This issue came up recently ...
The problem is that productivity of software developers is hard to measure.
Thus, the guy who says "I am the most productive" the loudest and most effectively is credited with being the most productive.
We've all seen the guys who make a big deal about how complex, or important, or hard the projects they are working on are - or how much overtime they work, or whatever.
These guys are often inflexible, judgemental, and not teachable.
Yet, in the arena of office politics, they tend to win, because people tend to repeat things they've heard. Thus, the boss hears from -other- people that joe is smart, hard-working, working on a complex process, etc, etc.
Objective, Impartial measurement of the productivity of software developers would fix this. Of course, if you figure it out, let me know - we can bottle it and sell it and make billions. :-)
The thesis was that people who were deeply involved in troubled projects got a lot of recognition. They put in lots of overtime, flew to meetings and went on-site a lot to fix problems, getting a lot of face time with the customers and upper management, etc. etc.
When these projects were over, those who worked on them would usually have an aura of respectability around them. On the other hand, those who get their projects done on time, under budget and as promised are assumed to have had an easier assignment.
It was a _great_ article.
