RE: About responsibility and fault

[Jason Willebeek-LeMair <jlemair -at- cisco -dot- com>]

"...manager does not allow contact with the developers..."
"...process does not allow me to..."

Wow.  Does anyone really listen to management or follow process?  Goodness.
No wonder no one is getting anything done.

Before you yell at me, yes I have worked for an FDA scrutinized industry
(blood bank, thank you, cGMP rules!), toiled under Six Sigma process, and
have remained ISO compliant.

Never once had to let the dire threats of management or process control get
in the way of getting the job done.

Most of the time I have heard the "developers are too busy" line, they
really were not--just stressed out.  And I was able to lend a hand (not
coding--but doing some specs, interface design, whatever was needed at the
time).  And usually talking things out with me not only got me the info I
needed, but also helped them get their heads around whatever problem they
were working on.  Was their manager annoyed?  Who knows.  I never asked.  My
manager?  Heck no, as long as I was getting the job done.  And anyway, it is
his job to keep cranky dev managers off my rump.

Here is the secret for processes: as long as the check boxes are checked, no
one gives a rats @ss how they got checked.  Process says I have to keep
review comments in hardcopy for 5 years?  Cool.  I have a hugh box that I
dump my review copies in when I am done with them. All review copies.  For
every product. Blammo.  Saved. Check mark made in the appropriate box.
Process does not say how easily, or quickly I have to find them.  Does this
hold up under an audit?  You bet.  The auditor usually goes away after a
while, content in the knowledge that you have saved every bit if information
ever given to you, and that you can find it given sufficient time.

Get creative, have fun, and fix any errors in the next release.

Jason

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