Re: Timeless Classics of Software Engineering

already5chosen_at_yahoo.com (Michael S) wrote:

>Nick Landsberg <SPAMhukolauTRAP_at_SPAMworldnetTRAP.att.net> wrote in message news:<4wZOc.363590$Gx4.77588@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.

>> 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,

     Yes.

>management is right about outsourcing much more often than we,
>professionals, willing to admit.

     That does not follow. If management does not know the ins-and-outs of an area, their decision to outsource it (or do anything else of significance in the area) is only a guess. If they are right, it is only by a fluke. This is not the way I want to see management done (or anything at all, if there is a choice).

     Obviously, there has to be a balance point at which one does know enough about an area in order to make intelligent decisions about it.

     Any manager making such decisions had better be a good systems analyst. I am using the term in a wide sense, not confining it to computers. (I have found my systems analysis skills to be very portable. Given knowledge about an area, I can start doing analysis.)

>> (But that's a subject for a different thread and which has
>> been rehashed many times over in various newsgroups.)

Sincerely,

Gene Wirchenko

Computerese Irregular Verb Conjugation:

     I have preferences.
     You have biases.
     He/She has prejudices.