Perception vs Reality Bob Edis's example soft skills message
Kent Heatherington
kent.heatherington@sympatico.ca
Sat, 8 Jun 2002 11:47:26 -0500
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Bobs example (I bet he's talking about a Houston Company !) is a good =
one. I'll add to the
list.
I built a manufacturing system for the Cdn Fed Guv Corrections =
department. It took=20
me, 2 other programmers, and a business expert to get it done. It cost =
nothing in comparision
to what people are spending on systems such as SAP and Oracle =
Financials.
There was no cry from the user community to move to an ERP. Simply guv =
mandarins=20
who had noted that companies in private industry were moving away from =
building solutions
but rather buying the solution. (ya right !)=20
So without any cost consideration, they tossed the system which was in =
place, working=20
well, supported by a technical staff of 2 and paid for. Off they went =
to Oracle Financials.
And in went our TAX $. I keep hearing from the client that it works as =
well as the system
I built (not better !). They are'nt happy about taking years to get a =
change they need put
into the system. And having to lobby Oracle. Imagine the flexibility a =
PowerHouse system presents
when legislative changes are required to a government application.=20
I agree with Bob that we need to educate clients, but I think the =
proposition is hopeless.
These decisions always come from so high up, that any practical =
reasoning at our level
is simply not heard.
Kent Heatherington
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<DIV><FONT size=3D2>Bobs example (I bet he's talking about a Houston =
Company !) is=20
a good one. I'll add to the</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2>list.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2>I built a manufacturing system for the Cdn Fed Guv =
Corrections=20
department. It took </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2>me, 2 other programmers, and a business expert to =
get it=20
done. It cost nothing in comparision</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2>to what people are spending on systems such as SAP =
and Oracle=20
Financials.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2>There was no cry from the user community to move to =
an=20
ERP. Simply guv mandarins </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2>who had noted that companies in private industry =
were moving=20
away from building solutions</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2>but rather buying the solution. (ya right !) =
</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2>So without any cost consideration, they tossed the =
system=20
which was in place, working </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2>well, supported by a technical staff of 2 and paid =
for. =20
Off they went to Oracle Financials.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2>And in went our TAX $. I keep hearing from the =
client=20
that it works as well as the system</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2>I built (not better !). They are'nt happy =
about taking=20
years to get a change they need put</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2>into the system. And having to lobby =
Oracle. =20
Imagine the flexibility a PowerHouse system presents</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2>when legislative changes are required to a =
government=20
application. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2>I agree with Bob that we need to educate clients, =
but I think=20
the proposition is hopeless.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2>These decisions always come from so high up, that =
any=20
practical reasoning at our level</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2>is simply not heard.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2>Kent Heatherington</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV></BODY></HTML>
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