[techtalk] Testing (Was: Re: Technical issues)

[jenn at simegen.com]

Mary Gardiner wrote:

> Well the project I'm thinking of is being completed by a group of uni
> students in a small business that has explicitly refused them written
> specs at all.

Take it to their lecturer/project coordinator. This is not a situation
uni students should have to deal with, it's an awful one for experienced
professionals ..

Most of the contractors I know would simply refuse to take on a job
without at least some sort of written, signed off spec/acceptence
criterion, or a date at which they can gracefully quit the contract
regardless of completeness.

(the date forces the non-tech to ask 'can it be done by <date>', which
is some sort of feature-bloat limiter, at least...)

> The preferred method is that the owner/manager (who isn't a techie) comes
> around and says "that doesn't look right, do it this way". This is
> problematic for two reasons,

Yes, exactly.

> So, technical discussion #2: How do you deal with an immediate superior
> who is a non-techie (especially when your pay is low, your top priority is
> uni or other reasons why you don't want to be a defacto project manager)?

I escalate it to the project manager. :) Not a helpful answer, I know.


Jenn V.
-- 
       "Do you ever wonder if there's a whole section of geek culture 
		you miss out on by being a geek?" - Dancer.

jenn at simegen.com        Jenn Vesperman       
http://www.simegen.com/~jenn/