Contractor PM annoying me...

[DieScum]

So some bloddy annoying contractor PM used a tool I am loosely associated with to do some deployment task. The deployment fails and he blames my tool. The problem is he hasn't done any testing. He just fired it out blind.

I agree to help him find the root cause. Then follows multiple annoying emails demanding a full report on the cause.

Finally after I phone him up and say "Look matey, whatever tool you use you have to test. While I am happy to look at the technical reasons for this failure you have to put in place some project management with independent testing. If you do not do this then, whatever tool you use, these sort of failures will occur again and again. You have to have a process in place not just blindly trust a general purpose tool."

Grrr! Bloody contractor PMs trying to save their own shoddy hides.

Just letting off steam...

[cojak]

It's probably 'cos he hasn't got a process in place...

[DieScum]

Absolutely! Just annoying that the fool tries to blame it all on the tool.

It is kind of hard to confront someone with something so blinking obvious. Escpecially when they are being aggressive and you are only saying what is in their own, and everyones, best interest.

[Xenophon]

As a PM I can understand his frustration. He must be thinking - 'I got hold of that deployment tool from DieScum, but the frikkin thing didn't work properly when we came to rollout. Some deployment tool that is!'

*Ducks for cover*

[BoredBloke]

Ask him this. When you go to B&Q there are lots of tools. Some only have one use and some can be used on a variety of things with differing degrees of success. However one thing they all have in common is that somebody has checked their suitability for the task at hand. What makes him think that your bespoke tool would work without first being tested.

Also at the end of the day surly this should have been noted as a risk to the project and he should have come up with a contingency for it.

[Ardesco]

tulipe Pm if he didn't do a risk assessment and some OAT....

[AtW]

Ask him this: When you go to B&Q there are lots of tools. ...

give him £200 and ask to buy you a ski mask and a chainsaw, tell him to keep the change NOT in his pocket, wallet or anywhere on his body where it can get wet from blood.

Worked every time for me.

[DieScum]

I see what your saying Xenophon and this is the angle the PM is coming from because "the sh1t has hit the fan" and "the stakeholders are really unhappy about this.". So he is trying to shift blame off in my direction. Which isn't too much of a hassle to me because I'm not directly involved.

The real root cause if bad project management but I can't see his contract being renewed if he presents it like that.

[Ardesco]

If he is honestly thinking "I have got this untested deployment tool and i'm goin to use it to do a deployment with absolutely no testing" he is a moron, no two ways about it.


If somebody gave him the deployment tool telling him that it was tested and worked perfectly I could see him getting upset, but with the person who lied to him about the suitability of the deployment tool, not you....

[Xenophon]

I see what your saying Xenophon and this is the angle the PM is coming from because "the sh1t has hit the fan" and "the stakeholders are really unhappy about this.". So he is trying to shift blame off in my direction. Which isn't too much of a hassle to me because I'm not directly involved.

The real root cause if bad project management but I can't see his contract being renewed if he presents it like that.

It seems he is trying it on somewhat. Can't see him lasting long if his approach to risk management, contingency planning and basic Janet and John testing is as flaky as this.

Everyone likes a scapegoat though. Having someone/something to blame when it comes to communicating bad news (which he will be doing now) is invaluable. Being distanced, as you seem to be, when the blame game is being played is often a good thing.