Today is my last day in my current group. I'll be taking a similar position on a clandestine company project team. It was a hard decision to leave for a number of reasons, but primarily because I have a number of great colleagues. I can't say I enjoy working with everyone or always agreed with my management (more so lately), but the great contemporaries make up for any disgruntles.
I've been in this position for about 19 months so I don't consider myself a job hopper. Though it does feel like I'm leaving a bit premature. That's probably due to us just finishing up with my primary project (implement Team Foundation Server (TFS)) and rewriting the way we execute our build processes. I'd like to enjoy some maintenance mode, but it's looking like I'll miss out.
From my perspective, my biggest accomplishment has be bringing in TFS to the company. Once we made the decision, we have four other groups implementing or planning on implementing TFS. I think we made the right choice considering the fact that others, with no mandate, are deciding to implement TFS. If I was standing alone watching other groups implement different tools (e.g. ClearCase / ClearQuest) I'd figure we failed. But hundreds of people are jumping on the TFS bandwagon so I feel better.
My biggest failure has been my involvement in what I would consider, a failed process improvement effort. I can't take all the blame as I played just a small role. However, maybe I could have done more to make us successful? I guess we'll never know.
Next week's postings will come from my new location where they've taken on the Google management philosophy. That is, pack a bunch of people into a small room and see what comes out. I'm looking forward to it.
Friday, February 01, 2008
Change
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
The process improvement "failure" is unavoidable. The groups using it fractured and the oversight for half the projects are now in a completely different location (country), company(ies) and a group with differing management experience than they were before. It's probably accurate to say that even the half that would have kept the process improvement process being designed is now under a management system that may have a differing view on the original goal for process. You would have to be the person who actually ran several departments/corporations to have stopped that - so I don't see any reason you should feel responsible. Still sucks to leave something with it feeling unfinished, eh?
I think you're right. And to be honest, while I would have liked to see it succeed, I was always kind of prepared for it to fail.
My feeling is that it could have made it. Though key members left or lost interest or were unable to provide the needed leadership. Myself included.
Post a Comment