Programming Rant 1

[Stevehewitt]

Hey,

This thread is quite pointless, but I need to let off steam before I kill someone in management.

I'm not a programmer. I work in IT as the systems manager. Just me, I do the lot. Helpdesk, Mail admin, Network tech, Hardware tech, webmaster - the works.

I wanted to expand my knowledge by playing with new stuff. This happended to by Access.

Since November time, I have purchased books, CD's and other reading material on how to programming using Access, VBA and SQL.
I decided to create a stock control program for my company. We currently keep all records on a excel spreadsheet. To cut a long story short, its crap. We still can't close off our end of year accounts cause we don't know what we sold from stock. (End of Year is December)

I've had no input even though I requested it, no training, no assistance and no feedback during testing.
I lived with this until now, because I handed in my notice 2 weeks ago.

Management has finally caught on that this program will save 100's of man hours and are using it.

But only NOW, with 2 weeks notice left to serve are they making changes.

AAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!! 6 MONTHS IN DEVELOPMENT, AND THEY ONLY TELL ME WHEN ITS FINISHED & I HAVE JUST 2 WEEKS LEFT!!!

End of Rant! ;-)


Steve

 

[sha76]

Welcome to the world of programming!

Actually I'd love to be in that situation at the moment, I'm currently trying to analyse a load of figures (as in "Here's a load of similar, but significantly different data we want comparing, it's possibly incomplete, ignore these problems please make lots of pretty graphs to be shown at a high level"). There's one of me (programmer, report writer & general IT dogsbody) and FOUR data analysts. I have no real background in data analysis, but for some reason I have to figure out how to do all this, before it can be passed over to an analyst to copy for future quarters.
</my rant>

Sorry if I in any way detracted from your rant there Steve, but at least yoou get to walk away from it in two weeks!

 

[LesleyW]

Steve, not to minimise your distress and frustration, for your own sanity you gotta remember....

You're OUTTA there in 2 weeks, it's NOT your problem.


I suggest when you walk out the door in 2 weeks you do a symbolic "shaking the dust of this place off your feet" . . . this act may look rather strange but when I leave my workplace for a holiday or long weekend after a frustrating few weeks, I tap my toes on the pavement outside the front door to symbolise shaking the dust off my feet. It allows me to leave my work place worries where they belong. Works for me!

 

[Stevehewitt]

Thank God!

Well, I know Access / SQL / VBA isn't really rated by C#, C++, VB etc. programmers as a real language or development tool - but it gives me, and networking boff, a bit more insight into the world of development - and a lot more respect![/i]

Steve

 

[Stevehewitt]

Is this sort of thing common in the development community, or is my manager just really crap?

Steve.

 

[BJCooperIT]

It happens all too often. Think about it. Things are clicking/limping along and management is busy doing whatever they do and then BANG! Someone hands in their notice. On of the first questions they ask themselves is "What does this person do and who is going to do that now?". In short, you now have their attention. As long as things were going well, they did not pay you much heed. By preparing for your exit, they suddenly realize that you had a good point and they are desparate to enhance your application before you are out the door. This may be a good opportunity for you to contract back to them, for a substantial rate, to make their changes. Look at it this way... you win!


[sup]Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance.[/sup][sup] ~George Bernard Shaw[/sup]
Systems Project Administrator/Custom Forms & PL/SQL - Oracle/Windows

 

[Stevehewitt]

Yeah, there has been some talk of me coming back as a contractor when I can fit it in.

I think that this may be the best option.

Surely management should of discussed application development, helped beta testing (has financial management reports), provided feedback, stated their requirements during development - not afterwards.

It just makes things even worse when I've only got 2 weeks left!

Thanks,


Steve.

 

[KenCunningham]

It still begs the question why are you so bothered with only two weeks left? These people obviously didn't give a damn when they thought you were a fixture - why are you so bothered about them now? Selfish, but realistic, is my advice. Do what you can but don't bust a gut. You owe them nowt.

 

[Golom]

Management is implicitly geared to solving problems or at least trying to solve problems. As long as good old Steve was down in the trenches doing stuff it wasn't a problem.

Now that he isn't; it is.

With only two weeks left you can only do yourself damage by launching into revisions to the system that you can't possibly complete. Far better to point out that the system will need care and feeding after you leave and offer to train someone else during your remaining time. The problem then becomes theirs ... not yours.

You don't want to be the guy of whom they say "Well he left our XYZ system in a total mess." The fact that you created it and they didn't know it existed will be lost in the mists of time and selective memory.

 

[Stevehewitt]

I agree. The problem is that I am the IT department. They are not planning to get anyone in ASAP, therefore I can't train anyone. (Its not an advance app, but if I say VBA to anyone they'll look at me like I am strange!)

These changes have to be done, and I will make sure they get done, but 2 bloody weeks is horrendous considoring I've had sod all input from everyone else.

Also, I[/b] want this to work for me. I can say I've done it. I want to add 'Access Development Experience' on my CV.

Its just so bloody rude for management to make demands at this time. Very rude, inconsidorate and impolite.
I agree that I should just take my time over it and then charge consultancy - but like I said - I want to do it for my own satisfaction.

