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One of the upsides of the matrix org structure for tech pubs is that when a
product has bombed, I have more often than not been able to avoid or
minimize headcount loss by arguing that we now need to do a better than ever
job of improving the "user experience" for that "next big thing bacon saver"
and reassign the writer/s from the bombed product to its development.
Of course, when the time comes that the company realizes it's about to run
out of bacon to try to save, there's not much that can be done.
Always keep your own freezer well-stocked.
Gene Kim-Eng
On 10/8/2016 1:21 PM, mbaker -at- analecta -dot- com wrote:
> Yes, that is exactly the pattern I have seen as well. And I have been
> on both sides of the retention decision.
>
> And this just reinforces the point about the value of corporate knowledge.
> When a product bombs, that devalues the knowledge of everyone who
> worked on it. The company no longer needs to remember how it works or
> how it was built. It can dispose of that knowledge, and the heads that
> contain, it without long-term consequences.
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