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697: Re: project management (or coding, kings, and other things)
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From: "Jon A. Lambert" <jlsysinc@ix.netcom.com>
Newsgroups: nu.kanga.list.mud-dev
Date: Mon, 14 Apr 1997 00:18:10 -0400
Organization: Kanga.Nu
> From: coder@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.