October 2003 Newsletter
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Undulation Elucidation
Landmark Graphics Corporation introduced the first commercial workstation for 3-D seismic interpretation in 1984. The company is now the leading provider of software and services for the upstream oil and gas industry.

The corporate marketing group wanted their system of tracking jobs to evolve from one of shared Microsoft Office documents to an online database on their Intranet.

Simplicity was stressed from the initial discovery meetings through development and testing. Client decisions were swift and final. Installation, deployment and training were wrapped up in an afternoon.

The process was not for the faint of heart. Simplicity is bold. In this case, a team of highly experienced project managers needed to track and report key job information for fifteen different project types.

Typically, each type would be scrutinized for every possible specification and interim deadline. This is generally appropriate, but inevitably results in a higher maintenance system. Sometimes less is indeed more.

We’re talking guerilla project management here. These veterans don’t need a form for every possible scenario on the planet.

Instead, their new online database provides a basic framework. Project Managers then utilize the appropriate tools and skills to produce an ad, article, brochure, video, spec sheet, trade show, or the ever-popular “miscellaneous.”

The system launched four months ago, and has performed flawlessly. “We love it!” exclaimed our client during a recent call.

This reinforces one of our fundamental theories: The ultimate system complements the skills of its users. It is possible to inhibit productivity with complexity.

This system provides a core set of project management tools, and allows stakeholders around the world to monitor their projects and run reports using nothing but a Web browser.

This workgroup now spends its time working on projects, not maintaining a project system.

It wouldn’t work for everyone, but it’s the right solution for this particular team of specialists.

“Your Complete Satisfaction”
Our attorney cringes every time he sees this phrase our proposals, but so far, it’s made it into each and every one.

“But it’s so subjective,” he says.

Well, yeah. But then we sort of quantify that bold measure of success: “The quality of our work is guaranteed. We will absorb any and all expenses and third party consulting fees necessary to meet the objectives of this project.” Somehow, this provides little consolation to the legal mind.

So what.

If our clients commit their time and resources and sign off on our bold plans, then exactly why wouldn’t their complete satisfaction be the ultimate objective?

Alas, we can’t please everyone. For now, that’s just going to have to be our attorney.

Summer Torpor, Autumn Glee
Professionally, the summer was great. Attended the Filemaker Developer Conference. Picked up several clients around the country, thanks to our Web ad campaign. Wrapped up a major project after several delays on the client side.

But the first few cool mornings in September somehow make such challenges much less daunting.

It’s, like, I can breathe again.

Those Wacky Japanese
Purportedly actual Japanese Windows error messages in Haiku form (submitted by reader
Martin Miglioretti. Thanks!)

Program aborting
Close all that you have worked on
You ask far too much.

Windows NT crashed.
I am the Blue Screen of Death.
No one hears your screams.

Three things are certain
Death, taxes and lost data.
Guess which has occurred.

You step in the stream,
But the water has moved on.
This page is not here.

Out of memory.
We wish to hold the whole sky,
But we never will.

I ate your Web page.
Forgive me; it was tasty
And tart on my tongue.

It’s not Haiku, but…Be well, do good work and keep in touch.

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