Of disk swapping, database structure & project management..

[clawrenc at cup.hp.com]

In <199704131946.TAA160552 at out1.ibm.net>, on 04/13/97 
   at 12:48 PM, Jeff Kesselman <jeffk at tenetwork.com> said:

>At 09:00 AM 4/13/97 -0700, you wrote:

>>  Have one guy be the boss.

>Ild say "lead", im a bit more flexible. There has to be one guy who
>directs the effort but I dont thin khe HAS to be dictator necc.

While I've seen this work with physically proximate teams, add
distance and indirect communication into the loop and it spells
disaster.

>>  Have the boss'es final word be the final law without argument.

>The lead shoudl be able to state how a decision will be reached,
>though taht might be by vote or copncsensus or fiat.

Aside: I have a allergic reaction to votes.  I see them producing the
greatest common stupidity, not something of actual value.

>>  *NEVER* attempt to work via democracy or concensus.

>I disagree here.  Ahving worked in grousop where EVERYONE was an
>expereicned lead, consensus CAN work.  It takes tiem however, and it
>only works well face to face.  (The Americna indians did EVERYITHING
>by consensus.)

While I'll admit that it is possible for it to work, I've not seen it. 
(Note: HP's (where my current contract is) defined management style is
concensus.  I don't see it working here either.  The successful
managers are those who make decisions, not elicit them)

>I agree a vote is bad befause there are "losesers" in almos tany vote
>which is bad for morale and encourages project splits.  For this
>reason ,with intelligent dynamic develoerps however, fiat can ALSO
>fail.

This is why I also encluded the points of having the basic purposes
defined and agreed upon before hand, and referencing those basic
puposes in every contended decision.  If a decision does not align
flawlessly with the basic purposes, quite obviously the decision is
suspect.

--
J C Lawrence                           Internet: claw at null.net
(Contractor)                           Internet: coder at ibm.net
---------------(*)               Internet: clawrenc at cup.hp.com
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