Today I was so frustrated with my offshore development team that I had to google "Offshore team doesn't listen to me." Yes. I googled a full sentence. Not surprisingly, I got a few results.
My specific problem is that I request repeatedly for them to do something. For example, tell them that the app must use a web service rather than handle some integration internally, so that we can use that web service for multiple applications. Or perhaps as simple as telling them that the system must point to a particular Dev server, not to QA or Prod at this time. And no response. They dont' say they're not doing it, but they don't confirm they're doing it either. Meanwhile, the latest version I received is still not doing what I asked. At the same time, I get long emails from them describing bizarre situations they've thought about and want to know the answer to. "If a pink elephant logged in and pressed this button, what would be the expected result?" ARGH! I end up having to chase these strange requirements questions down, despite the fact that I've written clear requirements. These fools' errands distract me from the fact that they are not doing what I've asked them to do. But, it would appear, I am not alone. Witness the following entries of my fellow blogger (paragraph 2 or 3):
http://tarkatronic.blogspot.com/2007/08/management-frustration.html
At any rate, I think this is the hardest thing about managing any project where the worker(s) are anyone but yourself. You have to ask other people to do things. And they might not do them. They may not do them correctly, on time, and they may not respond to you at all. And how do you deal with that? Are you a rant & rave kind of person? Don't think so quickly that you're not because I've found you don't know how you're going to react until you face this situation. I find myself completely at a loss. I would certainly like to yell about it right now, but wisdom tells me that it wouldn't get me anywhere.
I know blogs are supposed to come to a pithy conclusion, but I'm sorry - no Jerry Springer message on this one.
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2 comments:
I'm truly glad to see that I'm not alone here. Actually, shortly after that tirade of mine, we ended up abandoning the offshore approach and are now in the process of looking for a local developer to take over, clean up and finish the project.
Strange, I could have sworn that's what I insisted on in the beginning...
want your old job back?...let's talk.. ;)
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