When Should a Consultant Question Decisions? 465
bay43270 asks: "Presumably, companies hire consultants because they need technical expertise. At some point (if not on a daily basis) a consultant is asked to do something that isn't in the best interest of the company (and therefore may not be in the best interest of the consultant in the long run). The consultant must ask 'do I just say "yes sir" and go to work, or do I try to explain things? If so, how hard do I push?' When should a good consultant question a decision, and how does the situation differ with contract programmers?"
Im in this situation now.. (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:Im in this situation now.. (Score:2, Informative)
I use citrix to admin remote boxes all the time. But only when I am subjected to very low abndwidth connections.
Re:Im in this situation now.. (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:Im in this situation now.. (Score:3, Informative)
I don't know how the two compare over 56k, but over 128 - 512kb WAN and VPN connections Terminal services wins every time, it's like you're sitting at the machine, and you never have to refresh the screen to see things that VNC didn't notice happen (Like java apps...ugh)
Of couse ssh wins over all of them, but theres limits to how much administration you can do with ssh on windows
Re:Im in this situation now.. (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:Terminal services are not free (Score:3, Informative)
Re:Im in this situation now.. (Score:4, Informative)
1) Over the internet
-Have the programmer sign a contract saying you are not liable for subsequent hack attacks
-Tell them that TS is cheaper and more reliable for admin purposes
-Have the programmer sign a contract saying he understands Citrix is more expensive
2) Over a WAN/VPN
-Tell them that TS is cheaper and more reliable for admin purposes
-Have the programmer sign a contract saying he understands Citrix is more expensive
Having it in writing that you advised AGAINST it covers yours while exposing his/hers.
Re:Im in this situation now.. (Score:5, Informative)
So yeah as div_2n says, get everything in writing, even if it's just an e-mail, it will be documentary evidence down the track if you find yourself as the scapegoat for bad decisions.
Re:lawsuit warning (Score:4, Informative)
Re:Im in this situation now.. (Score:5, Insightful)
If anything, it might convince the higher-ups that maybe it's not such a smart idea if the expert is so adamant about assuming responsibility for what he expects to happen.
If you show that you're happy to do something you disagree with (albeit not without avoiding misrepresentation of your actions) then you'd look a lot better in management's eyes.
I was once in that situation too . . . (Score:3, Interesting)
I was consulting for a medium sized ISP on the East Coast, managing their Unix servers, helping with their Sybase system, as well as keeping their web presence up. One day, the guy in charge of the HTML development decided that they wanted to stream audio and video from the site (it was associated with a newspaper, and had a radio station as a client). Well, they came up with an inflated number of streams that would need to be served simul
my $0.02 (Score:2, Insightful)
Simply stated, if a client is paying cheaply (well, as close as that gets in consulting), they deserve the minimum information and just get what they ask for.
If a client pays well or tips well or has been a long time repeat client, they deserve that extra time taken to show which judgement would be best and why.
Note those last two words: "and why." That is the single most important piece of information that is needed when questioning any decision
Re:my $0.02 (Score:2)
When I do consultant type work basically I outline the ways things could be done and then flat out tell them which is the best way. I then let them make the choice. Also like you say I
Re:my $0.02 (Score:5, Insightful)
MOD UP PARENT Re:my $0.02 (Score:5, Informative)
If they are a "good client", you might want to argue the point more without their asking for it.
Re:my $0.02 (Score:2)
Re:my $0.02 (Score:5, Insightful)
No, you said:
if a client is paying cheaply [...], they deserve the minimum information and just get what they ask for.
If a client pays well [...], they deserve that extra time taken to show which judgement would be best and why.
Your performance should not be tied to the amount you are paid. If they pay too little for your expertise, don't accept the job. This is unethical if you did not inform your "cheap" employer that this is what they're getting before signing. They read your resume, offered you money for the knowledge that resume represents, and you took the money.
Instead, how much you say should be determined by how receptive the client is to your ideas, not by how much they pay.
Just make sure that you don't give them so much information that they feel they no longer need your services, as that could also be a dangerous move.
This is also unethical. A consultant's job is to teach at the pace the students learn, not at the pace you can find a next gig.
Re:my $0.02 (Score:3, Insightful)
Provision of information is part of the job of a consultant. It's not up to you to ensure the client takes the information on board, but it is up to you to ensure the client is as informed as possible.
Re:my $0.02 (Score:5, Insightful)
Here's how free market capitalism works. You do not inherently deserve $100 an hour, no matter how well trained you are, and no matter how many $100 an hour gigs you've landed before. You only deserve $100 an hour if somebody is willing to pay at least that, right now. If the only job offer you can find pays $30 an hour, you're worth $30 an hour. Obsessing about your vaporized $100 rate, or worse, doing a sub-par job because of it, will serve no one well.
Re: (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:my $0.02 (Score:5, Insightful)
So I'm puzzled at the claim that "make a minimal number of decisions" is to be applied to a consultant. Surely when you consult a lawyer you expect advice, not someone to just file the papers you specify
Comment removed (Score:4, Interesting)
Consulting vs. Contracting (Score:5, Insightful)
You are correct that a "contractor" is typically hired to do a specific task, while a "consultant" is expected to provide expertise and guidance. However, the difference between those two is mostly in the mind of the one doing the work.
