Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
You can see and experience what you are getting (WYSIWYG),
instead of hoping that your two-dimensional designs will turn out
to be your dream home.
The house is designed by professionals who probably know more
about building codes and regulations than you do.
In all likelihood, the house has been constructed by a team of
engineers better than a team that you could assemble or manage.
It takes less time to move into a built house.
The analogy can only be carried so far. There are critical differences
between buying a house and buying software. In a house, a person can
see most things that will affect them in their daily interactions with it —
the rooms, the electrical fittings, the kitchen installations, the landscaping,
etc. Most artifacts may be physically visible or accessible; others, such as
wiring and plumbing, may not be visible but there are codes and certif-
icates that reassure them that they meet basic quality and design guidelines.
In an OTS product, on the other hand, there is a lot that is hidden or
access to which is restricted. Such things are difficult to evaluate for most
end users. A certified inspection regimen hardly exists, and regulation is
primarily left to market forces. Consulting firms with years of domain
expertise are frequently called in to help. One cannot assume that con-
sultants are neutral. Some are in the business as business partners of the
OTS vendors and are likely to favor specific offerings. For software, the
unknowns at the time of purchase can be unreasonably large as compared
to the purchase of a house.
This lack of transparency can be addressed to some extent by having
a better acquisition process, more detailed RFPs (Request for Proposals),
selection committees, service agreements, satisfaction warranties, etc., but
it cannot be eliminated. In situations where this information-gathering or
risk-reduction process itself goes out of control, which might be a leading
indicator of a difficult implementation ahead, there might be a temptation
to skip the OTS path itself and try to build one's own system. This may
turn out to be a more painful alternative for many.
How far or close should managers be to the vendor?
Troy Anderson, in his topic entitled
The Way of Go
,
:
“Its literal translation is space-harmonious… there
were advantages and disadvantages to being in close
and being far away… Too close in to the opponent and
certain techniques don't work. A spear is not the best
describes the concept of
ma-ai
in
aikido
