Everyone has quirks, software developers included.
Some may even say they are quirkier than most.
But what does that mean?
And are there any quirks that are actually related to being a good developer?
The Quirky Software Developer
There are. But each role in software development is different. At Paladin & Archer, we’ve mapped out numerous developer roles and the traits that fit them best. Our primary tool, the Trait Spectrum, is used to determine these things. Over the last several years, we have analyzed hundreds of software engineers and other developers in an effort to refine our system.
Would you like to find out what role you fit best in?
First, let’s talk about what our tool measures.
Carl Jung (pictured on the left in the image at the top) was a founder of modern psychology along with Sigmund Freud and William James. During his research and practice in the early 1900s, he observed several significant differences in people. From these differences, he established psychological types. Katharine Briggs and Isabel Myers contributed to this material, and in 1944 created the MBTI, the first self-administered personality test that the average person could understand and benefit from.
Jung described four major scales of personality. These scales have traditionally been used as dichotomies, meaning that a person is dominant in one of two traits. They are:
- Extraversion and Introversion
- Sensation and Intuition
- Thinking and Feeling
- Judging and Perceiving
Jung established the ideas of Extraversion and Introversion (E vs. I), explaining that Extraverts are externally focused while Introverts are internally focused. Despite how popular these terms have become, many people still hold misconceptions about them. Introverts, for instance, are not antisocial, and some Extraverts can be shy. The most telling difference has to do with energy consumption and replenishment. Extraverts are drained by a lack of stimulation; they recharge through novel interactions and exciting activities. Introverts are drained by high-intensity activities and meeting new people; they recharge through internally-stimulating activities (like reading) and interacting with familiar people.
The second scale based on Jung’s research is Sensation vs. Intuition (S vs. N). Sensory types, or Sensors, make up the vast majority of people. The information they take in through their senses is used to construct their view of reality. They rely on established facts, follow conventional norms, and are strong in common sense. Conversely, Intuitives rely primarily on their intuition to guide them. Their reality is constructed based on abstract information, such as ideas, feelings, and impressions. They are outside-the-box thinkers who can find connections other people miss and create theories about how things work.
The third scale is Thinking vs. Feeling (T vs F). Everyone has emotions and reasoning ability, but Thinkers tend to trust logic above their own feelings. This may cause them to seem callous, but they are simply trying to be fair and objective. Meanwhile, Feelers may seem to avoid confrontation. They are simply trying to be tactful and maintain positive relationships without hurting anyone.
The fourth scale, recognized by Myers and Briggs, is Judging vs. Perceiving (J vs P). Judgers are thorough planners with goals they steadily worked toward, while Perceivers are spontaneous improvisers who excel at taking advantage of opportunities that arise.
Take the Trait Spectrum to find out what your strongest personality traits are!
This information, mapped to the SPHERE, will allow you to see activity sectors that come naturally to you. You can then compare those to specific developer roles to see which ones fit you best.
To take the Trait Spectrum and discover your placement in the SPHERE, please contact us at support@developerlevel.com.