The general tone of the original article strikes me as argumentative and defensive. It is a consultant's job to offer options, advice, and approaches the client may not have considered. That information should not be presented as questioning the decisions of client management, but as an opportunity for the client to do things differently than they had planned.
When you are presenting those alternatives, it is critical that you present not only your preferred solution, but options which you might not like. Provide the client management with the pros and cons of different approaches, and let them do their job: making the final decision.
Remember that as a consultant you often do not have detailed information about enterprise licenses the client may have in place, knowledge of the corporate skillset, or even awareness of internal corporate directives.
As an example of why you should leave the client to make the final decision, consider a favourite Slashdot topic: Linux vs. Microsoft solutions. While you might "know" that Linux is a more cost-effective solution than one from Microsoft, the client might also be considering existing skillsets of the internal staff, existing contracts with data center support providers, etc. It is far from unusual for the retraining costs for internal staff and the costs of renegotiating third-party support contracts to absolutely dwarf the cost savings on the software itself.
Your job as a consultant is to advise, not dictate. If you have a good relationship with the client management, you might tactfully ask why they chose the solution they did, but you should not undercut their authority -- not if you want a long-term business relationship.
Is a plumber a contractor or consultant? (Score:3, Interesting)
If you have a sign-off on a project then if you aren't happy with something, you are within your rights not to sign. However, you had better have justification, i.e., not liking Microsoft isn't good
Re:my $0.02 (Score:5, Insightful)
If a client pays well or tips well or has been a long time repeat client, they deserve that extra time taken to show which judgement would be best and why.
That's just plain irresponsible.
You are a consultant because they are going to you for advice, in addition to implementation -- if you were there solely for implementation, your title would be "Gofer" or some such.
In other words, it doesn't matter how much they are paying you, you signed on for the gig, and if they want to implement something that you feel is a bad idea, it's your responsibility -- per your job description -- to advise against it.
Re:my $0.02 (Score:3, Insightful)
Hear, hear!!
This question isn't only relevant to consultants/contractors. As a software engineer employee it's my responsibility to question decisions I feel are wrong. I'm not just paid to pound out code and documents, but to evaluate what I'm asked to do and find the appropriate path to a solution. In fact, the ACM code of
Re:my $0.02 (Score:3, Insightful)
2.5 Give comprehensive and thorough evaluations of computer systems and their impacts, including analysis of possible risks.
Computer professionals must strive to be perceptive, thorough, and objective when evaluating, recommending, and presenting system descriptions and alternatives. Computer professionals are in a position of special trust, and therefore have a special responsibility to provide objective, credible evaluations to employers, clients, users, and the public. When providi
There's a fortune cookie for this! (Score:3, Funny)
However, a fortune cookie from the BSD Games Fortune Cookie files also goes:
The Consultant's Curse:
My $.03 (Score:4, Insightful)
Nice work ethic there, Sparky! Nothing like doing a good job for the sake of doing a good job. No sir-e! Show me the money!
Tip: You should go into medicine. There's tons of money to be made off of pesky poor people and, hell, since they aren't paying well you can just throw a bottle of asprin at them and save your best work for people who are worthy (rich).
Please. You are hired to do a job. When you were brought on, if you had a problem with the rate, you could have said something. Hell, you could still say something. That's called negotiation. But it isn't blackmail. "Oh, I'll only work hard if you keep meeting my demands." Show some class. Show some self-respect. Demonstrate you have a moral sense of right and wrong and you aren't just a high tech whore...
Re:My $.03 (Score:5, Interesting)
What the original poster is describing is the "extra mile" above and beyond the agreed scope. Consultants who do this for free too much go broke.
Sometimes though, if the fee was generous and the client is a regular, it's worth it to keep their business.
We aren't talking about saving the world or doing good deeds here. we are talking about business.
The labourer is due his hire.
Re:My $.03 (Score:3, Insightful)
One of the biggest problems for any consultant on projects is "scope creep". A good project manager will ensure that the client gets all that he has paid for, and no more. If the fee wasn't enough - too bad. The consuitant loses. If it was accurate or generous, he makes some money.
What the original poster is describing is the "extra mile" above and beyond the agreed scope. Consultants who do this for free too much go broke.
Well, yes and no. If you estimated the project correctly, you should be able
Scope creep and billing. (Score:4, Insightful)
What the original poster is describing is the "extra mile" above and beyond the agreed scope. Consultants who do this for free too much go broke.
Which is why the firms I've worked with NEVER bid fixed-price, always time-and-materials. If you did an ethical job, fixed-price was always a loser because you'd lose the bid unless you underestimated the work.
Babysitting the billing is the job of the contract administrator of a multi-man shop, not of the consultant. That way you can play good-consultant/bad-administrator if the client has an issue. (Of course if you're a one-man-band you have to wear both hats, so you're stuck.)
My algorithm for dealing with the original question:
During the project definition phase:
- Research the customer's problem to figure out what he needs. (Because when you ask him what he needs, he'll tell you the new stuff that he wants, completely skipping the core of the problem as an uspoken "of course".)
