tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9922132.post112206740882878676..comments2023-10-29T09:34:54.428-04:00Comments on Code, Code World: Yet another twist in the road…Billhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07338910000372628114noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9922132.post-1122330168881551132005-07-25T18:22:00.000-04:002005-07-25T18:22:00.000-04:00RL - You're very welcome.. it was my pleasure! Be...RL - You're very welcome.. it was my pleasure! Besides.. it was much cooler inside!!Billhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07338910000372628114noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9922132.post-1122161434086649972005-07-23T19:30:00.000-04:002005-07-23T19:30:00.000-04:00Jaws - stay tuned, stories are on the horizon!! T...Jaws - stay tuned, stories are on the horizon!! THe heat index is actually below 90 right now, for the first time in a week! Must have been the rain that just blew through...<BR/><BR/>Thanks for stopping by!Billhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07338910000372628114noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9922132.post-1122135892884063392005-07-23T12:24:00.000-04:002005-07-23T12:24:00.000-04:00CA - I fear you may be right!!This project had a t...CA - I fear you may be right!!<BR/><BR/>This project had a ton of technical specs too an RDD (Requirements Definition Document), an FSD (Functional Spec Document) a face to face meeting, and weekly conference calls along the way... We were actually working through the test cases document when this 'rescope' wrench happened.<BR/><BR/>I'm just glad we got sign off at every step here, so the client I'm working for isn't left holding the 'bag' on this.<BR/><BR/>I shared your concern initially... but the email I got indicated 'we' (as in the company and the team members) were not being 'blamed' here, but that the committee had decided the plan needed to be altered.<BR/><BR/>I think we need to take these steps on all projects. A rework here, is far simpler to pull off than one where 80+% of the application code has been written.<BR/><BR/>I have to give my manager a lot of credit though, her first request was that everyone stay calm, and see where this rework takes us. She also made it clear the chair of the committee had told the group we'd only been doing exactly what had been agreed to.<BR/><BR/>I hope your (and my) worst fears don't materialize!<BR/><BR/>Like you, I've thought more about leaving the profession in the past several years than in all my previous years combined.<BR/><BR/>The truth is though, I don't what else I could get paid to do, that would bring me as much day to day satisfaction!!<BR/><BR/>It's just a fact of life for us developers, that scope is going to change, and creep. Our task, I think, is to find ways to amnage the changes (and creep) as effectively as possible.Billhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07338910000372628114noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9922132.post-1122130458720055142005-07-23T10:54:00.000-04:002005-07-23T10:54:00.000-04:00Jeez, Bill, it must be something in the air. My p...Jeez, Bill, it must be something in the air. <BR/><BR/>My project has been a scope nightmare lately. As the technical lead, I assembled extensive functional specifications (300 pages plus). I followed the corporate project management methodologies (classic PMI phasing, getting signoffs and reviews all along the way). Now, the customers claim they didn't understand (actually didn't even read) what they were signing and want to radically extend the project. <BR/><BR/>This is even more tragic because it is a fixed-price project, mostly outsourced off shore. I urged (almost begged) upper management not to go this route because this particular group of customers is notorious for the behavior they are exhibiting now. I was told to do it anyway. I tried to take the steps above to give the project the best chance for success but they didn't work. Now, everybody's mad and I get the sneaking suspicion that the powers that be will find a way to pin the delays and the extra cost on me.<BR/><BR/>Things like this that make me want to leave the profession. I fear, however, that there are always more idiots around the corner so I might as well learn to live with the ones I've got.Comfort Addicthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06748708787226855876noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9922132.post-1122122961896364042005-07-23T08:49:00.000-04:002005-07-23T08:49:00.000-04:00Firehawk - Fortunately, most of this gig has not b...Firehawk - Fortunately, most of this gig has not been the 'dig holes and fill them in' that so many really are. I'm still a bit hopeful that an entire rescope can be avoided.