Poisoned chalice project

[DS23]

....Always tell them there are 3 main things in projects, Quality, Cheap and Speed. Pick two.

[realityhack]

SY,

I've never worked on any project that ticked all the right boxes and ran completely smoothly - at least not under the surface.
There are all sorts of issues & risks that crop up. Your job is to use what experience you have to anticipate them, any political sense to manage and mitigate them, your guile (and a bit of elbow-grease) to document them and close any gaps you can, while driving the damn thing forward & covering your arse at the same time. You've got to be more pragmatic and less idealistic. It's admirable that you have a heart for the best quality product outcome but balance this with the inevitable compromises of a typical megacorp environment and all the bullshit: that entails.

Managed well, this could prove to be a long-term moneyspinner. I'd keep invoicing and practice those product stakeholder management skills.

[Old Greg]

Man up and show some passive aggression.

Helpfully raise risks detailing what might happen, why, and what impact etc. (i.e. raise risks), and escalate them appropriately. You've then made sure that someone else is responsible - you have alerted the client to what may go wrong and they have chosen to go ahead anyway. You have then done your level best to deliver anyway, but unfortunately it went wrong, just as you predicted. This is what I live for.

[2BIT]

Man up and show some passive aggression.

Helpfully raise risks detailing what might happen, why, and what impact etc. (i.e. raise risks), and escalate them appropriately. You've then made sure that someone else is responsible - you have alerted the client to what may go wrong and they have chosen to go ahead anyway. You have then done your level best to deliver anyway, but unfortunately it went wrong, just as you predicted. This is what I live for.

"You must spread some reputation around before giving it to old greg again"

well this is it for me, spot on - and exactly what i meant by the impossible situations being manageable

[Old Greg]

"You must spread some reputation around before giving it to old greg again"

well this is it for me, spot on - and exactly what i meant by the impossible situations being manageable

I'm considering writing a book on passive aggressive project management.

[MarillionFan]

I'm considering writing a book on passive aggressive project management.

In your case, you don't need to include the PM bit.

[suityou01]

An update :

I ran the meeting today and was clear about progress, lack of attendance, lack of interest. I am documenting all that I am short of and need to progress and escalating to the PM for his risk log. I am also presenting attendance records from the workshops.

Every time someone tried to hijack the meeting or digress I quickly but politely snatched it back.

I have also informed the PM there are two options, deliver a shorter F-spec, dropping out of scope the requirements that are not yet clearly defined, or extending the analysis phase and running a requirements sprint to deliver a complete set of requirements.

So, how's that for starters?

[Old Greg]

An update :

I ran the meeting today and was clear about progress, lack of attendance, lack of interest. I am documenting all that I am short of and need to progress and escalating to the PM for his risk log. I am also presenting attendance records from the workshops.

Every time someone tried to hijack the meeting or digress I quickly but politely snatched it back.

I have also informed the PM there are two options, deliver a shorter F-spec, dropping out of scope the requirements that are not yet clearly defined, or extending the analysis phase and running a requirements sprint to deliver a complete set of requirements.

So, how's that for starters?

The other option is doing a half arsed job of it and given the lack of interest, that may be a better strategic fit.

[suityou01]

The other option is doing a half arsed job of it and given the lack of interest, that may be a better strategic fit.

That was option 1, you tard.

[MarillionFan]

An update :

I ran the meeting today and was clear about progress, lack of attendance, lack of interest. I am documenting all that I am short of and need to progress and escalating to the PM for his risk log. I am also presenting attendance records from the workshops.

Every time someone tried to hijack the meeting or digress I quickly but politely snatched it back.

I have also informed the PM there are two options, deliver a shorter F-spec, dropping out of scope the requirements that are not yet clearly defined, or extending the analysis phase and running a requirements sprint to deliver a complete set of requirements.

So, how's that for starters?

Yeah!! That's the ticket.

<MF in me me me mode>
I've delivered my 4 month project early, (this morning, deadline 5pm), on budget, in time, exceeded the scope & all users up and running.

Client tried to pin something extra on the team yesterday and was shown the risk log, scope document and their own signature agreeing the deliverables they wanted and assumptions we made based on their input. Have agreed that they now need some extra work doing and that they are going to stump up some more cash.

</me me me>

I'm off to the pub and a couple of lines of coke. Have a good weekend.