Sunday, March 23, 2025

Job titles in tech compared with other collaborative work in creative industries

Ok, that sounds like a boring and almost academic title, but this is about how filmmaking, food, and events can help me think about creating software.


Look at all the names that are displayed in the credits at the end of a movie.
So many names, each with a specific title, and each title implying a specific set of tasks. Those tasks may each require a specific set of skills, talents, and abilities.
It's not just a random assortment of names under a general title such as "team" (or "organized by").

Those titles aren't just labels or descriptions; they are also signals to others working in the production.
They also serve as a way to clearly communicate with people outside the group. This includes customers, partners, contractors, people they are doing business with, and the wider industry (including potential future employers and collaborators).

The roles/titles all have defined meanings, even if they're unclear to people outside the industry. (Do you know what a "key grip", "best boy", or "2nd Assistant Director" is or does?) Despite the different titles in the credits, these people may also call themselves 'filmmakers'. Even if they're not the director or doing everything themselves, they are still contributing a vital part to the process.

Or consider a large professional kitchen. Again, everyone has very specific roles that may also require particular skills or knowledge.
But during service, everyone in the kitchen is a 'chef' and is called that. Sometimes, this also includes front-of-house staff while in the kitchen.

The shared title is a mark of respect and acknowledges the need to collaborate and the values that different people bring. This is especially true when only one person is the public face of the work that took many.

Then there's the software industry.

Every company seems to have their own job titles with their own meanings. These may or may not bear any resemblance to the use of the same title by another organization.

Software "teams" are notorious for being highly separate and communicating poorly with the broader organization. There's also rarely a shared, collective responsibility that cuts across teams. 

Many people working in software creation are also dismissive of people in other roles. "Oh, they're just in the [department or team name]." Or, "They're just a [job title]."


These are the thoughts and impressions I have gained throughout my career.

I'm sure it's not everyone, but I hope it improves.


I enjoy working on solo projects, but I also like the idea of once again working on a large, cross-discipline team to help create great software.
Here's to hoping I find that soon.

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