Program Stages

Each program goes through stages of maturity that can be defined by a role played by the primary people working on that program. People may cross over roles while working on a given program, and people might be better at one role for a specific program than they are for the same role in a different program.

Pioneer

Definition: Someone who breaks new ground and starts the program. This role could also be called an inventor.
Motivation: Pioneers like to try out new things and are satisfied by getting something done. They often consider their work fun and would likely want to do it even if they weren't getting paid. They are often idealists.
Organizational Benefits: Pioneers are essential to developing a program in its initial stage. They prove or disprove the merits of the program.
Problems: Once a program gets going, pioneers usually want to move on to their next project. This can be mitgated by having their tenure overlap with a settler. They can sometimes be impractical. For instance, they might work very hard for no or very little money, and expect that of others who are unable to do so.

Settler

Definition: Someone who develops procedures and systems for making the program work. This role could also be called an organizer.
Motivation: Settlers want to reduce chaos and create structure.
Organizational Benefits: Settlers take what the pioneers have done and ensure that the knowledge is not lost when they move on. They develop procedures that can be taught to other people, often (but not always) creation documentation.
Problems: If someone plays the settler role for too long he can develop too many procedures, trying to fix what isn't broken. This can lead to people being overwhelmed and jaded and to less efficiency than even the settler wants.

A good settler might recruit a pioneer to precede him. He also knows the optimal time to transition to the next role or move on to a new project.

Mature Stage Roles

Once a program reaches maturity the needs of the organization may remain constant or they can change due to forces outside the program. This results in multiple roles that may need to be played when managing a mature program.

Shepherd

Definition: Someone who inherits a working program and maintains status quo. This role could also be called a conservative.
Motivation: Shepherds like to stay in their comfort zone.
Organizational Benefits: Sometimes a program is working well enough that it should just be left alone. A shepherd allows for this to happen. Shepherds can also add consistency to the organization as a whole.
Problems: Shepherds can be resistant to change, even if the change is necessary.

Reformer

Definition: Someone who inherits a working program and can look ahead to help take it to the next level. This role could just be called an orthodox innovator.
Motivation: Like the settler, reformers want to reduce existing chaos, and like the pioneer, reformers want to create something.
Organizational Benefits: Most programs can be improved upon and need reformers coordinating them as often as not.
Problems: Putting a reformer in place when a shepherd or agitator is called for can lead to a lot of wasted time and energy.

Agitator

Definition: Someone who challenges the status quo at a more fundamental level when a program is fundamentally broken. This role could also be called a revolutionary.
Motivation: Like the pioneer, an agitator wants to try new things. Like the reformer and settler, an agitator wants to improve on the existing situation. Agitators tend to be idealistic and driven by the mission of the organization.
Organizational Benefits: Sometimes a program runs counter to the mission of the organization or the reality around the organization has changed so much that the program needs to be killed off and started anew. An agitator does this. Agitators also serve to keep the organization on track with its mission or fundamental needs when the organizations begins to stagnate.
Problems: In their idealism, agitators can sometimes be impractical. Agitators, like pioneers, might work very hard for very little, and can help to create an environment where that is expected of others.

The Flow

<graphvizr> digraph G {

Pioneer -> Settler Settler -> Shepherd Settler -> Reformer Shepherd -> Reformer Shepherd -> Agitator Agitator -> Settler Reformer -> Shepherd

} </graphvizr>

People managing a given program generally relate to it using one of these roles. Moving from one role to the next can be difficult for most people. Moving from one role to the next and then one beyond is even rarer.