I notice from your web-site that you are subject to Laboratory accreditation and regulatory standards. Part of these standards will almost certainly be documentation and implementation of standards, policies and design methodologies (most likely via SOPs and Policy documents) along with Quality Assurance audits. You might also be subject to the FDA 21 CFR 11 Electronics Records and Signatures rules. Your supervisor is most likely subject to these and must bring your department into line with these (or your organisation's) standards.

Having stated that, all standards require acceptance and commitment from the staff involved, rather than a stealth-based implementation: certainly if 21 CFR 11 is being implemented, you need to be trained and updated on its implications.

Where standards are implemented, it doesn't necessarily imply that you must all do the same thing, just that what you do is documented, repeatable and reconstructable and matches recognised standards.

You might want to find out from your supervisor the reasoning behind the implementation of the 'standards' - whether they are just whim, or are based upon the regulatory requirements for your industry: you might, as a group of developers, get to influence the standards that are to be used, rather than having an usuable set imposed upon you.


>As a developer for 10 – 11 years, I feel that I may be getting out of touch with certain business realities. I’ve been fortunate to possess a good deal of independence when it comes to developing business plans with my customers and to exercise many helpful creative suggestions. Until recently, all of my supervisors from any position that I have held in the past have supported this business posture. I come from the school that teaches customer satisfaction is key. I’m presently in a very awkward situation with my supervisor, who has been managing our department for about a year. Through a gradual and subtle approach, he has implemented a lengthy and complex set of methodology standards that has adversely impacted nearly all developers. My perspective on this is; if the customer is satisfied, why change anything that could potentially risk that satisfaction, and; if a mutually respectful working relationship between developer and customer is solidly intact, why risk this either? I
>believe my supervisor is establishing standards for unnecessary control, which gives birth to micromanagement approaches. One of the most enjoyable qualities of what I do and one of the greatest satisfactions that I experience is to be able to express myself in my work, so long as it benefits the company to whom I work for and benefits customers to whom I serve. I am on a precipice of indecision as to what I shall do in the future. As one of my co-workers has recently stated, “when it stops being fun, it’s time to go”. I won’t say it has to be fun all the time but when “control management” removes the elements that I’ve mentioned, then maybe it is time to go.
>My motivation to write this was to get things off my chest. However, if anyone has any comments or can relate to what I’m saying, I’d like to hear your point of view.
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>Dave