- Suggest a design that gives him what he needs. Try to convince him that THAT is what he wants. Then.
- Build what he now WANTS.
Sometimes the customer will now want what he needs. Sometimes he won't. In the latter case maybe he's right, maybe you are. Doesn't matter. Now that he's informed, if he overrules you, it's his money so do it his way.
If you go down a rathole at this point, it's his problem. But if you didn't tell him IN ADVANCE that he'd taken a wrong turn, you didn't do your job.
Re:My $.03 (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:My $.03 (Score:5, Insightful)
Client #1: A new upstart company whose owner wants a network put in, but wants to know what the best way to do it is and why. Pays $750.
Client #2: An established company whose owner routinely gets advice from his/her close friends and family, and wants you to use FormMail for requests on their website, even though there are hundreds of better applications and simple 10 lines of PHP will do it better and faster. Pays $2300.
Client #3: A large corporation who has hired you as a temporary drone to do some tech work for their latest sattellite office along with the other temps. They already have three others that work perfectly fine with their 10Mbps networks and ISDN lines, even though there are DSL and Cable lines running to the building that cost about the same price. Pays $800.
These aren't hypothetical situations, these are real things that happen to real consultants. I am showing class to those who deserve and ask for it. If somebody doesn't care, then don't waste your breathe. If somebody is paying for a job and a little bit of background information, that's what they get.
I never said I was altruistic. Those people only get far when working for others that abuse their abilities. I do show self-respect though, and the first way I do that is by knowing how much my time is worth.
Re:my $0.02 (Score:2)
Consultants should be appointed for their ability to produce the right answers faster than anyone else. Obviously it helps to have the information in their head, but they should also have the skills to apply it to your situation, to use best practice and to communicate what they are doing.
To get back on topic, you suggest that the decision comes down to money. I think this is a bit short sig
Re:my $0.02 (Score:3, Insightful)
This adice is absolute cynical bullshit of the sort that gives consultants a bad name. If you decided to take on an assignment for a cheap rate, that doesn't make it right for you to give shitty advice.
You should do the best possible for your client. That way maybe you'll be able to negotiate more for your next gig.
In this case, if you know some
Re:my $0.02 (Score:3, Insightful)
a) the client gets what they asked for (which may by they way not be what they need)
b) the client pays for what they requested
c) the consultant delivers as requested
d) all parties can clearly tell whether points a) through c) have been satisfied
e) a
when it affects your paycheck (Score:2)
That very much depends ... (Score:5, Insightful)
Yeah, I know - a lousy answer, but it's the only one I've got.
That reminds me... (Score:5, Funny)
Consulting
If You're Not A Part Of The Solution, There's Good Money To Made In Prolonging The Problem.
Re:That reminds me... (Score:3, Informative)
Consulting
If You're Not A Part Of The Solution, There's Good Money To Made In Prolonging The Problem.
That's one of the Demotivators series from Despair.com [despair.com]
Re:That reminds me... (Score:4, Funny)
When the customer has beaten upon you long enough, give him what he asks for, instead of what he needs. This is very strong medicine, and is normally only required once.
Can you show results? (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:Can you show results? (Score:5, Funny)
As with all blanket statements, I think this is untrue.
I think it's safer to assume they're looking for short-term results if you've just started for them, but once you get "embedded" (hot word these last few weeks) and get to know the management you're working with/for, you'll get a better sense of whether they are short-sighted or are looking farther.
Re:Can you show results? (Score:5, Funny)
OMG, Mod the parent up +3 "Ironic".
I guess "Funny" will do
question once. (Score:5, Insightful)
If they still want to go with the wrong solution, at least implement the wrong solution in the right way.... and you might be asked to come back later to fix it (and make more money).
Often-times, if someone is micro-managing and they don't know the best way to solve the problem (but have already determined a solution) their days are numbered and their successor will look for someone who can solve the problem... and you'll have a foot in the door.
Re:question once. (Score:3, Interesting)
1) Try to do it his way. Sometimes, I could, which pleased everyone -- and indicated that I wasn't infallible, which is ok, because I don't claim to be. Sometimes I couldn't, but I could honestly say I gave my best effort. And sometimes that approach would make it obvious that my suggestion was better, and the manager would change his
been there, a lot. (Score:5, Informative)
This tact has always been met warmly. They don't always go with my suggestion, but they always appriate my input.
Re:been there, a lot. (Score:4, Funny)
*Sits down and waits for "The Revenge of the Karma Police"*
Good for you in the long run? (Score:2, Informative)
CYA (Score:3, Insightful)
If for whatever reason you can't then it's tough luck for the customer. Any company that doesn't keep an open dialog is doomed to failure I would think.
