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Re: How do you handle knowing "It Could Be Better"?
Subject:Re: How do you handle knowing "It Could Be Better"? From:"Martin Page" <mpage -at- csl -dot- co -dot- uk> To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com> Date:Wed, 9 Oct 2002 16:48:14 +0100
Chill!
Winging it is part of the job description.
"John Posada" <JPosada -at- book -dot- com> wrote in message news:171644 -at- techwr-l -dot- -dot- -dot-
>
> I just got out of my third document review...this time with my manager and
> his boss.
>
> 3 months into the project, 1200 pages and four books in, and they are
> thrilled with what they see at this point...and I still have about 2
months
> to go.
>
> OTOH...every day I address some section of the doc set, I become more and
> more depressed.
>
> Why? Because -I'M- not thrilled.
>
> I know that regardless of what I have to this point, it could be so much
> better if I understood the application to greater depth...lead-developer
> depth.
>
> I know, I know....learn more...learn faster...ask questions. OTOH, this
is
> a pretty obscure application (anyone familiar with e*Gate) using
> technologies not used in any mainstream application I've ever see before,
so
> this knowledge becomes learn as you go.
>
> I use all the tricks...get on developer discussion lists and EVERY time
> something goes by that I don't understand, ask about it. I have access to
> the development environment and spend about an hour per day of my time
using
> some part of it I'm not familiar with...after working an average of 9.5
> hours per day documenting other areas. I print out emails containing
> discussions and reports, go to the developers and we discuss parts of it I
> don't understand They explain whatever I ask. However, I'm still
impatient
> to know it faster and deeper.
>
> I discussed this with my boss after the meeting today. His response? "We
> want the best you can do. This system is a result of 20 different
> application teams from 20 different companies, working independently of
each
> other at different times over a three year period...NOBODY knows
everything
> about it. We're not looking for perfect...we're looking for a sold base
upon
> which we can build"
>
> How do YOU handle this....do you just push on and know that even if it
isn't
> to your standards, it is to the client?
>
> Inquiring minds want to know.
>
> John Posada
> Senior Technical Writer
> Barnes&Noble.com
> jposada -at- book -dot- com
> 212-414-6656
> "Be accurate...the 4am wakeup call you prevent could be your manager's"
>
>
>
>
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