Oracle FAQ Your Portal to the Oracle Knowledge Grid
HOME | ASK QUESTION | ADD INFO | SEARCH | E-MAIL US
 

Home -> Community -> Mailing Lists -> Oracle-L -> RE: Data Modeling opinion? Help?

RE: Data Modeling opinion? Help?

From: Jon Walthour <jonw_at_fuse.net>
Date: Tue, 24 Jul 2001 11:35:19 -0700
Message-ID: <F001.003539DD.20010724113556@fatcity.com>

Chris:

You have to remember that you are there as a consultant, as a value add to the client's business, not to argue with them. If they choose to do something different than what you recommend, that's their choice. I agree with what others have said: document, document, document. That way if things don't turn out as expected or when project deadlines start to slip because of scope creep, you can go back and point to what decisions and activities brought about these changes. And would you want a project deadline to be missed because you spent a week arguing a point with them ro because you did it the way they asked and it didn't work as they thought it would.

I always try to remember as a consultant that, when it gets right down to it, I'm not part of their team--that's not my role. I'm a hired gun in the case of project work or an augmentation to their team. In either case, I am there to add something, not to detract from it.

Just my two cents.

Jon Walthour

>--- Original Message ---
>From: "Grabowy, Chris" <cgrabowy_at_fcg.com>
>To: Multiple recipients of list ORACLE-L <ORACLE-L_at_fatcity.com>
>Date: 7/24/01 2:40:24 PM
>

>Hmmm...when the spec is changed because of some business requirement
then
>that's fine. But when it's changed because your own designers
cant argue
>the design on technical merit then what? A spec should quote
all the
>business rules, and some high level details about the overall
architecture
>of the system. But the spec shouldn't tell you that you will
have these two
>specific tables in the database, with these specific fields,
etc.
>
>In the end the contractor is ultimately responsible for the
validity and
>performance of the system that they deliver. The contractor
will never be
>able to point back to some disclaimer and say "We told you so".
 It will be
>next to impossible to point to the disclaimer when you start
slipping the
>schedule or when the performance is not quite there.
>
>-----Original Message-----
>Sent: Tuesday, July 24, 2001 1:09 PM
>To: Grabowy; Chris; Multiple recipients of list ORACLE-L
>
>
>Chris,
>
> True, except when I as the customer change the specs. Then
what is
>right is
>what I say. Or as a Program Management instructor told the
class "As it is
>written, so let it be done."
>
>Dick Goulet
>
>____________________Reply Separator____________________
>Author: "Grabowy; Chris" <cgrabowy_at_fcg.com>
>Date: 7/24/2001 9:48 AM
>
>Exactly. Which is why I am trying to change this now.
>
>As for the previous comment, they do not pay me to beat them
over the head,
>BUT they do pay me to do what is right.
>
>-----Original Message-----
>Sent: Tuesday, July 24, 2001 1:29 PM
>To: Multiple recipients of list ORACLE-L
>
>
>Yes, but ironically enough, its the consultant they ram to the
ground after
>it goes south, no matter how well you document that you recommended
against
>it.
>
>-----Original Message-----
>Sent: Tuesday, July 24, 2001 10:02 AM
>To: Multiple recipients of list ORACLE-L
>
>
>Keep in mind that they pay you to advise them and to do what
they want done.
>They do not pay you to beat them over the head to do what is
right.
>
>Document to cya....
>
>
>> This is one of those cases where I would document your

>> concerns and the
>> potential consequences thereof and submit that to damagement,

>> also keep a copy
>> for yourself in the 'Pearl Harbor File'. Then do as they

>> ask. Yeah, I know
>> it's dumb, but what are you as a consultant/contractor going
to do?
>>
>> Dick Goulet
>--
>Please see the official ORACLE-L FAQ: http://www.orafaq.com
>--
>Author: Page, Bruce
> INET: Bruce.Page_at_BellSouth.com
>
>Fat City Network Services -- (858) 538-5051 FAX: (858) 538-5051
>San Diego, California -- Public Internet access / Mailing
Lists
>--------------------------------------------------------------------
>To REMOVE yourself from this mailing list, send an E-Mail message
>to: ListGuru_at_fatcity.com (note EXACT spelling of 'ListGuru')
and in
>the message BODY, include a line containing: UNSUB ORACLE-L
>(or the name of mailing list you want to be removed from).
You may
>also send the HELP command for other information (like subscribing).
>--
>Please see the official ORACLE-L FAQ: http://www.orafaq.com
>--
>Author: Kimberly Smith
> INET: kimberly.smith_at_gmd.fujitsu.com
>
>Fat City Network Services -- (858) 538-5051 FAX: (858) 538-5051
>San Diego, California -- Public Internet access / Mailing
Lists
>--------------------------------------------------------------------
>To REMOVE yourself from this mailing list, send an E-Mail message
>to: ListGuru_at_fatcity.com (note EXACT spelling of 'ListGuru')
and in
>the message BODY, include a line containing: UNSUB ORACLE-L
>(or the name of mailing list you want to be removed from).
You may
>also send the HELP command for other information (like subscribing).
>--
>Please see the official ORACLE-L FAQ: http://www.orafaq.com
>--
>Author: Grabowy, Chris
> INET: cgrabowy_at_fcg.com
>
>Fat City Network Services -- (858) 538-5051 FAX: (858) 538-5051
>San Diego, California -- Public Internet access / Mailing
Lists
>--------------------------------------------------------------------
>To REMOVE yourself from this mailing list, send an E-Mail message
>to: ListGuru_at_fatcity.com (note EXACT spelling of 'ListGuru')
and in
>the message BODY, include a line containing: UNSUB ORACLE-L
>(or the name of mailing list you want to be removed from).
You may
>also send the HELP command for other information (like subscribing).
>--
>Please see the official ORACLE-L FAQ: http://www.orafaq.com
>--
>Author: Grabowy, Chris
> INET: cgrabowy_at_fcg.com
>
>Fat City Network Services -- (858) 538-5051 FAX: (858) 538-5051
>San Diego, California -- Public Internet access / Mailing
Lists
>--------------------------------------------------------------------
>To REMOVE yourself from this mailing list, send an E-Mail message
>to: ListGuru_at_fatcity.com (note EXACT spelling of 'ListGuru')
and in
>the message BODY, include a line containing: UNSUB ORACLE-L
>(or the name of mailing list you want to be removed from).
You may
>also send the HELP command for other information (like subscribing).
>

-- 
Please see the official ORACLE-L FAQ: http://www.orafaq.com
-- 
Author: Jon Walthour
  INET: jonw_at_fuse.net

Fat City Network Services    -- (858) 538-5051  FAX: (858) 538-5051
San Diego, California        -- Public Internet access / Mailing Lists
--------------------------------------------------------------------
To REMOVE yourself from this mailing list, send an E-Mail message
to: ListGuru_at_fatcity.com (note EXACT spelling of 'ListGuru') and in
the message BODY, include a line containing: UNSUB ORACLE-L
(or the name of mailing list you want to be removed from).  You may
also send the HELP command for other information (like subscribing).
Received on Tue Jul 24 2001 - 13:35:19 CDT

Original text of this message

HOME | ASK QUESTION | ADD INFO | SEARCH | E-MAIL US