March 2003 Newsletter
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Birthin’ Babies
We’re in the midst of a most challenging development effort.

For starters, two other firms previously took on the project and failed to deliver in spite of considerable expense…and no refunds.

We initially brought in the creators of the DOS database engine the client has built on over the last decade. Their Web site outlined a process to convert older systems to their newest Windows version, stating this was the lowest cost, lowest risk and lowest business impact option.

After the client spent considerable time on teleconferences, questionnaires and evaluations, these guys suggested abandoning their free Conversion Proposal process and started pushing their $5,000 “Project Definition” process.

These tactics sparked skepticism. The client had provided all the requested input, and was expecting a proposal. What they got was the old bait-and-switch.

Ultimately, we were asked to take on the project.

We’ve successfully tested Filemaker Pro’s ODBC capabilities, vital for the finished product, a CD with medical insurance data.

Getting a handle on the database structure has been challenging.

The primary developer of the DOS system is retired, and bounces between Hawaiiand Las Vegas. (We could undoubtedly learn a lot from this guy, including retirement).

When we called the local database manager about its structure, he basically said, “I don’t know nothin’ about birthin’ babies!” He troubleshoots the system when there are problems, but has no idea how it’s diagrammed.

What to do? Well, in spite of our disenchantment with the firm that attempted the bait-and-switch, we’ve maintained a cordial relationship with them. They have a copy of the database, so should be able to answer our questions when the time comes. And it’s coming soon. We launch next month.

We admitted to being intimidated by this project early on. But even in a complex world of data, problems have solutions, and we’re taking them one at a time.

And unlike Butterfly McQueen, we’re confident this baby’s gonna come out just fine. We’ll cover the full story in a future newsletter.

A New Millennium, A New Essay
Our latest essay evolved out of a presentation made to the Houston Advertising Federation last October entitled Tracking Jobs in High-Volume Marketing Environments.

We began with an overview of modern Project Management. And it turns out to be a burning issue.

There are over 1,500 searches daily on Yahoo alone containing the phrase “Project Management.”

If each of these “Searchers” is spending only 15 minutes looking for answers, that’s about 400 hours, or 10 working weeks.Google’s numbers are even higher.

It all adds up to 6 months of Project Management research every day on the Web. That’s 182 years annually!

What are these “Searchers” looking for? And what are they finding? What search terms do they use? Is it an opportunity or just and embarrassment to be associated with such a baffling industry?

We endeavor to answer these questions in our latest Web essay entitled Project Management in the Relatively New Millennium.

While you’re at it, check out last millennium’s essay, Chicken Bones

Stolen Comedy Corner
Gems from A Prairie Home Companion’s Annual Joke Show, from Minnesota Public Radio.

What do you say to a one-legged hitchhiker? Hop in!

So, if a cow laughed, would milk come out of her nose?

What did the doe say when she came out of the woods? Boy, I’ll never do that again for two bucks!

“Doctor, am I going to die?”
“That’s the last thing you’re going to do.”

The best thing about owning a restaurant for cats is that they don’t complain about hair in their food.

Let’s do lunch. We’ll put a hair net on the cats.

Be well, do good work and keep in touch.

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