Re: communication with programmers

[Jim Cort <jcort -at- TOTALTEL -dot- COM>]

I've worked on a lot of projects like this.  Sometimes the project is so
poorly planned and poorly executed that no one has the time or presence of
mind to figure out what they're doing, let alone explain it to you.  It can
be an embarrassment to programmers and project managers to admit this.

Me:     I notice that on this screen you press ENTER to refresh, but on this
other screen you use F9 to refresh, and on this third screen you press F12
to do the same thing.  Is there any reason for that?
Project Manager: (sheepishly)   Well, we had three different programmers
work on those three screens.

I've usually found that the department or corporate culture is the biggest
factor working for or against you.  The best arrangement is to be treated as
a full member of the team, attending meetings, getting all the memos, so you
are in the picture at all times.  This has almost never happened to me.
I've seen more than I care to of software projects with no groundwork laid,
no clear picture of what the silly thing is supposed to do, and no
cooperation, either from outside the team, or within it.  I note a poster
mention work orders and such, but there are still, even today, many shops
that use the "hold your nose and jump" approach.

Project Manager:        Remember that spec you wrote for the BeAllEndAll
System?
Me:     Yes?
Project Manager:        Well, the programmer decided not to do it that way.
Here, change the spec.

Many of the shops I've been in don't have a clue what contribution I make,
or what I need to do a good job.  (They do know how to complain if they find
a mistake in the manual, but, I digress)  I'm fortunate now to be working
someplace where they realize that they need someone exactly like me, and
people are usually willing to help.

I used to be a programmer, and it seemed at that time that programming was
the new priesthood.  Only the select few were admitted, and one never
revealed the arcane mysteries to the unwashed.  This attitude persists in
many places. Users are viewed as the enemy, or, in a lot of instances,
children who should be content with what they get and be grateful that MIS
is letting them play with the computer at all.  TWs are usually regarded in
such shops as user spies.  If you're in shop like that, you've got a tough
row to hoe.

Me:     Remember that Amplify function you told me was fixed?  I just tried
it and it still turns the screen black.
Project Manager:        Oh, no!  we're installing at the client site
tomorrow.  I know, I'll just tell them the documentation's wrong.
Me:     Thanks.

Best of luck.

Jim Cort
Technical Writer
TotalTel
Jcort -at- total -dot- com <mailto:Jcort -at- total -dot- com>

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