Borland marketing WTF



  • As you can read in their e-mail promoting some new requirements management application here: http://now.eloqua.com/es.asp?s=510&e=3B660AD57179453CB11DB288B8F7B24C

     

     

                <font color="#000000" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2"><span style="font-size: 12px;">It’s
    

    amazing that poor requirements account for 71% of failed software
    projects. And, unfortunately, no matter how efficient a requirements
    management system you have, it might not be enough to save your
    projects from joining that statistic. That’s why defining complete and
    accurate requirements is a critical first step to ensuring you manage
    the right requirements throughout a project's lifecycle.</font>

     

     

    To end the sales pitch with:

     

    <font color="#000000" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Defining
    requirements correctly up front can be pivotal in preventing the chain reaction of poor communication and
    missed deadlines that lead to rework and project failure. Don’t let this happen to you. Join the other 29%.
    </font>

     

    I'll be happy to join you in the other part of the failed projects statistics, Borland! :) 

    <font color="#000000" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2"></font>
     



  • 71% of projects fail.

    29% of projects succeed, Borland wants you to join this statistic, where's the WTF?



  • What borland is saying is that of failed projects, 71% fail because of poor requirements.  I'd be happy to join the 29% that fail for other reasons.

    If you read the original sentence again, you'll see.
     



  • <font color="#000000" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">poor requirements account for 71% of failed software projects</font>

    from what I see, that says of all the projects that fail, 71% is due to bad requirements.  So, that would mean the other 29% failed, but for other reasons.



  • @Lingerance said:

    71% of projects fail.
    29% of projects succeed, Borland wants you to join this statistic, where's the WTF?

    Perhaps you should apply for the job -- you seem to think like they do.

     

    ;)
     



  • @belgariontheking said:

    What borland is saying is that of failed projects, 71% fail because of poor requirements.  I'd be happy to join the 29% that fail for other reasons.

    If you read the original sentence again, you'll see.
     

    NOW I get it! I thought it was some kind of jibe at Borland, making out their projects are hardly successes. 



  • God, the marketing speak in that is horrible. The phrase "And, unfortunately, no matter how efficient a requirements management system you have, it might not be enough to save your projects from joining that statistic," sounded to me like they're saying, "And no requirements tool can help with this problem." So then they go on to suggest using their requirements tool. I guess in re-reading it, that's not quite what it says, but it sure is a mess to understand.



  • Bad marketing... is just good marketing at its most sincere.


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