Competencies of exceptional and nonexceptional software engineers

The attributes of individual software engineers are perhaps the most important factors in determining the success of software development. Our goal is to identify the professional competencies that are most essential. In particular, we seek to identify the attributes that di erentiate between exceptional and non-exceptional software engineers. Phase 1 of our research is a qualitative study designed to identify competencies to be used in the quantitative analysis performed in Phase 2. In Phase 1, we conduct an in-depth review of ten exceptional and ten non-exceptional software engineers working for a major computing rm. We use biographical data and Myers-Briggs Type Indicator test results to characterize our sample. We conduct Critical Incident Interviews focusing on the subjects experience in software and identify 38 essential competencies of software engineers. Phase 2 of this study surveys 129 software engineers to determine the competencies that are di erential between exceptional and non-exceptional engineers. Years of experience in software is the only biographical predictor of performance. Analysis of the participants Q-Sort of the 38 competencies identi ed in Phase 1 reveals that nine of these competencies are di erentially related to engineer performance using a t-test. A ten variable Canonical Discrimination Function consisting of three biographical variables and seven competencies is capable of correctly classifying 81% of the cases. The statistical analyses indicate that exceptional engineers (at the company studied) can be distinguished by behaviors associated with an external focus | behaviors directed at people or objects outside the individual. Exceptional engineers are more likely than non-exceptional engineers to maintain a \big picture", have a bias for action, be driven by a sense of mission, exhibit and articulate strong convictions, play a pro-active role with management, and help other engineers. Authors addresses: R. Turley, Colorado Memory Systems, Inc., 800 S. Taft Ave., Loveland, CO 80537. Email: RICKTURL.COMEMSYS@CMS SMTP.gr.hp.com, (303) 635-6490, Fax: (303) 635-6613; J. Bieman, Department of Computer Science, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523. Email: [email protected], (303)4917096, Fax: (303) 491-6639. Copyright c 1993 by Richard T. Turley and James M. Bieman. Permission to copy without fee all or part of this material is granted provided that the copies are not made or distributed for direct commercial advantage, the copyright notice and the title of the publication and its date appear, and notice is given that copying is by permission of the author. Direct correspondence concerning this paper to: J. Bieman, Department of Computer Science, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, [email protected], (303)491-7096, Fax: (303)491-6639.