Re:CYA (Score:3, Interesting)
Cash this for GOLD (Score:5, Interesting)
Guy I know got fired from [US printer company], then hired back as a contract. When working the contract, a full time employee complained about the quality of his test matrix, so they scheduled meetings and re-wrote it. Both of them kept notes, and both emailed the other with their copy of the notes to make sure they had all the same info. She complained again, then they did the meetings, re-wrote the notes, etc etc. It went on like this for about 7 iterations:
1)need more test cases
-doubled # of test cases
2)need test overviews seperated into different docs
-seperated into 3 different
3)need more test cases
-added test cases to each
4)need fewer
-combined to 2
5)too many test cases
-reduced test cases in each
6)don't like formatting of
-used different fonts, spacing, etc
7)too many test cases and docs
-combined docs; reduced test cases
8)[yelling] you are a terrible engineer (I kid you not)
-take it up the butt because you can't talk that way to employees but they can to you.
The result of this month of run-around that she gave the guy was that she didn't like him and wanted his project canceled and delayed (ie no work for months) so that a different contractor could be brought in to do the same job . . . one that would do the work just how she wanted it (YES MAN) but with out her actually doing the work.
At meetings with the VP of the contract agency, and meetings with the [US printer company] bosses the guy presented 300+ pages of printouts including each iteration of the test spec, the notes from each meeting, and all emails between them (he auto logged all emails). The VPs concluded that the guy did an excelent job of fulfilling the job requirements, but that because she didn't like him his contract would be canceled. The contract firm VP admitted privately later that this is very common with [US printer company] and there is absolutely nothing that could be done about it. Since both bosses agreed, the guys record was not adversely affected, but he still can't work in her division ever again.
When you offer your trained expert opinion to an idiot, expect nothing less that idiocy in return.
Hopefully this isn't a common experience with other companies and other contract workers.
robi
document everything (Score:2, Interesting)
This is, in fact, a very simple situation. Get your marching orders in writing. Document your objections and suggested solutions in writing. Get the employer's reaction in writing. In the end it's their ass that's on the line, not the contractor's, and you have the documentation to prove it.
Believe me, it works.
Why do companies hire consultants? (Score:5, Insightful)
Presumably, companies hire consultants because they need technical expertise.
I'm not sure if I'd make that assumption. A company may hire a consultant because they want an outside opinion. Everyone at the company gets so used to thinking the same way they lose sight of the forest for the trees. If I were a consultant, one of the first things I would make sure I understand is exactly why I'm being hired. It is entirely possible that the company may claim to want an outside opinion but there actions seems to indicate that they do not. In such cases, you may need to remind them periodicially what you were hired to do.
If, for some reason, you don't have this initial discussion with them, I think you still have to assume that they want you to critically examine their decisions. If they finally get fed up with you questioning their every move, I'm sure they'll let you know. At that point you can decide whether you want to continue to work for a company that disregards your opinion.
GMD
Consultant or contractor? (Score:5, Informative)
A contractor typically agrees to do a job, supplies the tools and expertise, and completes the project as agreed.
A consultant takes a problem, develops a plan of action, and is entrusted with providing an opinion on anything that is detrimental. As a consultant, it's your JOB to bring it up-- But if they say "We know, but we just want it done this way", well that's then your job.
A 'consultant' is someone who is brought in tooffer their advice, expertise and so forth.(Thus the word 'consultant', or 'one who is consulted')
Once they have done so, many bounce back and forth between consultant and contractor-- Writing the job tasks and then following through with them. By definition, the input of a consultant is wanted- She works primarily in the business/planning sense, almost as more of an adviser or planner.
I've done both extensively, myself,for your reference.
-Kysh
Re:Consultant or contractor? (Score:2, Informative)
They know not what they do... (Score:5, Informative)
My general coping methodology is to identify my concerns (expressed in terms of business consequences) but ultimately, I will defer to the legitimate authority of the client who is retaining us and cope as well as I can.
There is always the possibility that:
(a) You could be wrong
(b) Your client's position is formed on the basis of additional information you don't have to hand.
On the other hand, that doesn't mean you shouldn't keep some sort of mutually visible (and emotively neutral!) audit trail of your concerns as a CYA mechanism
Yes Men (Score:2)
In an idea world a consultant woudl be broughtin to actually consult and provide information and reccomendations. The fact that the people hiring you don't want to listen to your reccomendation kind of point to the fact that they want to pay someoen from the 'outsi
Never know 'til you try... (Score:2, Interesting)
Where I'm working now, I was presumably brought on board to "reign in the process" and actually introduce some hint of software engineering to the sheer chaos that was/is our development process.
With images of bringing my past experience (well-regimented development cycles, CASE tools, etc.) I charged ahead. Only to discover very early on that what they WAN
CYA goes both ways... (Score:2)
Are you getting paid to stop the company from making bad decisions?
If not, keep yer yap shut. If you will NOT be held liable for not stopping the company from doing something stupid, then there is no incentive to do so, and it may get you in trouble if you turn out to be wrong in the end.
Always (Score:3, Insightful)
I hardly ever do consultant involving coding unless it's something simple, like creating a web based front end for database entry or something. But when I am providing these types of solutions I always suggest FOSS. Alot of small busineses get duped into thinking that they need to go with Win2k, IIS, and either Access or MS-SQL. I always suggest Linux, Apache, and MySQL - and not one of them (OK, there was only two, but still) decided to waste over $1,500-$4,500 on the MS bundle (If they choose SQL it adds quite a hefty chunk of change onto the total).
