Is it possible to become an effective project manager without programming knowledge?

Question

Project management

Is it possible to effectively lead a team to develop websites or application software without knowing any programming language (now only html) experience. He also worked as a software development project manager for hire and created his own projects on the web. It is obvious that you can lead, but is it effective? In particular, how to:
1) Evaluate the developer when hiring (seeing the code is not an option);
2) Evaluate developer performance;
3) Determine real, adequate deadlines for completing tasks for their setting or other goals.

Answer 1

I think it is possible. The main thing in project management is knowledge of management techniques and methodologies. The ability to program will allow you to quickly establish communication with the team, they will consider you "their own". Without this skill, you are "alien". Just an extra complication to deal with.
1. Ask a familiar programmer with experience to help you in the interview. And ask yourself more questions about motivation, find out the ambitions of the developer. His involvement in the process will depend on this.
2. You need to evaluate performance according to the methodology. Take at least Agile. There, after several iterations, it becomes clear who has what speed. And how fast can the team move. Moreover, if you strictly follow the methodology, then even deceptions with estimates from the developers become noticeable.
3. Developers should evaluate the complexity of performing tasks, as they should do them. Your task is to monitor whether they made the assessment correctly and correct it. As a rule, developers tend to be overly optimistic. And you will tell them more often: "In the last iteration, you estimated task #1234 at 12 perfect hours, but it took 3 days (18 hours). Are you wrong this time?"
And a few more tips from myself:
1. Choose a development methodology, study it and strictly follow it. It helps a lot.
2. Read about the differences between the manager cycle and the developer cycle. Respect the way developers work and don't distract them over trifles. Methodologies take care of this too, they always have a rhythm, developers get used to it and stop noticing the costs of following the methodology.
3. Protect developers from higher authorities, do not let them interfere in the workflow bypassing the methodology. This is a great way to earn the respect of the team.
Good luck!

Answer 2

Typically managers show my code samples to their lead developers rather than reviewing it themselves. The manager must manage the processes and organize, and lead developers should conduct code reviews.