The Developer Playbook - Five Ways We're Just Like Football Players

1. THE DEVELOPER
PLAYBOOK:
Five Ways We’re Just
Like Football Players

2. With any profession, there are always stereotypes associated with
a certain role. For instance, in football, the quarterback tends to
be the face of a team and can often be seen as the leader. The
wide receivers and running backs are known for their speed and
agility, but they depend on the size and strength of their offensive
line to be successful. Similar to football, there are a number of
developer positions in today’s workforce, each responsible for
certain functions.
With the big game in Minnesota taking place on Sunday, Actian, a
hybrid data management, integration and analytics company, has
developed a slideshow that makes parallels between football
players and developers. You might be surprised to find that
developers and football players
have more in common than you think.

3. Front-end Developer: The Quarterback

4. Front-end Developer: The Quarterback
The quarterback is usually in the spotlight at all times
and leads the team by making strategic plays. Part of
this involves surveying the field for open players and
acting quickly under pressure.
Similarly, the front-end developer has to assess the
landscape and make adjustments at the last minute.
They often receive praise when it’s all said and done
based on the aesthetic value they provide. In addition,
they’re tasked with dealing with cross-browser
compatibility issues and human-machine interaction.
They have to respond quickly to various factors and
make sure everything operates smoothly, just like a
quarterback.

5. Full-stack Developer: The Running Back

6. Full-stack Developer: The Running Back
The running back runs, catches, blocks and even throws
passes from time to time, making them a multifaceted
player. The full-stack developer also has a versatile role
within an enterprise, as they have to communicate and
act across both front-end and back-end operations.
Essentially, the full-stack developer can work cross-
functionally on the full “stack” of technology from the
server side to the client side, and are referred to as a
“jack of all trades.” They have the skills required to
create a fully functional web application and can often
be your best weapon.

7. The Web Developer: The Kicker

8. The Web Developer: The Kicker
The kicker is a special teams player who kicks the ball
to the opposing team in hopes of limiting their field
position. The kicker specializes in this area and does
not usually assume other roles on the team, unlike
many of their teammates who have hybrid positions.
On the same note, a web developer has a specific
focus area and is well-trained on the basics such as
HTML and CSS. Becoming a web developer is the
entry-point in the software engineering world, and
they are responsible for being accurate and consistent,
just like the kicker.

9. The Security Developer: The Defensive Tackle

10. The Security Developer: The Defensive Tackle
The defensive tackle evades the offensive lineman,
tackles ball carriers to prevent them from gaining
yardage and can even sack the quarterback if they play
their cards right. Their main job is to spot any gaps or
‘vulnerabilities’ in the offensive line and limit their
competitor’s progression up the field.
Similarly, security developers try to tackle any and all
security threats or vulnerabilities that could penetrate a
software system by exploiting and fixing security flaws.
These developers specialize in creating systems,
methods and procedures to test systems and uncover
vulnerabilities. They are often a company’s strongest line
of defense against cyber-attacks.

11. The Data Scientist: The Head Coach
A head coach watches hours of competitor footage and
analyzes plays to better inform their own play call
strategy. They are responsible for identifying patterns and
reviewing player statistics to create a strong plan before
kickoff. By leveraging this data, head coaches can
anticipate a competitor’s next move and make sure they
aren’t hit with too many surprises during the game.
Similarly, the data scientist has to write software
programs that analyze data sets. They’re tasked with
statistical analysis, data visualization and predictive
modeling to inform larger business objectives. This helps
their company “win” by offering actionable insights that
can help boost the bottom line.

12. Takes a team to get to the Super Bowl®
Regardless of who you’re rooting for this Sunday, each team member has an important
role to play. Just like the different players on the football team, developers also have to
work together in order to create the best possible outcome for their company and clients.
The success of the individual players is dependent on each one’s skills and expertise, but
the overall outcome depends on how well the team gets those individuals to work
together to produce a winning performance.

13. About Jeff Veis
Jeff Veis is SVP, Marketing at Actian. He is responsible for product,
solution, partner, brand and digital marketing initiatives on a global
basis. Jeff has over 20 years of enterprise software marketing experience
at high-growth companies.
He conceived and founded the Liberty Alliance Project creating a global
standard for federated digital identity. Prior to Actian, he held senior
level positions at Hewlett Packard Enterprise Software’s Big Data
Analytics and Information Management Group, SAP BusinessObjects,
BEA Systems, Sun Microsystems, ActiveGrid and Booz-Allen. He holds a
B.S. in Computer Science from Northwestern University and an MBA
from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.

14. THE DEVELOPER
PLAYBOOK:
Thank-You