February 12, 2015 at 12:37Interview with Olga Pavlova: “The crisis has not yet affected the site-building industry. You can work "
Olga Pavlova , co-owner of the consulting company “Dog @ Pavlova”, without a special post and mathematician by education, a frequent speaker in IT conferences, because there is something to say.
- This is not your first time attending SQAlab conferences, in particular, Analyst Days . How do you assess the significance of such events for the development of the IT field?
- It is necessary for novice specialists to self-educate somewhere and check their level with the average temperature in the hospital. SQALab conferences are perfect for this. So they are not about the market, but about education, of course.
- You call developers and testers very smart guys. At the same time, do not say good or bad. Do not you think that they need to be a little easier, because for many users it’s not always clear what is “clear day” for developers?
- The mind of developers is just a natural phenomenon. Sometimes useful, often resembling a natural disaster, but definitely uncontrollable or pacifying. The problem is not in the mind. The problem is overconfidence, whose legs grow out of a small and relatively prosperous life experience, a very homogeneous social environment and greenhouse working conditions. As a result, many (not all) developers behave like elephants in a china shop. It should be noted that elephants are very confident in their rationality. This is in our irrational world (never a metaphor, the irrationality of man has been scientifically proven)! In general, developers tend to pretend that they are not people, but robots. It would be funny if it did not interfere with work. But, I draw your attention to the fact that this is not a reason to simplify. This is an occasion to study the terrible and the incomprehensible: people. And the first step, many techies will have to admit that they don’t understand a damn thing in people. It will be painful and difficult, but they can handle it, smart ones.
- Are there any specialists who, even after the developer has handed over the project, make it easier for the mass user? If not, do not you think that the need for them has matured? Still, it’s worthless to ask such subtle people as developers to simplify it after the work done, probably many perceive this as a personal insult
- In general, it is not very clear what the project “handed over” is. Released into the real world? So, only here, from the point of view of this real world, the life of the project begins. Of course, alterations also begin. Well, take them as the pressure of a cruel rink of evolution, if you really want to suffer. Evolution is ruthless, it makes no sense to argue with it, there will be alterations, your personal relations with a specific button and architectural solution - few people care.
Specialists who turn crooked oblique zombies into a living organism are called, for example, product managers. Under them or next to a crowd of people: designers, market analysts, UX specialists, etc., etc. In general, despicable humanitarians, it is not clear what they are doing.
And about simplicity. It's actually hellishly hard to do - simple. Pretty harsh professional challenge. Not everyone, however, feels this complexity, but it also trains.
- In the report, which was announced at AnalystDays 4 , you argue that many teams "are used to completing an order in the notorious two weeks." Where does such a stereotype come from and is it really possible to fully develop an IT project for such a period?
- This is such an irony that is well understood by developers. Ask almost anyone how long it takes to develop a new feature. The typical answer is “Two weeks.” Well psychologically verified, by the way: in two weeks, either the need will disappear, or the customer will forget, or more important tasks will appear. Hear the phrase "two weeks" from the developer - turn on the siren and the red storm light: anxiety, anxiety, the wolf carried away a hare.
- In your opinion, can a developer argue with a customer if he asks to make changes to the order that will obviously destroy the project or destroy its attractiveness? What risks does this approach entail for a developer?
“And maybe it is.” But you need to be able to argue. Pounding at one point, not trying to figure out the arguments of the second side - this is not to argue. The first step is to understand your opponent. And if you understand, if you admit that his idea has a right to exist, then compare alternative realities, show the pros and cons and help make the right decision.
- Now business in Russia is experiencing, to put it mildly, not the best time. Has anything changed due to this in the interaction of a business on the Internet with users?
- That's when it will change, then we will understand that yes, the hard times have come for business in Russia. While the previous total rudeness, silence, petty fraud and no respect for the client remain. Exceptions are monstrously rare. Let's see if they become mass. There is hope.