<BR/><BR/>I'm with you on the cool water and palm fronds... when do we leave!!<BR/><BR/>Yeah the heat this summer is just crazy... across the nation... I was just watching a report on the western states... no break for you folks either!<BR/><BR/>The goos news is... fall is just short of 60 days away!!<BR/><BR/>Cyli - Don't feel bad, that extra 'n' seems to find its way out for a lot of folks! I've been 'puttering' with the truck, but it's just too hot, I'd need to get some AC out there just to be able to have proper working times with paint and plastic... so, I'm looking for more inside pursuits!Billhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07338910000372628114noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9922132.post-1122102296696242282005-07-23T03:04:00.000-04:002005-07-23T03:04:00.000-04:00Yep yep yep, You need to write a story about that ...Yep yep yep, You need to write a story about that trip for us Bill. sorry to hear about the frustrations of re-scoping, but I was glad to hear you were'nt out in black flag conditions working on the truck!! Hope all is well with you and Maryan And lookie, I FINALLY spelled her name right. (Sorry Maryan, that second n always wants to force it's way on the screen...) <BR/><BR/>Have a great weekend you two!Cylithria Duboishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01930567430307811554noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9922132.post-1122089641312977202005-07-22T23:34:00.000-04:002005-07-22T23:34:00.000-04:00Bill,I think that we all produce better work when ...Bill,<BR/><BR/>I think that we all produce better work when on "our own turf". Everything is where we need it, all the peripherals are familiar...<BR/><BR/>I suppose that all contract work, and even the tasks one gets assigned each day, can sometimes become just "digging wholes and filling them back in". You try not to get to wrapped up in that element of things. Just keep moving and think positively about that ham and cheese on rye you're going to have for lunch.<BR/><BR/>I agree with you, man. Riding is really not fun at 90+. I don't think much is, other than lounging in cool water with palm fronds waving overhead.<BR/><BR/>It was pretty awful today, heat-wise. The big display at the car dealership said 99, but the humidity was thick. Riding around in the non-A/C pickup was pretty sweaty. <BR/><BR/>I like your weather station there on the side of the main screen, BTW. Cool.<BR/><BR/>Good luck on all your projects.Patrick M. Tracyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14366666601869757080noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9922132.post-1122083197616749772005-07-22T21:46:00.000-04:002005-07-22T21:46:00.000-04:00Karyn - Riding in this kind of heat, especially co...Karyn - Riding in this kind of heat, especially considering we always ride in our leathers, can be a sort of torture...particularly if you have to be in the interstate at all!<BR/><BR/>Spirit - It's actually best when 'warm' like mid-80's or so.<BR/><BR/>The rescope came out of a meeting yesterday, where some of the things we've been telling them since March, actually 'came together' I think.<BR/><BR/>The sad part is, we're extremely close to their concerns being totally unfounded. We've spent a ton of time analyzing the data stream, and have an excellent plan for initially matching data, and then identifying problems that then numbers of actual problems would be less than 5% of the actual records.<BR/><BR/>A mystery for sure, user testing would have resolved so much of this.Billhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07338910000372628114noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9922132.post-1122080328572759452005-07-22T20:58:00.000-04:002005-07-22T20:58:00.000-04:00A motorcycle ride is surely the best when it's hot...A motorcycle ride is surely the <I>best</I> when it's hot? Anyway, sure you should write it up Bill!<BR/><BR/>Rescoping is a mystery, isn't it? There's so many complaints that software isn't delivered on time, but it's clearly more to do with goal posts being moved by the software purchasers than any other issue. And they are deaf to any advice! Ah well, good luck with it all!Spirit Of Owlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12650481514046944156noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9922132.post-1122071017881001192005-07-22T18:23:00.000-04:002005-07-22T18:23:00.000-04:00I agree with you about vacations having very loose...I agree with you about vacations having very loose itineraries...but frankly, right now, (the heat index is about that in Texas, too) riding on the back of a motorcycle sounds like torture!Karyn Lyndonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13571088798286939007noreply@blogger.com