Fast forward 10 years, now I'm in that very same profession. What seemed aspiring and motivational once has turned out to be absolutely boring and mechanical now. Based on my experience, pure breed project management (yes note the emphasis on pure) will be dead in another 10 years or so. Most of the project management tasks are in the process of automation and it's a matter of time before large service organizations adopt these processes there by cutting down on these project management tasks. I mention large service organizations because, in smaller and product development organizations, this profession is already dead. I hope to see this rapid evolution spread to the larger organizations as well. As service oriented organizations become 'top heavy', Darwinian theory of the survival of the fittest kicks in, eliminating the need for workflow managers. This process will be hastened by the evolution of software tools. Gradually, pure project management, as a profession will cease to exist, at least I hope so.
Thursday, November 25, 2010
The oncoming demise of software project management
Back in 2000, when I started with a career in computer programming, there were these guys who looked considerably older, had amassed sufficient experience and were called project managers. Most of the time they huddled around in meeting rooms and their private offices. The class distinction was very visible. Naturally, we young programmers thought this profession was cool and aspired for the project manager lifestyle. While we couldn't figure out what the heck they did, we knew they were the decision makers and had a lot of say in the company.
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Customer service
How many times have we called a company's customer service department and been thrilled. Almost none. There are a couple of exceptions to this case. Amazon.com and zappos.com (now owned by Amazon). The customer service agents at both these companies have a few things in common that makes our call experience very pleasing.
They will not waste your time.
They can track your orders at lightning speeds.
They will not question your return, in fact they'll recommend an alternative.
They will not persuade you to buy any product. They just suggest.
They will sound naturally cheerful.
They will not be rude, period.
I was just reading that the customer service philosophy at these companies defy common grounds in all senses. Unlike those of traditional companies, the customer service reps at Amazon and Zappos don't read out from scripts. They don't have a max limit on how long they can talk with customers. As a standard practice, at least at zappos, every new employee spends the first 4 weeks answering customer calls. I somehow always believed in such practices. Especially at product development companies. Developers and senior programmers often carry an air around them and come to their own conclusions about how customers should use their products. In fact, some developers and programmers treat the customer service department as their step child. It's only when they sit and listen to customers bitch and moan about a product they've developed, that they will truly understand the magnanimity of some of their 'minor' errors.
If all companies could imbibe such tenets into their philosophy, a lot of us would be happy to get on the phone with customer service representatives. What a world would that be :).
They will not waste your time.
They can track your orders at lightning speeds.
They will not question your return, in fact they'll recommend an alternative.
They will not persuade you to buy any product. They just suggest.
They will sound naturally cheerful.
They will not be rude, period.
I was just reading that the customer service philosophy at these companies defy common grounds in all senses. Unlike those of traditional companies, the customer service reps at Amazon and Zappos don't read out from scripts. They don't have a max limit on how long they can talk with customers. As a standard practice, at least at zappos, every new employee spends the first 4 weeks answering customer calls. I somehow always believed in such practices. Especially at product development companies. Developers and senior programmers often carry an air around them and come to their own conclusions about how customers should use their products. In fact, some developers and programmers treat the customer service department as their step child. It's only when they sit and listen to customers bitch and moan about a product they've developed, that they will truly understand the magnanimity of some of their 'minor' errors.
If all companies could imbibe such tenets into their philosophy, a lot of us would be happy to get on the phone with customer service representatives. What a world would that be :).
Tuesday, September 07, 2010
The Discipline theory
In one of my earlier posts I had rambled about discipline and how I do not like to be disciplined. I rather presented the contrarian view of how I gloat in 'randomness'. During the yoga course I attended, I had to sit through some lectures and in one of those lectures, the topic of discipline popped up. The explanation given was so lucid and simple, that even someone like me (who's notoriously stubborn when it comes to acceptance) nodded my head in acceptance. Here's that explanation in brief:
We, as grown up adults, tend to view ourselves as the target of discipline. We tend to think that discipline is an external force that we have to use to set our body and mind to a regimen. We balk at the very idea of a routine, and we have developed an inherent resistance to discipline.
