project management (or coding, kings, and other things)

[Jon A. Lambert]

> From: coder at ibm.net
> I'm a contract programmer, so I have *lots* of war stories of bad project
> management, etc etc etc yada yada.  Up front suggestions:

I'm a contractor too and this is a "me too" post, although my experience
in "remote" software project mangement is limited, but Chris's 
commentary includes what I think are 2 of THE most important
principles.

> 
>   Establish a set of agreed upon base purposes for the project up 
>     front.
SCOPE, SCOPE, SCOPE --- Limit it, delineate it, define it until it is crystal 
clear to all involved.  Any extension of scope should be avoided like
the plague.

>   Have the boss'es final word be the final law without argument.
>   *NEVER* attempt to work via democracy or concensus.
This is extremely important.  Programming by committee is about
as productive as a parliamentary committee session.  Mussolini
and Napolean would have made an excellent project managers.  

Of course if your refering to mud project administration, I venture
to guess you are already fighting a losing battle.  For in attempting
to model a "virtual environment" your scope is immense and since
its a volunteer/hobbyist activity ( for many of us ), the Napoleans tend
to lose many of their troops along the way due to desertion.