From the Ask Tom mailbag –

Question:
I understand the concept of Time Span as it relates to a manufacturing environment, based on the the examples you used in your workshop. Our company is a software company, we write code, software as a service based in the cloud. Having trouble translating Time Span to this model.

Response:
The first piece of translation is to calibrate your production activity. In a manufacturing environment, production (individual direct output) is most often calibrated as a Stratum I role (Time Span tasks – 1 day-3 months).

Software programming (production of software code) requires a higher level of capability. Task assignments to write code that produce specific software functions, appear to fall within a short Time Span. A coding project might take two weeks to construct, code, de-bug, and test. Seems like a short Time Span task. But in the role of a programmer, the longest Time Span task (which calibrates the complexity of the role) may have less to do with programming and more to do with learning.

I often ask programmers, if you stopped learning about new routines, new programming objects, how long would your code be effectively written, current with the state of the art. The joking response is five minutes, but the real answer is somewhere between three months and one year. It’s not that their published code would stop working, but there are more efficient routines and ways of manipulating code invented every day. Time frame to obsolescence is somewhere between three months and one year.

A good example of this is the move to HTML 5. HTML 5 solves the current dilemma in the way video is handled on the internet, particularly with mobile computing, in a dispute between Apple and Adobe. Adobe would like all video to be handled using its Flash player, Apple says HTML 5 makes the flash player obsolete (and refuses to support it in their iPad and iPhone products). It will take some time for adoption of HTML 5, but programmers are having to learn its new routines. A year from now, programming code that ignores HTML 5 will still work, but fall short of generally accepted programming standards. So, the longest Time Span task, for a programmer, is not necessarily producing code, but continuously learning about new developments in code construction, requires minimum Stratum II capability (cumulative processing).

But writing code is not the whole story. A simple stand-alone function is useless. Software typically contains hundreds of functions collected together in a system that creates value for the user. Stringing those functions together requires Stratum III capability, a serial state of thinking. So, you may have programmers, but somewhere in your personnel mix, you will have a manager, also likely a skilled programmer, who decides how the functions are put together.

But a software system is not the whole story. Software systems, to be truly valuable are integrated with other software systems, with interoperability hooks, not only among internal software systems, but external software systems, like Facebook and Twitter. This integration will likely require a manager with Stratum IV (parallel processing) capability.

All of this discussion centers around production. Software companies have other disciplines which must also be integrated, like sales and customer service. Effectively integrating those systems into the mix requires Stratum IV and Stratum V capability.

Levels of work
Stratum IV – Parallel processing
Stratum III – Serial processing
Stratum II – Cumulative processing
Stratum I – Declarative processing

From the Ask Tom mailbag –

Question:
In your Time Span workshop, you say that people max out during their lifetimes, related to capability. Can a person’s situation stunt growth so the individual can never grow to their maximum potential?

Response:
Happens all the time. Sometimes, those factors are internal, some external. Elliott Jaques, Requisite Organization, now available from Amazon, identified these factors as critical to success. Any of these could be a deal-breaker, preventing success. Any of these factors can have an impact on a person’s applied capability related to maximum potential.

1. Skill – without a specific skill, I may not be able to reach my potential. If you are my manager and you recognize this, you would likely send me to training.
2. Interest, or passion for the work – I will be interested in or passionate about work on which I place a high value. If I place a high value of a type of work, it is likely I will be interested or passionate about it. If I do not place a high value on a type of work, it is likely I will NOT be interested or passionate about it. If you are my manager, we will talk about values and you will most likely place me in a role with work on which I place a high value.
3. Reasonable behavior – comes in two flavors, one is positive, one is dark. The positive side of reasonable behavior is my habits. There are habits I have, that contribute to my success, there are habits I have that inhibit my success. My habits will contribute or inhibit the application of my ability. If you are my manager, we will talk about my habits.

   The dark side of reasonable behavior, Elliott described as Minus-T. The “T” stands for Temperament. Most psychometric assessments attempt to tie specific behaviors to temperament. These instruments will typically divide behaviors (temperament) into four quadrants and assign a letter or color to designate that temperament. While Elliott observed no positive correlation any “normal” temperament, he did observe that an extreme negative temperament could be a deal killer for success. Extreme negative temperament might relate to elements like defensiveness or arrogance.

Any of these factors can get in the way. Some may have internal causes, others external. AND I expect the manager to pay enough attention to tell the difference.