Dilbert lives

"The word is that if we can't do it, they'll find someone who will." The latest project at work, a trilogy of software testing and installation that doesn't have a prayer. Phase I is almost complete and will go in on schedule. Phase II is iffier but is also achievable.

Phase III is the killer. This is an application developed by two third parties, with the input from our upper management, who wanted functionality that would be all things to all people. The problem is that we are the alpha site and the stuff is just bound to be buggy. It is supposed to be up and working early October. We're already divided Phase III into phases in a desperate attempt to get the main part done. The software has been sitting untested by us due to the development of a new web site that became so bug-ridden and complex that it took a year to get things working.

The hubris that decides what can and cannot be done by an arbitrary date lost one company I worked for forty million dollars.

Our team has a fantastic history of successful projects, and that the web site ever came up at all was a testimony to work and determination and attention to detail that went way beyond the call of duty. I don't know how much it cost (lots) but it replaced a web site that worked really well, but was lacking in a few functions that could easily have been added. Now it has been replaced by a behemoth where nothing is intuitive and the customers are frustrated. Go figure.

So will we be replaced by "someone who can?" Dunno. Are the threats idle? Probably. Why would you boot a team who understands the business and the technology with the clueless? Why would you want to? Unless, of course, you are clueless. Welcome to Dilbert's World.

Duh!

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