[LINK] Where Are the Software Engineers of Tomorrow?

[Bernard Robertson-Dunn]

Janet Hawtin wrote:
> On Jan 14, 2008 1:57 PM, Bernard Robertson-Dunn <brd at iimetro.com.au> wrote:
> 
> 
>>I worked at IBM in Canberra when NCIS was coming to an end. A very
>>senior IBMer came over from the USA and did an informal review of the
>>project. The root cause of the problem was that a couple of software
>>gurus from a USA lab flew in, proposed that the police replace their
>>highly optimised, mainframe based, green screen applications with a
>>three tier client server system and flew out, never to be seen again.
> 
> 
>>And that was the source of the whole problem - everything else flowed
>>from that decision. The fact that it had never been done before, that
>>nobody knew if it could be built or would work were not even identified
>>let alone understood by those in charge.
> 
> 
> How common is that kind of flyby consultancy?

In my experience, quite common.

> What does it mean for local innovation, leadership and systems thinking?

And the overseas contribution is not the issue. In the case of the 
Access Card the source of the problem (a couple of really bad decisions, 
which nobody who mattered, understood or challenged) was all done in 
Australia, by Australians.

 > Which projects are done in ways which value/build local leadership and
 > innovation?

Projects where the goals are properly understood by people who have done 
it or something similar before and where the imperatives of time, cost 
and function/performance are balanced.

Notice I used the term "goals", not system. The system may not have been 
built before but the type of project has been done before. You can build 
a "first off" system very successfully as long as you recognise that it 
is a "first off" and if the time and cost constraints are flexible.

Unfortunately, in the early stages of the project, the really 
experienced system person who can recognise the "first off" nature of 
the system is usually not part of the team. That's when we get back to 
the "how do you pick a plumber?" problem.

-- 

Regards
brd

Bernard Robertson-Dunn
Sydney Australia
brd at iimetro.com.au