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Forming a Winning Programming Team. Dr. Sallie Henry Computer Science Department Virginia Tech henry@cs.vt.edu. Necessary Conditions for a Winning Team. A dedicated coach (willing to spend at least 10 hours a week) Dedicated team members (even if they won’t make the team THIS year)
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Forming a Winning Programming Team Dr. Sallie Henry Computer Science Department Virginia Tech henry@cs.vt.edu
Necessary Conditions for a Winning Team • A dedicated coach (willing to spend at least 10 hours a week) • Dedicated team members (even if they won’t make the team THIS year) • Support from either the Department, the local ACM or external source • Do NOT expect miracles the first year
Step 1 • Hold Local contest • Individuals are competing against each other • Motivate the students to participate (prizes, food, etc.) • 4-6 problems (of different types) • 3 hours
Step 2 • Selections of team(s) • Choose at least 6 people • Based on • Who wins the local • Which problems are tackled first • Year in school (freshman are great)
Step 3 • Schedule at least 4 mini-practices • Each 2 hours • Have 2 problems for each session • Put people in teams of 3 (1 machine)
Step 4 • Form teams based on the following • Strengths of team members (you don’t want 3 people with the same background) • I like a Mathematics person and an Engineer • Look at Personalities (see who can work well with others)
Step 5 • Have one 5 hour practice each week • Compete like a real competition’ • Use last year’s regional problems • Feed the team during practice (get someone to pay for food. • Have students estimate how long each problem will take
Step 5 (con’t) • Have another student on the team check the results prior to a submission • Take away egos • Show them how bad their estimates are • Attendance is mandatory
Step 6 • Give homework • Have EACH team member write a solution to each practice problem • Collect each problem and source listing in a binder
Step 7 • The next day • Have one hour session • Discuss how to solve the problems • Discuss the problem selection process • Have members share ideas
Step 8 • Enter at least 2 teams in the regional contest (more if you can) • Make it clear which team is expected to win (make one team the strongest) • The other teams are JV (in training for next year’s contest) • Early bedtime the night before the region
Step 9 • WIN THE REGION
Step 10 • Practices after Christmas • Each week, one 5 hour practice • The JV teams must attend • Use prior finals problems • Homework continues and the binders are getting bigger
Step 11 • Trip to Library • Find formula books, algorithm books, etc. • Assign readings for each student • Have the team understand the KNOW the information in the books
Step 12 • Get team ready for finals • Buy the team “shirts” with school name on it so that they can look like a TEAM during finals.
Step 13 • HAVE FUN • Meet people (your peers) from other institutions • Look like a team!! • Take the team out for a nice dinner the night before Finals. • Early bedtime
Step 14 • Recruit MONEY • To by food (breakfast, lunch and/or dinner) during practices • Buy necessary books for the finals • Buy “team shirts” • Pay for the NICE dinner
Step 15 • How to get money • Department • Local ACM • Organizations who hire your students
Software DevelopmentTeams Evaluation Sallie Henry Virginia Tech Henry@cs.vt.edu
Software Engineering Team Models • Individual Programmer – Mills • Chief Programmer – Mills • Surgical Team – Brooks • Egoless Team - Weinberg • Extreme Programming - Beck
Belbin’s Team Roles • History • Developed by Meredith Belbin in 1981 at Henley, England after nine years of study • Designed to define and predict success of management teams • Widely used in Europe • Applied successfully, but widely criticized. • Measured with the “Self Perception Inventory” (SPI)
Belbin’s Team Roles • For each individual, there may be multiple roles • Belbin: “Primary” and “Secondary” roles • If primary role is already filled, may gravitate toward secondary role • “Strength” of roles.
The “Self-Perception Inventory” (SPI) • Appeared first in Belbin’s 1981 Book • Criticisms • Computer Science Validity • Defenses • Positive Field Results • Confirmed Construct Validity • Significant Experimental Results • Use in Industry
Previous Results • Shaper / Leadership • One is better than two or none. • Plant • Presence is better than absence • Monitor – Evaluator • No conclusive results • flawed experiment ?
The Company Worker • The implementer • Theory suggests that this role may affect success • But this premise was not backed up experimentally