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Subject:Re: anyone else in the same boat? From:Andrew Plato <intrepid_es -at- yahoo -dot- com> To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com> Date:Wed, 27 Dec 2000 11:16:47 -0800 (PST)
Christine.Anameier wrote...
> "The client" may not have the users' best interests at heart. They (he/she,
> whatever; I'll use the plural) may be much more interested in meeting an
> arbitrary deadline, preserving someone's ego, or making a tactical move in
> an ongoing interdepartmental feud.
Yes. And that sucks. But you're not a vice president or Ghandi. You have to
respect the desires of the people who pay your bills. That's the way it works.
Moreover, there maybe some reason you are not privy to why the firm wants to go
a different direction. Raise your objections, but if you're overruled, accept
the situation.
Lastly, remember the "user" is not some tender child that must be protected
from abuse. Most "users" could care less about the documentation. Going
overboard to protect the people who ignore your work is a little absurd.
> Suppose you're dealing with two groups in the
> organization: Group A talks to the users every day and is telling you one
> thing; Group B never talks to actual users and is telling you an opposite
> thing. Who do you listen to? Group B signs your timesheets. Does that make
> them "the client"? Or do you take the rest of the organization into
> consideration?
You do the best job you can to accommodate BOTH sides. Diplomacy will win you
much more authority than division.
If you must side with somebody, side with the geeks. These people hold the real
power in a company because they possess the knowledge that makes money. Human
resources, project managers, and QA people may THINK they have a lot of power,
but the fact is most of these people could be canned at a moment's notice with
little effect on the company. Engineers, programmers, designers, etc. are much
more valuable to the firm. If you ally with them, it is likely you too will
become indispensible.
Andrew Plato
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