Programmers Prefer Individually Assigned Tasks vs. Shared Responsibility (2403.15021v1)

Abstract: In traditional management, tasks are typically assigned to individuals, with each worker taking full responsibility for the success or failure of a task. In contrast, modern Agile, Lean, and eXtreme Programming practices advocate for shared responsibility, where an entire group is accountable for the outcome of a project or task. Despite numerous studies in other domains, the preferences of programmers have not been thoroughly analyzed. To address this gap, we conducted a survey featuring seven situational questions and collected the opinions of 120 software development practitioners. Our findings reveal that programmers prefer tasks to be assigned to them on an individual basis and appreciate taking personal responsibility for failures, as well as receiving individual rewards for successes. Understanding these preferences is crucial for project managers aiming to optimize team dynamics and ensure the successful completion of software projects.