Keeping this view as the norm, if we just step back and look at our childhood days, we will notice that discipline was built into our behavior. It was very natural for us to wake up at the same time (usually early morning), sleep at the same time, more or less we felt hungry at regular intervals and hence consumed food at regular intervals. Our parent's generation, as kids, were even more disciplined by nature. What could be the reason ? There's one possibility that we had to deal with less distractions in day to day life. With the oncoming of the digital age, we came into easy accessibility with certain elements of distraction, which have modified our behavior to such an extent that we have almost forgotten our natural behavior. We have adopted practices that are detrimental to our body and today stand to think that being disciplined is something we have to force ourselves into. What was natural once has become a forceful subjugation today.
As I sat through this lecture, I began to realize how true the essence of the lecture is. I went back into my childhood days and as far as I could remember, discipline was built into my mind. Then I began to realize, at what point in time I fell out of discipline - it was mostly in college, a time in which we forced ourselves out of discipline, just because it was 'cool' to do so. It was cool to hang out late in the night, it was cool to have coffee at 3 AM etc etc. Getting into the technology industry thereafter didn't help much. Companies rewarded night outs, and praised those who worked late. Indiscipline became the new norm and the new cool and it continues to do so.
Fortunately, for me, this lecture was an eye opener of sorts. I have slowly begun to take out this unwanted 'coolness' out of my life and getting back into the old discipline self. It's not easy but taking small steps in this direction is definitely helping.
We, as grown up adults, tend to view ourselves as the target of discipline. We tend to think that discipline is an external force that we have to use to set our body and mind to a regimen. We balk at the very idea of a routine, and we have developed an inherent resistance to discipline.
Keeping this view as the norm, if we just step back and look at our childhood days, we will notice that discipline was built into our behavior. It was very natural for us to wake up at the same time (usually early morning), sleep at the same time, more or less we felt hungry at regular intervals and hence consumed food at regular intervals. Our parent's generation, as kids, were even more disciplined by nature. What could be the reason ? There's one possibility that we had to deal with less distractions in day to day life. With the oncoming of the digital age, we came into easy accessibility with certain elements of distraction, which have modified our behavior to such an extent that we have almost forgotten our natural behavior. We have adopted practices that are detrimental to our body and today stand to think that being disciplined is something we have to force ourselves into. What was natural once has become a forceful subjugation today.
As I sat through this lecture, I began to realize how true the essence of the lecture is. I went back into my childhood days and as far as I could remember, discipline was built into my mind. Then I began to realize, at what point in time I fell out of discipline - it was mostly in college, a time in which we forced ourselves out of discipline, just because it was 'cool' to do so. It was cool to hang out late in the night, it was cool to have coffee at 3 AM etc etc. Getting into the technology industry thereafter didn't help much. Companies rewarded night outs, and praised those who worked late. Indiscipline became the new norm and the new cool and it continues to do so.
Fortunately, for me, this lecture was an eye opener of sorts. I have slowly begun to take out this unwanted 'coolness' out of my life and getting back into the old discipline self. It's not easy but taking small steps in this direction is definitely helping.
Tuesday, August 03, 2010
An awakening
This almost defunct blog finally gets to see some life, an awakening of sorts. May be it was the lack of any worthy experiences to share, that kept this blog in a dormant almost non existent state. Fortunately, life is again filling up with experiences worthy of sharing.
It has been over a month since I joined a residential yoga course, YIC at a yoga institute near Bangalore - SVYASA -Swami Vivekananda Yoga Anushandhana Samsthaana. The reasons for joining this course are varied. Primarily - I wanted to learn the yogasanas and wanted to be an early riser. I thought a one month rigorous regimen is probably the best solution as I had failed at all earlier attempts of rising early. However, after completing the course, I have mixed feelings which I hopefully can lucidly explain.
