Full disclosure, I first heard of these architypes from a workshop run in 2020 by FLINT Wellington

Types of Developers in the Workplace

In a dynamic and collaborative workplace, you'll encounter various types of developers, each driven by different motivations and approaches to their work. Understanding these developer archetypes can help foster a more effective and harmonious team environment.

1. The Detective

Drive: Detectives love to investigate. They thrive in messy situations, dissecting problems, and fixing them. Their analytical minds excel at uncovering the root causes of issues and implementing solutions. They're the team's problem-finders, and a lot of the time, problem-solvers.

2. The Cowboy / Go-getter

Drive: Cowboys or Go-getters are known for their speed. They push code out the door quickly, often impressively so. However, they might leave a bit of a "dirty sink" behind, sacrificing some cleanliness for speed. They're the team's high-velocity coders.

3. The Artist or Creative

Drive: Artists or Creatives focus on the aesthetics of code. They're meticulous about making sure their code is not just functional but also visually appealing and highly readable. While they may code more slowly, their work introduces less technical debt. They're the team's code beautifiers.

4. The Mad Scientist

Drive: Mad Scientists are tech enthusiasts. They eagerly embrace the latest technologies and enjoy experimenting with new libraries and features. Their adventurous spirit leads to innovation and pushing the boundaries of what's possible. They're the team's tech trailblazers.

In a balanced development team, these diverse types of developers can complement each other, fostering creativity, efficiency, and problem-solving. Recognizing and valuing these different approaches can lead to a more well-rounded and successful team.