Software is a lucrative business. All entrepreneurs want in. But what happens when the boss has no recent experience developing software? The needs of the technical staff aren't met and deadlines get unreasonably short as products are made in a mad rush. Here are some of the pitfalls.
Perhaps but I think that it’s about selling X and getting the commission - even if it’s not actually deliverable (at least not for a profit).
And if they don’t have any incentives for continued client happiness for after the sale - they usually leave once they’ve got their payout rather than face the music.
> with a non-technical boss running a technical team: they don’t understand what the team needs to succeed. But part of that role IS to get the resources the team needs to do their jobs well.
It can be just as bad when it's the customers.
Thankfully, customers usually care more about the goal than the methods of achieving the goals.
Yeah, it's particularly tough when the boss acts purely as the customer's advocate, but dictates what you should do *and* how to do it when they don't have the expertise.
I guess customers can be like that too.
I don't know. Somehow, it seems like it could be easier to say 'no' to a client than to say 'no' to a manager.
Customers can also make similar mistakes esp those who try to be helpful and lower on the totem pole.
if they're lower on the totem pole, then they tend to be more familiar with the process details, but they are still not technical.
so what happens is instead of them telling you the problem, they tell you what they think should be the process solution (not implementation) and leave it to you to implement it.
They are trying to be helpful by offering you the process solution to build.
But what happens is sometimes, that process solution is not the right one to solve the process problem or business problem.
It's always easier for me (the technical person) to learn their existing process and business concerns and decide the possible solution designs and articulate the tradeoffs then let the customer pick.
Another way they try to be helpful but wrong, is when they tell you what they "think" is the correct data model, but is wrong because they are not the actual end users.
Personal experience informed my above examples.
I lost count how many times, i asked them, "is A belong to only one of B?" they swear up and down the answer is Yes.
Then when i about to roll out, the answer turned out to be no.
Those are fantastic insights, KimSia. I've also seen some of those situations, and it's nice to know others who can relate to those challenges. Thanks for sharing!
“Bob” reminds me of most business development people I’ve had to do contend with.
Both on overselling the work I’m meant to be delivering and on overselling the solution they are trying to get my client to buy.
A classic example of misaligned incentives.
I could be wrong, but the whole thing reeks of desperation to me.
That is to say, maybe the project or company is losing money, and they're desperate to sell something to stay above the waterline.
Either way, I don't see this behaviour being beneficial to the company in the long term.
Perhaps but I think that it’s about selling X and getting the commission - even if it’s not actually deliverable (at least not for a profit).
And if they don’t have any incentives for continued client happiness for after the sale - they usually leave once they’ve got their payout rather than face the music.
> with a non-technical boss running a technical team: they don’t understand what the team needs to succeed. But part of that role IS to get the resources the team needs to do their jobs well.
It can be just as bad when it's the customers.
Thankfully, customers usually care more about the goal than the methods of achieving the goals.
Yeah, it's particularly tough when the boss acts purely as the customer's advocate, but dictates what you should do *and* how to do it when they don't have the expertise.
I guess customers can be like that too.
I don't know. Somehow, it seems like it could be easier to say 'no' to a client than to say 'no' to a manager.
Customers can also make similar mistakes esp those who try to be helpful and lower on the totem pole.
if they're lower on the totem pole, then they tend to be more familiar with the process details, but they are still not technical.
so what happens is instead of them telling you the problem, they tell you what they think should be the process solution (not implementation) and leave it to you to implement it.
They are trying to be helpful by offering you the process solution to build.
But what happens is sometimes, that process solution is not the right one to solve the process problem or business problem.
It's always easier for me (the technical person) to learn their existing process and business concerns and decide the possible solution designs and articulate the tradeoffs then let the customer pick.
Another way they try to be helpful but wrong, is when they tell you what they "think" is the correct data model, but is wrong because they are not the actual end users.
Personal experience informed my above examples.
I lost count how many times, i asked them, "is A belong to only one of B?" they swear up and down the answer is Yes.
Then when i about to roll out, the answer turned out to be no.
Those are fantastic insights, KimSia. I've also seen some of those situations, and it's nice to know others who can relate to those challenges. Thanks for sharing!