How to handle issues with multiple project managers giving inputs to single developer?

Question

I work on a project development where there are multiple project managers.

One manager gives requirements, another manager gives approach, one more manager resolves external dependencies required for project.

Each manager invloves in many other projects also, so they are forgetting things in this project, and causing confustion in meetings.

Like I have something in my mind, each manager have different things in their brain about the project. How to handle projects where multiple managers and single developer project to make all managers inline with the progress in project.

We have scrum meetings also but out of an hour, they will spend just 5 minutes on my project.

It is very clear for other project developers who are nearer to me. One manager gives requirement to another manager, that another manager gives requirement to developer but in my case, multiple managers giving inputs to single developer. If one manger gives input, all other managers forgets about that, and when meetings happen, they will confuse me.

Answer 1

In this kind of situation I like to focus on reflecting the pain.

For example, you could produce a short status report on progress and detail the issues that have slowed you down.

For example:

Progress on the project has been a little slow this week. I started on requirement X on Monday but on Tuesday it was requested that I use a different approach. That took half a day to adapt to and so my output was reduced. On Wednesday I was asked to return to the original approach and once again that reduced my productivity.

The trick is to do this in a non-confrontational, reporting tone. If it is perceived as an attack then people will get defensive. But if they see it as the highlighting of inefficiency then they may well do something about it.

Another useful trick is to use information radiators. An example is to have a list of tasks you are assigned in priority order visible on a wall near your desk. That way, when people speak to you they have more context. When they ask you to do something, they must take in to account the other things that you are already being asked to do.

Answer 2

The developers should be protected from people just random people giving them work by some kind of development manager or lead. They should triage the work so there is one source of work for the developer.

You mentioned scrum meetings, do you have some kind of backlog where work is set and prioritized? Do you really use scrum, because it doens't sound like it? If so, it sounds like the way you use scrum needs looking at and refining.

I would be inclined to gently challenge whats going on. Has it always been done that way, or are these people's egos driving them, or are they just ignoring proper procedures? As a developer myself, being pulling in multiple directions is a recipe for a disaster. Maybe you need to speak to someone more senior then these managers (who may not know what is going on) to back you up. Learn from mistakes and improve your processes.

Ultimately, it sounds like these three managers just need talking to about how their way of working is destructive and to work out a better way for everyone to work together. Communication is key. They may not realize it's a problem.

Answer 3

My recommendation:

• Create a spec document where all the parties contribute and come to an agreement
• Have regular but laser focus meetings with all the parties involved

Your issue is not about getting input from many people, that happens in many cases, but they have to understand everyone’s perspective and decide together what’s best for the project based on everyone’s input.