The argument that I was making was that before you can implement
object-oriented development processes, you had to make some fundamental
changes to your organization - predominantly in training and management of
projects. To use the Carnegie-Mellon Capability Maturity Model, for
instance, the organization has to move at least from level 1 (ad hoc) to
level 3 (defined), and preferably to level 4 (managed) to even think of
implementing object technology in any meaningful way. [If you are
unfamiliar with this model, email me for a synopsis.]
Using this reasoning, I have pointed out that for organizations that are
not ready, implementing object technology will not improve their
situation, but make it worse. The reason for this is that lack of
preparation will make the developers' flaws stand out more clearly to the
end user community. It's not a new argument. Yourdon has been making it
for years.
But my clients are not ready for object technology. In most cases, they
are not ready for implementing mini-systems or LANs, either. But they are
implementing them.
Which brings me to my flaw. I have been selling technology to my
client-base as a way of improving their operations. I have been selling
reengineering and pushing decision-making further down the organization as
a way of making the companies more responsive to their customers.
Technology speeds up their response time. Reengineering makes them more
responsive to the marketplace. Great objectives. But what if they are not
ready. Will the speed up only expose the flaws of the organization faster
than they can be dealt with? Will the elimination of the buffering middle
management also eliminate the corrective actions that were needed to keep
from over-responding to the customer? Yes, I think I can see good evidence
of this today.
So, to correct my mistakes in the past, I must work out a training plan
for organizations that instructs them on how they can benefit from
technology and reengineering rather than doing damage. First question in
this quest is "Has anybody already started on this venture?"
Hank Heath
-- HankHeath@aol.com