From:	GALAXY::DOWNWARD     "James Downward" 29-JUN-1989 10:20:58.60
To:	@CSD
CC:	
Subj:	Job Standards

I want each of you to mail me, what you think a job description of
your job catagory should be by tomorrow (the sooner the better).
I do not want a list of things you do.  I want a generic discription 
of what you think a job performance standards (job description) 
should be.  You may respond to any of the below (especially your own 
category please.  If your category is not in the list below, please
write up something for it!!).
	
	Programmer/Analyst or S/W Engineer
	Senior Programmer/Analyst or Senior S/W Engineer
	Research Programmer/Analyst or Research S/W Engineer
	Operator I
	Operator II

My goal is that our group have agreed upon standards of what is 
expected at each job category both so that people working withing
a given category can be expected to meet the same standards and so
that they know what is expected of them for promotion to the next
category.

Note I am not interested in specific job duties or skills, I am 
looking for generic discriptions as the the observable attributes 
which we might expect to associate with each job category.

Because I am basically a nice guy, I'll give you an example of
what I am looking for.  Here follows my first attempt at defining
what is job standard for a Senior Programmer:

  As a Senior Programmer/Analyst or Senior Software Engineer, J. 
Smith is expected to be someone who is worthy of emulation by others 
in both job performance and job attitude. While a Senior 
Programmer/Analyst is expected to exercise moderate independence and 
initiative in the performance of their job related duties, they are 
also expected to work closely with their supervisors and keep them 
informed in some detail as to the work they are doing.

While they are not yet acknowledged leaders and innovators in their 
technical fields they should be striving to become such.  They must 
be constantly improving their technical skills, job knowledge, and 
job reputation, so that they will be qualified to be promoted at some 
future time to Research Programmer/Analyst or Research S/W Engineer.  
In addition to improving technical skills, they must utilize the 
independance and initiative granted by their supervisor to improve 
their organizational and management skills.

   While it is hard to place quantitative measures on the performance
standards for a Senior Programmer/Analyst, at minimum a Senior
Programmer/Analyst or Senior Software Engineer in the CSD is expected 
to:

       o  Establish and follow externally visible, high-performance
          standards which are worthy of emulation by others.
       o  Produce exceptionally well structured, commented,
          documented, and correctly operating programs.
       o  Perform high-quality work with only moderate external
          supervision.
       o  Be highly productive and reliable.
       o  Show good judgement and discretion.
       o  Work well under moderate pressure and work with their
          supervisor to prioritize competing demands for time.
       o  Write quality technical memos, project reports, user's
	  manuals, proposals, etc.  The format, organization, and
	  style is expected to have high technical content and also
	  is expected to meet KMSF standards for technical memos,
	  proposals, manuals, etc.