Project Phoenix, Something I Must Share

Ted Hardy -

This post originally appeared on August 31, 2010 on BetterProjects.net.


The first project with which I was ever involved which actually made it into production, was entitled Project Phoenix. This was at least the third try at filling this niche within my then employer, and there were probably many more aborted attempts prior to that ‘success’. I use quotes because its hard to call something that was 9 months late and slow as molasses as true success.

That project also had what was probably the most contentious vendor relationship, with the implementer not the software vendor, that I have ever seen. There were days that I, as a tester, refused to even enter the test lab as the environment was so toxic and cancerous. I still cringe to think about some of the acts in which I participated. We had a plant in the corner of the room that must have been fed a constant diet of Miracle Grow as it lengthened nearly before your eyes. The team joke was that we tossed it a consultant every other day in order to keep up such a pace. Definitely not the way to start out your life in projects.

All that said, today’s comic from 1.00 FTE brought much joy to my heart. If you’ve ever been involved in a Project Phoenix, then this one is definitely for you. Let us know more about your Project Phoenix in the comments.