First the daily routine -
The lectures on Swami Vivekananda by Prof NVC Swamy were undoubtedly the highlight of the course. Prof Swamy's oratory skills took us back through a journey so memorable that words fail to explain. It seemed as if Prof Swamy had actually spent time with Swami Vivekananda. I was completely lost in the lectures, rather stories. It was a great pleasure to hear about SV's life and message from the master storyteller.
Dr. Ranganji's lecture on Yoga and management was another highlight. He explained Organizational behavior concepts with such clarity and simplicity that I was dumbstruck. The blunders that I had committed during my job as a project manager just unfolded before my eyes. The greatest lesson I learned is that to be successful in any career there are only two qualities that one needs to have - Honesty and relationship management. It was thrilling to learn that the concepts of the Vedas, which are almost 10,000 years old have relevance even to this day, in almost every aspect of day to day life, in all walks of life.
Frankly, at the end of the course, one day I just sat down thinking how quickly the month had gone past. I didn't experience any noticeable change in any physiological or psychological aspects, but I definitely had utmost fun. Some of the memorable bhajans that we sang still ring in my ears. Never in my life will I get a chance to have such an experience, but I just hope that I get to cross paths with my fellow YICians all through my life.
It has been over a month since I joined a residential yoga course, YIC at a yoga institute near Bangalore - SVYASA -Swami Vivekananda Yoga Anushandhana Samsthaana. The reasons for joining this course are varied. Primarily - I wanted to learn the yogasanas and wanted to be an early riser. I thought a one month rigorous regimen is probably the best solution as I had failed at all earlier attempts of rising early. However, after completing the course, I have mixed feelings which I hopefully can lucidly explain.
First the daily routine -
- 4.30 - 4.45 AM - Wake up
- 5.00 - 5.15 - Shloka recitation
- 5.15 - 6.00 - Pranayama.
- 6.00 - 7.00 - Yogasana practice
- 7 - 7.15 : Bhagavadgita shloka recitation
- 7.15 - 8 : Lecture
- 8 - 8.45: Breakfast
- 8.45- 9 : Patriotic songs ( all of us have to sing in a group )
- 9 - 9.30 : Karma Yoga ( House hold work )
- 9.30 - 10.30 : Break
- 10.30 - 11.30 - Lecture
- 11.30 - 1 PM - Yogasana practice
- 1 - 3 : Lunch and break
- 3 - 4 : Lecture
- 4 - 5 : Pranayama.
- 5 - 6: Break
- 6 - 6.30 : Bhajans
- 6.30 - 7.30 : Lecture
- 7.30 - 8.15: Dinner
- 8.15 - 9 : Happy assembly.
The lectures on Swami Vivekananda by Prof NVC Swamy were undoubtedly the highlight of the course. Prof Swamy's oratory skills took us back through a journey so memorable that words fail to explain. It seemed as if Prof Swamy had actually spent time with Swami Vivekananda. I was completely lost in the lectures, rather stories. It was a great pleasure to hear about SV's life and message from the master storyteller.
Dr. Ranganji's lecture on Yoga and management was another highlight. He explained Organizational behavior concepts with such clarity and simplicity that I was dumbstruck. The blunders that I had committed during my job as a project manager just unfolded before my eyes. The greatest lesson I learned is that to be successful in any career there are only two qualities that one needs to have - Honesty and relationship management. It was thrilling to learn that the concepts of the Vedas, which are almost 10,000 years old have relevance even to this day, in almost every aspect of day to day life, in all walks of life.
Frankly, at the end of the course, one day I just sat down thinking how quickly the month had gone past. I didn't experience any noticeable change in any physiological or psychological aspects, but I definitely had utmost fun. Some of the memorable bhajans that we sang still ring in my ears. Never in my life will I get a chance to have such an experience, but I just hope that I get to cross paths with my fellow YICians all through my life.
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