Consulting Chronicles #3: Preventing Fire Drills & Crises by Removing Land-mines and Using Diagnostic Tools

Preface

When brought into existing projects in a consulting role, there will often be the perception the project is “mostly done”, or “90% there”.  Opening up the hood, you sigh.  You marvel at the wonders of modern programming technology, how they’ve empowered even the shoddiest, hastily thrown together, duct taped to work and work well, fooling many into a sense of functional complacency.  You also wonder when, not if, it’ll explode in someone’s face.

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Consulting Chronicles #2: Fixing a Pile of Rubbish – Part 3

The following covers the balance between getting things done and playing politics.

Preface

I attempt to expose the harsh realities playing the politics game entails, as well as dodging it.  It may come off as disgusting in some parts.  I agree.  However, if you have strong character, good ethics, and are an honest person, you’ll be fine.  Whether you like it or not, in consulting you have to play some politics to ensure you’re actually allowed to code and do your job.  Think of it as a necessary evil, or a human game of chess; whatever works for you.

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Consulting Chronicles #2: Fixing a Pile of Rubbish – Part 2

In Part 1, I covered how you earn trust from the client, and set the stage for how you start to fix a large pile of rubbish; a seriously broken piece of Flex software.   While there are 5 aspects to fixing it using the 5 P’s: Programming, Prowess, Politics, Positivity, and Patience; the Programming one is large, so here is the second part.

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Consulting Chronicles #2: Fixing a Pile of Rubbish – Part 1

Introduction

A lot of consulting revolves around fixing other peoples code. Sometimes this is pretty straightforward. Sometimes you perceive it as an unfixable disaster. Other times, not only is it a disaster, but you could be put into a situation where you are perceived as taking advantage of the situation when in fact you’re attempting to fix it.

Disaster recovery in consulting is solved by using the 5 P’s: Programming, Prowess, Politics, Positivity, and Patience.

Even if you aren’t a consultant, the tactics below should help you fix the un-fixable.

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