- Do you have any forecast for 2015? What awaits the site building industry in Russia, Ukraine, Belarus?
- I do not make in advance. While it is possible to work, it is necessary and interesting. And we'll see.
- This is not your first time attending SQAlab conferences, in particular, Analyst Days . How do you assess the significance of such events for the development of the IT field?
- It is necessary for novice specialists to self-educate somewhere and check their level with the average temperature in the hospital. SQALab conferences are perfect for this. So they are not about the market, but about education, of course.
- You call developers and testers very smart guys. At the same time, do not say good or bad. Do not you think that they need to be a little easier, because for many users it’s not always clear what is “clear day” for developers?
- The mind of developers is just a natural phenomenon. Sometimes useful, often resembling a natural disaster, but definitely uncontrollable or pacifying. The problem is not in the mind. The problem is overconfidence, whose legs grow out of a small and relatively prosperous life experience, a very homogeneous social environment and greenhouse working conditions. As a result, many (not all) developers behave like elephants in a china shop. It should be noted that elephants are very confident in their rationality. This is in our irrational world (never a metaphor, the irrationality of man has been scientifically proven)! In general, developers tend to pretend that they are not people, but robots. It would be funny if it did not interfere with work. But, I draw your attention to the fact that this is not a reason to simplify. This is an occasion to study the terrible and the incomprehensible: people. And the first step, many techies will have to admit that they don’t understand a damn thing in people. It will be painful and difficult, but they can handle it, smart ones.
- Are there any specialists who, even after the developer has handed over the project, make it easier for the mass user? If not, do not you think that the need for them has matured? Still, it’s worthless to ask such subtle people as developers to simplify it after the work done, probably many perceive this as a personal insult
- In general, it is not very clear what the project “handed over” is. Released into the real world? So, only here, from the point of view of this real world, the life of the project begins. Of course, alterations also begin. Well, take them as the pressure of a cruel rink of evolution, if you really want to suffer. Evolution is ruthless, it makes no sense to argue with it, there will be alterations, your personal relations with a specific button and architectural solution - few people care.
Specialists who turn crooked oblique zombies into a living organism are called, for example, product managers. Under them or next to a crowd of people: designers, market analysts, UX specialists, etc., etc. In general, despicable humanitarians, it is not clear what they are doing.
And about simplicity. It's actually hellishly hard to do - simple. Pretty harsh professional challenge. Not everyone, however, feels this complexity, but it also trains.
- In the report, which was announced at AnalystDays 4 , you argue that many teams "are used to completing an order in the notorious two weeks." Where does such a stereotype come from and is it really possible to fully develop an IT project for such a period?
- This is such an irony that is well understood by developers. Ask almost anyone how long it takes to develop a new feature. The typical answer is “Two weeks.” Well psychologically verified, by the way: in two weeks, either the need will disappear, or the customer will forget, or more important tasks will appear. Hear the phrase "two weeks" from the developer - turn on the siren and the red storm light: anxiety, anxiety, the wolf carried away a hare.
- In your opinion, can a developer argue with a customer if he asks to make changes to the order that will obviously destroy the project or destroy its attractiveness? What risks does this approach entail for a developer?
“And maybe it is.” But you need to be able to argue. Pounding at one point, not trying to figure out the arguments of the second side - this is not to argue. The first step is to understand your opponent. And if you understand, if you admit that his idea has a right to exist, then compare alternative realities, show the pros and cons and help make the right decision.
- Now business in Russia is experiencing, to put it mildly, not the best time. Has anything changed due to this in the interaction of a business on the Internet with users?
- That's when it will change, then we will understand that yes, the hard times have come for business in Russia. While the previous total rudeness, silence, petty fraud and no respect for the client remain. Exceptions are monstrously rare. Let's see if they become mass. There is hope.
- Do you have any forecast for 2015? What awaits the site building industry in Russia, Ukraine, Belarus?
- I do not make in advance. While it is possible to work, it is necessary and interesting. And we'll see.