Re:Always (Score:2)
"Waste" is a very subjective term, especially if your POV happens to be zealot-ish in nature.
I have a policy with my team... (Score:3, Interesting)
...and it works like this: speak up freely anytime a new decision bothers you. After you've made your case, if things don't change, reconsider your position. If you're still firm, revisit the issue later, and make a better case. If things don't change, grit your teeth and build to spec.
I figure this gives the team some checks & balances where input can come from both sides, and both sides have a chance to reconsider and restate the issues if need be. But it doesn't drag things out too much -- after two discussions, we're moving on, regardless of the happy-level. The major challenge here has been upper management, only because they haven't done the math. They always want to blame the developer or contractor, and insist that if management made a bad decision, it was up to the people working on the project to raise a stink, multiple times if need be. This is of course untenable, because it implies that a project could drag out indefinitely, as people revisit, re-revisit, and re-re-revisit an issue. I find my objection/revisit rule rule to be good, but it has to be backed by something only I am willing to do right now: take the blame when I make a crappy decision and refuse to listen to input.
Experiences from scandinavian perspective (Score:4, Insightful)
While I've been in the US, I've been asking questions in the same way and this sometimes lead to real frustration. People don't want to be told that they might be wrong. The response is typically, "well, it's nice of you to express your opinion, but this is how we do it" without even be willing to discuss the matter.
This is just my experience and hopefully not typical in the US workplace.
Jim in Az
Re:Experiences from scandinavian perspective (Score:3, Interesting)
US : "The customer wants this feature in the product"
SW : "We shall discuss starting a pre-study then"
US : "When when that be ?"
SW : "We will get back to you next week"
US : "So next week we will know if our feature will be in the product ?"
SW : "Next week we will know when we can get together to discuss starting a pre-study on that feature"
Of course the rest of the conversation cannot
Dosen't sound like consulting to me (Score:2)
Play by ear. (Score:2)
I just got off my first contracting gig (about 100 days), which ended with being hired full-time. It's a tech. marketing position, and so might be a little different that some others (contrary to popular belief, good product managers are encouraged to question the status quo).
As I hinted, I was encouraged to question the status quo. It continues even during my full-time employment. And I've worked in places where questioning the status
Comment on decisions... (Score:5, Insightful)
You are hired for your technical expertise. If they say, "It must be done like this", then I have no problem speaking up with a "that will be extremely slow".
But here's the key: Be prepared to provide an alternative. If you critisize, but don't provide a solution, they may just see your comment as non-productive. However, if you get in the habit of providing better solutions, they may start asking you to find a solution to begin with.
Malachi
Ack...I live this day to day. (Score:2)
You'd better know (Score:4, Funny)
Know when to keep still.
Know when to walk away.
And know when to run...
You'd better count your money
With each and every paystub
Cuz you'll have no chance to count it
When the merger's done.
Simple (Score:2)
I've been in that situation many times and I've never been shy about it - if I think you're fucking up, and it's my job to tell you, I will. What you do with that information is entirely up to you, of course. At the end of the day, I get paid anyway (which is why I'm a consultant and not a Dilbertian employee).
Some advice from a consultant... (Score:4, Insightful)
2. Make recomendations for how they could do things better. They will expect this. This is the difference between a consultant and a contractor.
3. Don't make the customer feel like an idiot for having designed/implemented something in a less-than-perfect manner. Politely suggest the necessary changes and give them good reasons why they need said changes. And don't make the customer feel like an idiot.
These 3 should get you started...
Every Time the Direction Changes (Score:5, Insightful)
Stratigic errors are invariably traced back to moments when the group/project changed direction. The small daily things are just that, small, they are dealt with and things carry on. Tactical mistakes on Tactical issues are just the day to day part.
One of the most important pieces of information being bought by anybody employing anyone for any purpose is the employee's "list of known bad things."
Pointers:
0) TAKE RESPONSIBILITY for EVERY MISTAKE YOU MAKE. Don't make a bid deal over them, don't "fall on your sword" just say "my bad" and move on. Hell take the casual fall for others if necessary to get the repairs started. To the greatest extent, who is at fault is the last thing that matters once the mistake is out. Most people have already decided anyway and almost everybody almost always knows the exact truth before the showdown anyway. As long as enough was learned to prevent a repeat, the issue is over.
1) Teling your boss "no" is your most sacroscant duty, but it should be approached the way you would tell him his fly is down (or there is toilet paper hanging out of her skirt band.) That is TACT and URGENCY are at war. A timly rescue of face in an emergency is more important than tact and will be remembered positively; but in the absence of extreme pressure, being less-than-tactful will be remembered negatively.
2) Know the difference between the stratigic and the tactical, NEVER let a issue or mistake you know is stratgic get treated as a tactical issue. "I didn't think it would matter this much" is the lament of the under informed. "I could have told you it would" is the response of the guy who most needs to be fired. 8-)
3) State your position as a recommendataion, especially if your boss is well invested in ego games. "I would reccomend against because..."
4) The next step is to banish "ok, but..." assume any positive assertion will be processed only up until the "but" and that the but, and all the following words will be. "We could do that but it will have problems when..." will feel like a vote in favor.