I'm just annoyed!

 

[BJCooperIT]

Steve,
Are you familiar with the phrase below?
That cannot be completed in your timeframe.

It is possible to say "No"!

[sup]Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance.[/sup][sup] ~George Bernard Shaw[/sup]
Systems Project Administrator/Custom Forms & PL/SQL - Oracle/Windows

 

[Stevehewitt]

It can be completed - only just. Plus I want to get it finished.

I suppose i'm just moaning that the sods have only taken notice after I resigned.

Steve.

 

[MDXer]

If your company isn't planning on replacing you any time soon and they need modifications or support made to your application then I don't see a problem I see money to be made. If your departure is made in a positive and proffesional manner than you can offer yourself and a parttime consultant, if you have a new job then do it after hours, at current market rate for a consultant.

&quot;Shoot Me! Shoot Me NOW!!!&quot;
- Daffy Duck

 

[RiverGuy]

Steve,

By giving your notice, I assume you have another job lined up. Are you looking forward to it? Maybe it will be better.

 

[SQLSister]

You ask:
"Is this sort of thing common in the development community, or is my manager just really crap?"

You might as well ask if breathing is common in the development community.

A contractor from Microsoft put it best when talking about management here -"They don't care about anything until 48 hours before it is due." Be glad you got two whole weeks!

 

[Stevehewitt]

LOL, thanks.

Yeah, I have a new job lined up. The reason I resigned is because there was no motivation there. Management just assumed I did nothing most the time. No interaction with me or anything.

My appraisal went:

"Head Office need me to justify why you are here, so I'd like to ask you if you want to work on the sales and administration side as well as IT."

Nothing about more money, how well I have done - nothing. Just do more work which your not experienced or trained in with nothing extra for you.

Its just professional pride. I'm young and been in IT for just four years - I want to learn. Everything IT wise for the company has been done by me - and I just don't seem to get any feedback from anyway.
This attempt at programming was a last attempt to get some appreciation from the company.

Anyway, had a sales related argument with the boss today which made me look forward to leaving even more!

Thanks,


Steve.

 

[SQLSister]

Well Steve, they will shortly find out why it was that you were there!

 

[jtb]

Steve, there are two rules to remember about life:

1. Don't sweat the small stuff.
2. IT's all small stuff.

Just remember to take care of your family... It costs (at least in terms of pschological damage) a lot more to lose a wife you hate than a job you love (trust me on this one, don't try it at home)...

And, since they're thinking about calling you back (and they want you to be involved in sales), you might get a head start by building your contract with them now... what you'll do, how you'll prove it's been done, when and how often you'll be paid, etc...

Forewarned is forearmed... ;-)

JTB
Have Certs, Will Travel
&quot;A knight without armour in a [cyber] land.&quot;

 

[rosieb]

Stevehewitt
Is it common? It's endemic!

I'm currently having fun with a department, it goes a bit like this...

[Them]We need some reports urgently
[Me]What do you want?

<a month passes>

[Them]We need some reports urgently
[Me]Exactly what do you want?

<a month passes>

[Them]We need some reports urgently
[Me]Exactly what do you want?
[Repeat ror 3 months...]

[Them]This is what we want, but it's only general. We need it urgently.

<2 weeks later>

[Me] How about this?
[Them] It's not quite right. When can you fix it?
[Me] Tell me what you want changing. (Say, in a week's time, and I'll let you know) [Furiously emails copies of putative reports til 7 pm]

<2 weeks later, still waiting for a response>
....

Repeat ad nauseum....

Steve, if you've got a new job, you can just walk away. Tough! (On them) Tidy up as best you can and document.

If you want the consultancy, great, go for it (but make them pay a commercial amount - at least £300 per day, you'll be working weekends - but it's bunce.) Remember you're doing them a favour.

Professional pride is good, but be practical, you've already got the new job. Though this may lead to additional extra-curricular work - do you want it? Can you support it?

<aside>Might be a good topic for the 12th, if you can get thru' the general cack, tho' it should be fun - see you then.</aside>


Rosie
"Never express yourself more clearly than you think" (Niels Bohr)

 

[entaroadun]

There's two explanations for management's behavior.

The first is that you turning in your notice lit a fire under their behinds. They realize that the only resource who can do this project is walking out the door. Therefore, they are heaping on demands in the hopes that you will finish before you leave.

Don't accomodate them. I have seen this management tactic many times. Lack of resource planning on their part does not lead to an emergency on your part.

The second explanation is much more sinister. They realize that with you leaving, this project will fail. Therefore, they are submitting business requirements at the last minute so that they can blame the failure on you after you walk out the door. If they don't submit requirements, then they will bear the criticism for the project failing since they didn't cooperate. With you leaving (and unable to defend yourself), "I submitted project requirements at the last minute." easily becomes "I submitted project requirements all along, but it never got done."

At this point, it's a win-win situation for management. Either they get the product they need, or it fails and they are scot-free.

Do not accommodate them. Management should not be rewarded for bad behavior. I've seen both sets of tactics far too many times. In the end, it's better to let the product slip (even though they'll be blaming you after you are gone). You're better off punishing them with no product so that their careers will be that much weaker.