:: MIS Insights ::

I had no idea that being an MIS panelist could be so fun. A lot of things change once you’re on the other side of the fence.

Dynamic. Unlike rehearsed speeches that we prepared a year or so ago, being a panelist is more free-flowing than water falling from the Pagsanjan Falls. You get to think more - anticipating the unknown and reacting to whatever the presenting group has said or written down in their report.

Creative. Since it is a project defense, panelists are ordered to attack. However, it’s not about attacks that will cripple the group and send them crying on the way out, its about attacks that will make the group and the project better in the long run. For example, Jonathan had me ask a question to the presenting groups that he got from Sir Gan and Sir Olpoc:

Who are you going to remove from your group [of five], so that the remaining four can still finish the project?

It might not mean much to you right now, but you can just imagine how red the people turned when they were asked the question during the presentation.

One of the presentors told me, “Sir, that’s such a mean question.”

Hehe. I am asking this not to point out the weakest link nor to incite insurrection, but because I want to know how else the group can improve in terms of the internal relationships. It’s not about what’s bad, it’s about what else can be improved.

Learning. I also learned a lot from the experience. My fellow panelists, hailing from different industries, gave business-relevant questions that outlined the fundamentals of project management. For most projects, most concerns are about making sure that the project meets its objectives while working within its constraints (time, quality or cost).

If ever another paneling opportunity comes up in the future, I’ll do anything to be in one again.

This day has brought the worst negotiation process I’ve ever had in my three years as an IT mercenary. While I’ve been performing hits since I was in second year college, my client today has brought scope negotiation difficulties to a new level.

Background Information
I agreed (using a signed contract) to render my services as a Systems Analyst and System Developer for a startup corporation. For a sum not exceeding five digits in the lower half of such possible compensation spectrum, my services would have included:

• analysis of current system
• design, development and implementation of a new system

So what happened today?
Reality hit my client and I square in the nuts, destroying our fairy-tale project fantasy. Analysis would involve decoding 683 PHP files spread over 49 folders, using inconsistent coding practices, lousy variable names and accessing a database without security measures. This, I might add, is more than enough work to fit the current compensation bill.

So, I renegotiated for a new price. To account for the exponential mind-work needed to accomplish the tasks for the project, their inability to produce the necessary information regarding the system (i.e. explanation for certain program sections and database details) and failure to provide me access to their running system (a required provision in the signed agreement, therefore a breach of contract).

To which they opposed…

That’s normal and expected. Nobody’s really thrilled to hear rising costs coming their way, right?

Violently with insults …

And the freshly-written termination of agreement is all I can do to keep everything civil.