Comments on: Innovating Through Competition as the Economy Tightens http://www.everyjoe.com/articles/innovating-through-competition-as-the-economy-tightens-374/ Sports News - Tech Reviews - Entertainment - Life Tips for EveryJoe Sat, 19 Dec 2009 01:27:39 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Bob http://www.everyjoe.com/articles/innovating-through-competition-as-the-economy-tightens-374/comment-page-1/#comment-326560 Bob Mon, 28 Jan 2008 18:37:03 +0000 http://www.projectmanagement411.com/innovating-through-competition-as-the-economy-tightens/#comment-326560 Sensei- I agree with you. I'm very concerned about the TopCoder model of outsourcing, let alone other forms of outsourcing especially on business critical/business-model-differentiating processes. I suppose the challenge is to draw the line on how to use certain types of outsourcing. Sensei- I agree with you. I’m very concerned about the TopCoder model of outsourcing, let alone other forms of outsourcing especially on business critical/business-model-differentiating processes. I suppose the challenge is to draw the line on how to use certain types of outsourcing.

]]> By: ActiveEngine Sensei http://www.everyjoe.com/articles/innovating-through-competition-as-the-economy-tightens-374/comment-page-1/#comment-326526 ActiveEngine Sensei Mon, 28 Jan 2008 13:13:52 +0000 http://www.projectmanagement411.com/innovating-through-competition-as-the-economy-tightens/#comment-326526 Bob - I posted my comments this morning: http://activeengine.wordpress.com/2008/01/28/outsourcing-your-activeengine/ Bob – I posted my comments this morning:

http://activeengine.wordpress.com/2008/01/28/outsourcing-your-activeengine/

]]> By: Bob http://www.everyjoe.com/articles/innovating-through-competition-as-the-economy-tightens-374/comment-page-1/#comment-326533 Bob Sat, 26 Jan 2008 17:19:59 +0000 http://www.projectmanagement411.com/innovating-through-competition-as-the-economy-tightens/#comment-326533 Sensei- I have a lot of problems with the TopCoder model (I didn't mention them because I was hoping to draw some comments- also, as you know, I'm not a software developer). Your "direct experience" comment is right on. I like the idea of 3rd party involvement that requires better communications to incorporate their "innovative" techniques. There's nothinig like getting a new team of pros together who know how to share. I'm not sure, but the TopCoder model seems to be based on individual work (vs. teamwork) and highly dependent on the quality/completeness of the overall spec. The software that each person creates must be pretty small; sounds like a lot of small pieces that have to be integrated. How can they maintain programming standards? What happens when the "package" that is being created becomes very complex? Also, I wonder how many people "bid" (with their completed work) on one piece of code. It seems extremely wasteful of resources overall. Do you have experience, or know of, other companies trying to do this? Sorry for all the questions- this probably deserves a post by someone (you?) who knows something about these business models. Sensei- I have a lot of problems with the TopCoder model (I didn’t mention them because I was hoping to draw some comments- also, as you know, I’m not a software developer). Your “direct experience” comment is right on. I like the idea of 3rd party involvement that requires better communications to incorporate their “innovative” techniques. There’s nothinig like getting a new team of pros together who know how to share. I’m not sure, but the TopCoder model seems to be based on individual work (vs. teamwork) and highly dependent on the quality/completeness of the overall spec. The software that each person creates must be pretty small; sounds like a lot of small pieces that have to be integrated. How can they maintain programming standards? What happens when the “package” that is being created becomes very complex? Also, I wonder how many people “bid” (with their completed work) on one piece of code. It seems extremely wasteful of resources overall. Do you have experience, or know of, other companies trying to do this? Sorry for all the questions- this probably deserves a post by someone (you?) who knows something about these business models.

]]> By: ActiveEngine Sensei http://www.everyjoe.com/articles/innovating-through-competition-as-the-economy-tightens-374/comment-page-1/#comment-326539 ActiveEngine Sensei Sat, 26 Jan 2008 11:22:00 +0000 http://www.projectmanagement411.com/innovating-through-competition-as-the-economy-tightens/#comment-326539 I have personally worked with a "mixed" model teams comprised of consultants and in-house subject matter expertise and found that this can work really well. The new comers bring different techniques that can inspire others and you can see visibility and productivity jump exponentially. Another benefit of working with 3rd parties not familiar with your business model is that you have ensure that your mechanisms for communicating what your systems do are top notch, as you have to over come the disadvantage of detailing the why's and how's of your processes. Unless I have had direct experience with team members I am generally against remote outsourcing. Face to face communications conveys so much that is key to success. I have personally worked with a “mixed” model teams comprised of consultants and in-house subject matter expertise and found that this can work really well. The new comers bring different techniques that can inspire others and you can see visibility and productivity jump exponentially.

Another benefit of working with 3rd parties not familiar with your business model is that you have ensure that your mechanisms for communicating what your systems do are top notch, as you have to over come the disadvantage of detailing the why’s and how’s of your processes.

Unless I have had direct experience with team members I am generally against remote outsourcing. Face to face communications conveys so much that is key to success.

]]>