10 ms·

The takeaway I have is a question. Why isn't there a good equivalent to the big mac in the consulting world? Every time you go cheap, or with the "big consult

The takeaway I have is a question. Why isn't there a good equivalent to the big mac in the consulting world? Every time you go cheap, or with the "big consultants" that joel describes the expected outcome is massive time overruns and massive budget overruns. The closest thing to the big mac model I can think of is installation of existing software, with customization for the environment, but even there you get the 3 year long SAP projects that cost tons. What prevents software from being put into a manual? I'm hoping the answer is something beyond "requirements don't match up exactly to previous problems... ever", but I fear that's all it is.

swombat 17y ago
Actually, as far as well-specced cookie-cutter stuff, I would say outsourcing/consultants tend to do a good job if they're managed properly. Where they fail (overrun budget and time) is for more complex stuff. Software complexity requires exponentially better programmers to cope with it. Each time you're building a complex piece of software, it's like you're having to invent the burger again and explain it to a computer. Couple that with the fact that each company will want their particular meal tailored very specifically to their tastes, so that there's little reuse of recipes possible, and it's obvious why a lot of projects fail when the burger flippers are asked to design a new burger.
gvb 17y ago
I think there is: the Microsoft product line. They are the company everybody loves to hate for their mediocrity. If you want an office suite, email, calendaring, etc., they are what most of the consultants install. On the other hand, when you (metaphorically) want the same consultants to go beyond "twoallbeefpattiesspecialsaucelettucecheesepicklesonionsonasesameseedbun", like a McBurger flipper trying to make basil aioli, it usually doesn't turn out well.

swombat 17y ago

Actually, as far as well-specced cookie-cutter stuff, I would say outsourcing/consultants tend to do a good job if they're managed properly. Where they fail (overrun budget and time) is for more complex stuff. Software complexity requires exponentially better programmers to cope with it. Each time you're building a complex piece of software, it's like you're having to invent the burger again and explain it to a computer. Couple that with the fact that each company will want their particular meal tailored very specifically to their tastes, so that there's little reuse of recipes possible, and it's obvious why a lot of projects fail when the burger flippers are asked to design a new burger.

gvb 17y ago

I think there is: the Microsoft product line. They are the company everybody loves to hate for their mediocrity. If you want an office suite, email, calendaring, etc., they are what most of the consultants install. On the other hand, when you (metaphorically) want the same consultants to go beyond "twoallbeefpattiesspecialsaucelettucecheesepicklesonionsonasesameseedbun", like a McBurger flipper trying to make basil aioli, it usually doesn't turn out well.