Blog

Disambiguator Blog

Author:	Michael Wilkes	Created:	1/19/2007
Getting it right the first time with a software blueprint.

Dispersed Team? Get Specific.

By Michael Wilkes on 11/3/2007

Avoid the lost time, money, and morale of the rework spiral. A dispersed workforce requires much more specification than a local nest of techies.

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Reference Questions That Count

By Michael Wilkes on 10/31/2007

How can you cut through the canned answers and meaningless stats to find out what you really want to know?

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What are the odds?

By Michael Wilkes on 10/26/2007

What are the chances for success in custom home building if the buyer starts the discussion with a carpenter, electrician, and plumber?

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Perpetually "Yes"

By Michael Wilkes on 10/19/2007

Being a "Yes person" is not just for kiss-ups. It's for consultants too. But how do you control scope on a large projects if you say "yes" to everything?

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Levels of Help

By Michael Wilkes on 10/10/2007

There are so many ways to make a software application easy to use. When you find one that isn't (got a favorite?), send them this list...

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Ambiguity Tax

By Michael Wilkes on 10/3/2007

What is the penalty for buying into the hype of cheap offshore coding rates? I call it Ambiguity Tax and you have to pay now (expensive) or pay later (more expensive).

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You just started a big project with your new offshore partner. The cost savings will be great. Everyone on both sides of the ocean is excited. Then the first build comes in -- major quality issues appear. Now what?

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Software and Oatmeal

By Michael Wilkes on 6/8/2007

Startup executives have to present a business plan to their potential investors. It's required. They (the people with money) won't even talk to you without one. Why don't the same rules apply in a software project?

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Avoid this Margin-Crushing Mistake

By Michael Wilkes on 5/18/2007

We all know how to create margin: Buy low, sell high, and keep the difference. It's the same for software projects. But what if your cost estimate was based on a pie-in-the-sky guestimate? What happens then?

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Hardwired to Fail

By Michael Wilkes on 5/12/2007

No one intentionally plans to fail. There is a way to nearly guarantee failure, however, by doing this part of a project badly...

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