5) Learn the prefix phrase "I have no informed opinion", stress the "informed" as necessary. This phrase will, up front and attached to what you really want to say, easily and professionally presage that you would be guessing, are willing to guess, or not willing to guess about. Advice given in known ignorance is not a crime, it's a sin...
6) Finally, be willing to be out voted or overruled, and never let the fact that you were so overruled or outvoted color your ego or implementation. Presume there are factors you may not know or have control over and be part of the team once the team moves.
Many people suggest getting everything in writing. Don't do that. Just get the important things in writing. It's only important to get things into the record at whatever level "the record" belongs. Overstressing the "I want it in writing" vibe makes you look either weak willed or un-trustworthy. Depending on the type and nature of the circumstance being discussed there are lots of ways to get on the record. (for instance... 8-)
1) Get it in writing as a direct order if you must.
2) Send it in email with a request for confirmation or clarification.
3) Send an "unless otherwise directed" email. (especially when others are unwilling to make any decision at all, time is being wasted, and you know there is no inescapable harm. Fait Acompli can be outstanding mojo.)
4) (in casual company on minor matters where the relationship is good) just say "I reserve the right to laugh at everybody when the thing catches fire." (but don't over use this unless it's family 8-)
(The secret evil thing most people forget, if you bother to get it into the preminant record, * keep * a copy of that record somwhere you control, don't just leave it on the corporate email server... 8-)
In short, the three greatest failures in an employee of any sort are:
-- Failure to speak, to risk speaking, when others are in danger.
-- Failure to act when direction has been set.
-- Failure to balance both tact and urgency in any assessment.
My approach.. (Score:4, Insightful)
When faced with something I find dubious when first starting a project or taking on a consulting task, I do not assume an air of 'I know everything and this *will* fail'. I find it is actually more effective to ask questions that will lead them in the direction of figuring out the flaw for themselves. Also, it is not infrequent that there is *something* they neglected to mention that actually reveals what they want to be reasonable in context of the situation, and when that comes out in such a discussion, it doesn't make you look like a presumptious ass. If they figure out the flaw and where your questions where going, they appreciate not only your foresight, but helping them to understand the issue at a more fundamental level. If they reveal a piece of the puzzle that makes their request reasonable, or even if you end up having to point out the flaw yourself, they appreciate your effort to understand more about the big picture and how your piece fits in before just jumping in with a 'yes, sir' or flat out rejecting it without trying to understand why they might not be idiots.
Code of Engineering Ethics - READ IT (Score:4, Informative)
Here are your responsibilites (Score:4, Informative)
1) To inform your client what options are available, as well as their associated consequences. (R&D)
2) To manage your client's expectations. (Process Managment)
If you have done your job correctly and communitated well, your client will be well aware of the consequences of making any decision by your advice (counter to your recommendations or not) and if they do something you don't agree with, they will probably have a very good reason, good or bad, for doing so.
It is important for you to realize that these really are not your decisions to make.
In the words of one of my former mentors, "I'll sweep your floors for $100/hour, but I will also advise you that this is not the best use of my time."
If you fear legal repercussions, keep records of your correspondence in a folder and consult an attorney about drafting appropriate liability release paperwork. Well-designed documentation at the start of a contract and/or relationaship will generally eliminate this issue altogether.
con + insult = consult (Score:4, Funny)
Never question who signs the check (Score:4, Informative)
Yours is not to question why,
yours is but to bill them high.
Sure, it's not the way to engineer a perfect world,
but at some places (like AT&T), if you questioned
every poor decision, nothing would get done.
Clever subject line (Score:3, Interesting)
Simply approach them, tell them you have concerns about the methodology, and go over, in detail, what you think is bad about the idea. If they shoot down your opinions, implement their bad idea and if it fails, use it as leverage the next time around. But always stick to that- when you bring it up, tell them that you think it's a bad idea, but you'll do it anyway if they won't heed your warning.
My policy. (Score:3, Interesting)
If the client then decides to go ahead with the original plan regardless of my opinion that is fine with me, in the end it just means I'll most likely come back later to fix things, but because it's "on the record" chances are slim to none that they can put the blame on me.
So it's self preservation with an ethical twist.
M.
Insert $1250 for the next three minutes (Score:5, Funny)
Consultant versus Contractor (Score:5, Insightful)
A contractor does as there told, and in the absence of being told anything, may do nothing. (Although this would be considered poor even for a contractor). A contracter is contracted to perform a service, code for example. Given a set of specifications, they code well, debug well and implement well.
A consultant is a value add. They are a contractor plus, they provide additional expertise and insight gained from experience that is sometimes difficult to find within a company. Many companies that hire consultants have an in-house staff consisting of "big fish in a small pond." This is not demeaning as it sounds. Consider a tennis player who only plays high school students. With few exceptions the best they will become are as good as their experience. Development is the same way. I tell people when I leave, their people will know as much about what I bring as I can pass along.
This was all leading into the question. If you are unable to explain the reason to take an action, or to select a different path, one of several things may be occurring.
