Re: Timeless Classics of Software Engineering

From: Michael S <already5chosen_at_yahoo.com>
Date: 1 Aug 2004 09:10:50 -0700
Message-ID: <f881b862.0408010810.2f0c02db_at_posting.google.com>


Nick Landsberg <SPAMhukolauTRAP_at_SPAMworldnetTRAP.att.net> wrote in message news:<4wZOc.363590$Gx4.77588_at_bgtnsc04-news.ops.worldnet.att.net>...
> Gene Wirchenko wrote:
>
> > Nick Landsberg <SPAMhukolauTRAP_at_SPAMworldnetTRAP.att.net> wrote:
> >

> > [snip]
> >
> >
> >>It seems there's a normal human attitude that
> >>"the other guy's job is easier," so we tend to
> >>underestimate the effort involved in those
> >>areas where we don't have expertise. Or, more
> >>precisely, we underestimate the level of experience needed
> >>to be reasonably adroit with a certain
> >>"thing" (database/compiler/linker, to use your
> >>examples).
> >
> >
> > I think this is because one can easily understand the high-level,
> > abstract description (or executive summary) of what has to be done.
> > If one makes the mistake of thinking that that is all there is to the
> > work, one gets the above effect. The same mistake is not made in an
> > area that one is proficient in, because one knows about the
> > difficulties.
> >
> > Sincerely,
> >
> > Gene Wirchenko
> >
>
> Good point, Gene.
>
> The corollary to your observation would be that since
> management only ever reads executive summaries, they
> presume all tasks are relatively trivial and can be
> outsourced.
>

On the other hand, professionals tend to overestimate the unique nature of their experience and underestimate the abilities of other professionals, esp. when they don't know them personally. In effect, management is right about outsourcing much more often than we, professionals, willing to admit.

> (But that's a subject for a different thread and which has
> been rehashed many times over in various newsgroups.)
>
> NPL
Received on Sun Aug 01 2004 - 18:10:50 CEST

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