A WTF non-WTF!



  • New job this year. For one project I am on, I am technical lead for a technology I only saw for the first time 2 weeks ago (not a WTF as although it is new to me it makes a lot of sense in my industry). My project manager has also never managed a project with this technology either, but both of us are very experienced with related technologies.

    So at the moment to do a project one of 2 ways: The easy way would have us working in a way we are both very comfortable with, but would not leverage any of the nice new technology - so little risk, but no future advantage to the company. The had way would be to utilise the new technology and do things the "right" way for the customer. This has higher risk, but is better in the long term for the customer and better for the company as both me and the PM get a leg up on how do do things this new way.

    To summarise, the choices are do it cheaper or do it the best way, and we were in a bit of a bind as to which way to go. So on Friday we brought the sales guy in on the discussion - and this is where the WTF comes in. The salesguy pushes us to do it the best way, and not the cheaper way, even if we take a hit in the learning process! Thats something I don't think I have ever experienced in my career. I have recounted this story a couple of times to other people in engineering businesses and the first question always seems to be "Are you sure he was a salesguy?!?!??!!"

    ED: fucking paragraphs, how do they work? -btk



  • The Sales Guy is charging them time and material.  However many hours it takes you, he will make that much more commission.

     

    And why so secretive about what the technology is?

     


  • Garbage Person

    @Salami said:

    And why so secretive about what the technology is?
    When people are being cagey about the new toys they get to play with, I always assume "weapons". In addition to making those discussions seem way more interesting, it also helps me build a vision of there being somewhere to go in this career where laughing maniacally as things blow up around you is an acceptable state of play.



  • @Weng said:

    career where laughing maniacally as things blow up around you is an acceptable state of play.

    I have that as a special clause in my contract.



  • @Salami said:

    And why so secretive about what the technology is?
    Oh, I don't know .. maybe .. how about the fact that the actual technology has nothing to do with the story. And if you think that a sales guy acting rationally is normal everyday event then I'd say that you haven't been around too many sales guys. Shit even Dilbert propagates the stereotype - and Dilbert is fact, not fiction.



  • @OzPeter said:

    New job this year. For one project I am on, I am technical lead for a technology I only saw for the first time 2 weeks ago (not a WTF as although it is new to me it makes a lot of sense in my industry). My project manager has also never managed a project with this technology either, but both of us are very experienced with related technologies. So at the moment to do a project one of 2 ways: The easy way would have us working in a way we are both very comfortable with, but would not leverage any of the nice new technology - so little risk, but no future advantage to the company. The had way would be to utilise the new technology and do things the "right" way for the customer. This has higher risk, but is better in the long term for the customer and better for the company as both me and the PM get a leg up on how do do things this new way. To summarise, the choices are do it cheaper or do it the best way, and we were in a bit of a bind as to which way to go. So on Friday we brought the sales guy in on the discussion - and this is where the WTF comes in. The salesguy pushes us to do it the best way, and not the cheaper way, even if we take a hit in the learning process! Thats something I don't think I have ever experienced in my career. I have recounted this story a couple of times to other people in engineering businesses and the first question always seems to be "Are you sure he was a salesguy?!?!??!!"

    Are you sure he was just  a sales guy?



  •  What if we create a forum named What the Hell (WTH) and Non What the Hell (Non WTH)?

    Good idea or bad idea?? :)



  • @juliaestelleo said:

     What if we create a forum named What the Hell (WTH) and Non What the Hell (Non WTH)?

    Good idea or bad idea?? :)

    Bad Idea.


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