I am not explaining the options well. An issue for you to deal with and not your client. My inability to explain a situation sufficiently to be convincing, is my issue not theirs.
I am working against "it cannot be done this way" mentality. On the last two sites I worked at, I was told they could not, or specifically, it was impossible to do what I was asking. As it turned out, it was impossible because they had never done it and did not know how. In two situations at the last client, I was able to remove a full time manual process (30+ hours per week) by automating it in less than one week. A miracle? No. I knew it was possible.
You don't know the politics. A good read for Developers and Leaders alike is Rapid Application Development - Taming wild software Schedules. It gives insight into this aspect. In many cases a project cannot get approval to do it "right", but can get approval to "do it" then "do it right" in support. Logical from the outside? No, but understandable.
You are missing something and they may not want to tell you. I have seen projects were they were approved to the dollar. If it went over, even by a few hundred dollars, it was killed. Even if it lost thousands. The logic(?) being that it is better to kill a project that is over budget immediately, rather than let it continue on. This may be the case or it may simply be you do not know all the players, policy, and interfaces involved.
In some of these cases you can keep trying. Hoping to add value. The attempt, given it has good business sense behind it, will keep that client happy, even when they do not choose your ideas. At least they see new ones coming and maybe the next one will hit.
Ethics and consulting (Score:3, Interesting)
Back when I was consulting, I worked for a company A that held large numbers of personal records for another company B. The company B wanted to implement a sign-on that wasn't secure. A brute force attach could gain entry to the entire company's records.
Despite objections of Company B, Company A insisted on the insecure sign-on. So company B, where I was a consultant, implemented it. (Later Company A's security review people rejected it, so it never went on-line.)
The question that came out of it, if you were a consultant and ordered to implement something insecure, would you? If I deliver the question correctly, most of the people I interview say they would do as I ask. Even if it would expose the records of hundreds of thousands of people.
Faced with losing your job, or the possibility of compromising other peoples records, most people choose the job.
In the case of this job, I chose to hit the road and never regretted it.
Ask [politely] what they want from you (Score:4, Insightful)
Basically, if they're paying the bill, you have a responsibility to deliver what they want (if possible). And if you can't or won't, you have a responsibility to tell them.
'What they want' is the question. They may want opinions, or they may simply want hands typing. It's okay to ask. And if you don't like the answer, then you can decide how important 'being right' is to you. Keep in mind that 'Right' is often relative. And sometimes it takes people time to come around, longer if they've been forced into a corner.
I've been lucky that most of my clients have wanted my opinions and experience along with actual code. They haven't always listened and it has often been frustrating. But even though I may know certain aspects of 3D optimization (in my case) better than them, they know their business and their overall needs better than me. In many cases, I was probably right about 'what we should do' and they were undoubtedly more right about 'what they could afford to do.' It's their company, afterall.
Sorry if that isn't as specific as possible, but the thing I've learned after 10 years is that every case is different and flexibility is key.
My answer: Be careful (Score:3, Insightful)
Geeks (like myself to some extent) are generally bright and very opinionated. Use that brightness to realize that there is a time for putting in that extra effort and there is a time for simply just shutting up, working and drinking after work.
-Sean
Can't Say No (Score:5, Insightful)
You can never sa "no." You can only say "yes," then lead them to the conclusion that really isn't the best option.
Presenting options, explaining the risks, and showing why something isn't the best way are certainly valid (and expected) actions. If done appropriately and tactfully, it is certainly worth doing. If the person telling you to do this significantly outranks you (i.e. their CIO, you would match do a junior level), take it to your leadership.
Be sure to listen to what you are being told before acting (and even after). You may find that, while it doesn't make sense in the abstract, but, in the context of the clients business, it may make more sense (for technical, legal, political, or financial reasons).
Also, make sure that whatever opinion you are going forward with has the client in mind. For instance, don't push a certain tool just because you personally favor it.
If they still insist on whatever it is you have a problem with, you have two choices: just do it, or quit.
Some ideas on what should be done (Score:4, Informative)
1. Maintain a Risk Register. Any project manager worth there salt would want to know what the risks, how to mitigate those risks and what they are going to cost. If you are being asked to cut corners, inform the PM to add your concerns to the register. The project is doomed to failure if the risks arn't known or mitigated.
2. Most consultants would have a formal reporting mechanism to the client, a client progress meeting for example. If you have concerns a very powerful way of communicating those concerns is to formally report it via the client progress meeting. If the Project / Programme manager is not taking your risk on board, the project sponsor and business should be in a position to bring pressure to bear and deal with the issue. I myself have been in several situations where problems have come to light, that we highlighted on the client progress report many months earlier and effectively covered ourselves by highlighting the risk.
3. If you are consulting, there is an air of professionalism to highlighting issues as you see them. Ultimately in the end you will get a good reputation and be offered more work. I have seen this happen in many places. Before anyone chips in with scope creep and people going out of business, if you are silly enough to bid for work without including sufficient contingency both in time and price to cover unforseen issues and not fully understanding the problem, then you deserve to lose money.
