approach is the one that’s the most suited to the problem at hand. Sometimes that’s ninja stealth tactics, other times it’s a sledgehammer. It takes experience to know the difference.
Does that make me a software monk?
Edit: But the result is not far off from my favourite style of working, so I still think it's a pretty good test.
"software monk" sounds like a character from Shadowrun or Ghost in the Shell. A mix of different characters can be explosive or boring. I agree with you, it's really a question what you need.
For non-german speakers, note that the test is in English. There are also construction managers
That was an important note. I updated the blog. Thanks.
Hi Michael Keller,
Thank you for sharing this gem, now I want a card deck for me!
Seems like reading all Uncle Bob books is being effective since I have fallen into the Craftsman card!
Magician. Seems about right. http://design-types.net/result.html?type=PAPT
I wonder how these categorisations map to MBTI categorisations?
The Technician (SAPT).
What can I say? The first three letters are a match 😀
me too. I got Technician!
Me too.
And I agree broadly with it.
The Ninja (SCPT)
really surprised
Craftsman (SCIT) 🙂
The Scientist (PAIT).
Somewhat agree/disagree both:)
^ The Construction Manager - motto "Getting things done". Whole description fits I think 🙂 Nice test
I thought this would be something like The 14 characters you meet as a coder but for the SAP world. 🙂
Disappointing! 🙂
"Developers often think of themselves as the only sane person in the room. This, as you may know, is also a trait of the clinically insane." I like the introduction 🙂 Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for sharing this self-test, Michael!
It determined – with ticking checkboxes quickly – that I’m a Construction Manager (SAPR) like some others who already chimed in. The description fits fairly well, I think.
Cheers
Baerbel
Strange - these answers would change for me day by day and job I held. But I missed this the first time. Taking it today I am the Magician. Not sure if that's good or not. But cool title.
Every party needs a magician - ok, perhaps I played too much computer role games in the past 😉 But hey, strange times, always good to know a magician. Either for entertainment or for miracles.
I took the test in 2018 and I took it again today. Back then I was a Firefighter - today I am a Craftsman.
I was hoping, a little, for Magician.