The Four (or five) Stages of Competence

[Rob Oplawar]

Found this useful article on Digg, and it seemed so applicable to the people on this forum that I just had to link it.

http://devthought.com/blog/general/2009/02/the-four-stages-of-programming-competence/#top

tl;dr:
You can pretty well summarize four levels of competence:
1) Unconscious incompetence: You think you know what you're doing, but you don't.
2) Conscious incompetence: You know you don't know what you're doing.
3) Conscious competence: You are good at what you do because you work hard to find the right way to approach a new problem.
4) Unconscious competence: You've mastered the core skill set and can easily apply your knowledge to new problems.
5) (optional) Reflective competence: You're so good at what you do that you can easily teach others your skills.
It seems most people go through all of these stages sequentially.


Why this matters here: I think knowing were we stand, and knowing that there is a natural progression from one to the next, would be massively helpful in the crit problem this forum has had in the past (although lately things have been rather tame and civil).

I dunno, when I think about it, I think that's pretty much how it works already- the people who do amazing work as second nature (stage 4) tell the people who don't know their work is shit (stage 1) that their work is shit, and the noobs who accept that it is shit are the ones capable of progressing up the chain of competence and in so doing actually do move up the chain (to stage 2).

So yeah, I guess I just thought it was an interesting summary of How It Works Here(tm) and would be good to get that out in the open. Now that I've pointed it out it seems rather like common sense. :d

[LlamaMaster]

I usually skip step 1.

[SnaFuBAR]

As I say, "There are known knowns, known unknowns, and unknown unknowns. Things that we don't know that we don't know. We don't know what we don't know because we don't know what we don't know."

(combing quotes from mark twain (?) and pulp fiction)

You don't know what you don't know until it's pointed out to you. And when it does get pointed out, don't fight it.

tl;dr- i agree

[SnaFuBAR]

I usually skip step 1.
or so you think. :giggle:

[Bodzilla]

it's always been about how you well you take the slap, and your reaction there after.

Prime example right here.
i was one of the people on the list to get banned, but i learned where i should but in, where i shouldnt, i talked to people and started voicing a wel thought out opinion on topics that need it.

now look where i am.
I dont hate new members, i never have.
If you take the slap, and you learn from it it shows competence beyond that of most other people out there, and you will gain respect from it.
Trust me on this.

Being dogmatic in anything and following it to the bitter end works out worse for all involved. so learn to wizen up earlier on.

[Rob Oplawar]

*temporarily re-enables rep*
zomg i have the same number of bars as snaf and bod. that means I'm at least a 7 or 8 on the competence scale. i am awesome.



er, yeah, wizening up is good. that's what I was getting at with this. I would like it if more people would wizen up to their own and other peoples' standing. If only all you people would realize that you are incompetent and that I am naturally and unconsciously competent at everything, life would be so much easier.


... This would be easier if I could even take my own thread seriously.

[n00b1n8R]

Blundering my way to the top yeaaaah!!

[Bodzilla]

but i'm higher then you

by miles
:snafubar:

[paladin]

Im never wrong

[legionaire45]

Interesting read, although I don't think this really applies to rep levels here since incompetent people like me have high-ish reps :3.

Programming-wise, I'd considering myself consciously incompetent since I can't really do a whole lot right now but I enjoy learning new things and I'm slowly getting better.

[n00b1n8R]

but i'm higher then you

by miles
:snafubar:
Meh, I can deal with being 13th of of 3,147 :mech2:

[Bodzilla]

but can you deal with being lower den me

heh,

u r mein biatch

[Rob Oplawar]

Actually, I didn't mean to imply that this at all reflected reputation levels (but I guess I kinda did. silly me). Rep is related to skill, but it's definitely not an accurate gauge.

To get back on topic, I think there are a couple of people here at stage 4 who I'd like to see move along to stage 5 (I'm looking at you, Snaf. What have you done for me lately?).
I'd also like to see people (myself included) be more accepting of people at stage 1 because they're not completely useless if you can persuade them to move to stage 2 without driving them away. :d
All this talk of stages makes me want to play Sonic the Hedgehog.

[klange]

The average rep in this thread just dropped.

[MetKiller Joe]

The average rep in this thread just dropped.

I agree with these points. I'm in high school, so I'd say I'm still on one edging on two (maybe).

[Dwood]

Well Linux and computer wise I thought I was at level 4 when I first installed Ubuntu. Then I moved onto Conscious Incompetence when I began to install Linux (not Rockbox) onto my Ipod. Ever since then I've been inching towards level 3.

I am at conscious incompetence as far as coding right now. heck, I can't find and C++ libraries to download like you can Java! Then I found an IDE and well it doesn't compile and says my copypasta hello world code won't work!

[Rob Oplawar]

For going on five years I have adamantly refused to model in anything but Editable Mesh.
*types in search for editable poly*
*reads tutorials, plays with poly in max for a few moments*
http://spacebrick.net/pictures/blog_gallery/imamoron.jpg

Ok, well, I must now mentally acknowledge that for years I have been at 1, not 3... at least now I'm at 2... :phonegonk:


<Rob> Is there anyway I can tell the world I'm an idiot?
<Seven7> Of course, just type your name, where you live and your confession
<Rob> Kk
<Rob> I am Rob Oplawar of Colorado, and I am an idiot
<Rob> ?
<Rob> Now what?
<Seven7> Don't worry. It's done

[SnaFuBAR]

I think there are a couple of people here at stage 4 who I'd like to see move along to stage 5 (I'm looking at you, Snaf. What have you done for me lately?).
If you'd move out of stage 1 of the subjects I talk to you about, my stage 5 would be complete with you, as it has been with many many others :snafubar:

stage 5'er here