4. Microsoft, yep I know most of you hate them, but they have a very effective programme management framework called MSF. One of the features of it is a process called War Room. In this, All functional and technical leads, Business Analysts, Management and sometimes developers come together and quickly discuss what they are doing and the issues they are having. This is an excellent way for a consultant, or anybody in fact, to highlight issues that may not be making up to management and in many cases come up with a solution.
I could go on for hours but my fingers are starting to hurt
My Rule Of Thumb (Score:5, Insightful)
Disclaimer: I am not a lawyer, the above is not legal advice. Under some of the above scenarios, you should seriously consider retaining a lawyer
My Thoughts (Score:4, Insightful)
First off, you have your integrity. If you see something wrong, you have a duty, more than your job, to mention it. Measure the response.
Personally, ethics is a very important part of my job. I don't always win, and sometimes, I'm thought of as a troublemaker.
That's not what I'm doing, though. I feel that whatever job you do, you should do it to the best of your ability....
Abe Lincoln said it best... "Whatever you are, Be good at it..." (I paraphrase.)
Be responsible, be good, and be right. In the same breath, also recognize when you are wrong.
Don't be afraid to be wrong, and *don't afraid to take a chance to be right*. Nothing we do is certain.
If we all give in and compromise our ethics, then what have we become? Worthless, in my humble opinion.
Our country is built on people who take chances. Sometimes they succeed and sometimes they don't.... But they never know until they try.
"Never give up, Never surrender!" -- to quote Galaxy Quest. This is not only a silly saying, but really a mantra that we all should aspire to.
Otherwise, what are you trying to accomplish? Money? It's simply pretty paper. It will not last... And in the end you will be left empty, void and dead.
Behave like individuals, and work well with others in teams.
Okay, I'll step off my soapbox now. I hope you
get what I'm trying to say...
Chris
Nothing in this life is certain, except for truth.
A Consultant's Job Requirements: (Score:4, Interesting)
Find out what the Client needs.
Convince him that's what he wants.
Convince him that it was his idea in the first place. (This is important. The Client is the smartest guy in the room--just ask him!)
Deliver what the Client needs while meeting the requirements of budget, functionality, and schedule.
Make sure the Client's looks like a f***ing genius in front of his bosses.
None of these are optional. If the consultant fails to do any of the above, the consultant does not get invited back to do the next job!
Having said that, I have the good fortune to work for a Client (for the past year and a half) who actually is the smartest guy in the room. If you ever have a Client who knows what he wants, lives in reality, and is committed to doing what is needed, cherish him! A Client with a full CNS (both a brain and a spine) is a rare jewel.
Most clients will sit the consultant down and say "Please shoot me in the foot.". When they do this, the consultant must explain that "this is going to hurt; do you really want to do this?" If they insist, the most you can do is be ready with bandages.
Some clients will ask you to shoot them in the head. By this, I mean doing things that will cause any safety concerns/violations or catastrophic financial consequences. Best you can do there is refuse to do the work.
I happen to have the good fortune to work for a Consulting company where the President stands by such decisions. I (and the Engineers working for me) have had the rare occasion to tell a Client "No, we won't do that. "It's unsafe" or "the liability is too great". In every instance, the President has stood behind us.
One final word: Pride. Forget about it. The Client is always right. There is nothing that will get you banned from the jobsite faster than embarassing the Client in front of his boss.
Bottom Line: (Score:3, Informative)
- whine
- drag your feet
- try to convince them again
Too many people try this and are a nightmare to work with. Unfortunately, this attitude is common in systems work, as many have the "everyone else is stupider than me" attitude. (e.g., Nick Burns, your company's computer guy)
Re:My suggstion (Score:2, Funny)
Re:You're missing the point (Score:2, Funny)
Comment removed (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:You're missing the point (Score:3, Insightful)
Re: (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:You're missing the point (Score:5, Insightful)
That is to say, if you've signed a contract stating that you'll implement X, Y, and Z, then sure, you implement X, Y, and Z, and walk away.
If your role is truly that of a consultant, then you have a responsibility to speak up. If your client is looking to satisfy a requirement, and they're considering doing it in a completely half-baked way, that will only marginally address their concern, and create a number of additional problems along the way, you have to say something. That's a fundamental difference between the roles of contractor, and consultant.
It's true that you need to exercise a certain degree of diplomancy, and you need to be able to deal with people, many of whom will see you as a threat... You can be absolutely certain that at least one guy (The one that came up with the half-baked scheme) is going to be bitter.
That's the job...
As far as covering yourself, you need only document your recommendations. Email is sufficient for this... Put your recommendations and your objections in email, and get a delivery confirmations. You cannot be held liable for poor results if your client chooses to disregard your input...
Quite the contrary, if you are in a consulting role, and you don't speak up, that's probably the bigger risk. If everything goes to hell, they can turn around and say "Why didn't you tell us? You're the expert..."
It's entirely possible that you'll end up in an environment that's impossible. You're told not to raise objections, or make waves... Essentially, you learn that you've been brought in simply to give a piss-poor project the air of legitimacy... If you do this long enough, it's inevitable. If you find yourself in that position, walk.
I'm not just saying that... I've done it twice in the past 12 years.
Re:You're missing the point (Score:2, Interesting)
Re:Do the right thing (Score:2)