Network Protocol Engineering Manager

Situation:

As Engineering Manager at the Technical Committee, I was responsible for a team of network development engineers analyzing over 40,000 pages of Windows client-server protocol documentation which the consent decree in the Microsoft antitrust settlement required Microsoft to produce, to enable development of third-party network server products.

Hindrance:

The Microsoft Communications Protocol Program (MCPP) documentation covered nearly four hundred complex, proprietary network protocols, requiring me to lead my team of seven engineers to match the depth and breadth of Microsoft’s company-wide Windows networking experience and then debate the design decisions behind that code with the teams who wrote it. Additionally, direct engineer-to-engineer contact was tightly constrained, so communication of issues between the two sides was limited and often less effective than would have been ideal.

Action:

As liaison between my engineers and the managers of Microsoft's compliance team, I led my team in understanding in detail hundreds of complex, proprietary network protocols and took personal responsibility to ensure those protocols performed as specified, developed a deep understanding of each complicated issue and then effectively communicated to Microsoft not only the specifics of the issue, but also why the issue raised compliance concerns and what the details of the corrective action should be. This involved close work with my team members to make sure I was adequately prepared, and significant education of managers at Microsoft. I also evaluated Microsoft's proposed solutions and negotiated with them to ensure those solutions' sufficiency.

Results:

As a result of my efforts, the protocol documentation was completed on time, allowing Microsoft to satisfy its legal requirements under the consent decree, and allowing third-party software an improved environment for competition by lowering barriers to entry for developing network server products.

Competencies:

This experience required me to develop technical credibility with some of the smartest and most experienced networking architects and developers in the world, and shows my ability to manage conflict, to communicate clearly, and to influence people.