Software development — and software developers — aren’t as special as we in the industry like to think. But the work asked of software developers is different than most other professional work. Software development requires fluency in multiple languages (human and/or machine) to create novel outputs that meet someone else’s needs. While it pays very well, burnout is rampant. Why doesn’t anyone do something about this?
In The Psychology of Software Teams, Dr. Cat Hicks calls this “Brain-in-Jar” thinking. Too often, organizations and the people who lead them treat software developers as interchangeable pieces. They’re brains that generate code, preferably in isolation, not fully-developed humans. But, of course, real life developers are human and they’re more likely to thrive when their psychological needs are met.
The Psychology of Software Teams blends developer anecdotes and academic research to present an easy-to-understand of where current practices fall short and how the future can be better. While it doesn’t contain this One Weird Trick™ to magically fix everything all at once, every chapter ends with reflective questions to give the reader a practical takeaway.
While the book is well-founded in scientific research, you don’t need to have a doctorate in psychology to understand it. I remember almost nothing from the 7:30 AM intro to psychology class that I took 21 years ago, and I found the book understandable and easy to read.
If you’re a software developer or someone who leads (or regularly interacts with) developers, you need to read this book. The Psychology of Software Teams is available now.
