> I was actually offered a position doing exactly that for a rather successful, nonFAANG valley company. Literally 'decide how to solve the problem, then hand it off and never think about it again.' It sounded awful for everyone involved.
I did that for a while, and it was exactly as awful as you would think. The implementers resented the implication that they couldn't do research and make interesting decisions, and I hated spending my time describing designs instead of implementing them. The design documents I wrote were DOA, since the implementers neglected to update them when they deviated from them. And of course all the normal dynamics of software development (shifting priorities, changing product requirements) were happening at the same time that I was handing off "finished" designs. It was a farce, and I quickly left for a role where I could be hands-on again.
The right way to support juniors is much more fluid, because different people need support in different areas, and you have to give them chances to stretch themselves as well as preventing them from coming under too much pressure.
I did that for a while, and it was exactly as awful as you would think. The implementers resented the implication that they couldn't do research and make interesting decisions, and I hated spending my time describing designs instead of implementing them. The design documents I wrote were DOA, since the implementers neglected to update them when they deviated from them. And of course all the normal dynamics of software development (shifting priorities, changing product requirements) were happening at the same time that I was handing off "finished" designs. It was a farce, and I quickly left for a role where I could be hands-on again.
The right way to support juniors is much more fluid, because different people need support in different areas, and you have to give them chances to stretch themselves as well as preventing them from coming under too much pressure.