Spot on. This has all the hallmarks of a deathmarch project. I actually feel some sympathy for the contractors. I’ve been there. Every meeting with the client... The scope changes... The whole mission changes a couple of times well after development is underway. Then the goalposts keep moving. The original specifications document is long forgotten. They say don’t worry about the money just stay on schedule. That’s when you know it’s time to put on the life jackets and head for the exits. Right as you’re about to do a diving catch at the very end... They yank the ball away one more time just before you land in the end zone.
Until I hear different I’m not going to lay the blame primarily on the contractors. The problem begins and ends with the client.
Agreed.
Couple your observations with the fact that the primary objective of ObamaCare was not to 'save' the American healthcare system, but to kill it, and the whole thing is as clear as day.
The System Analyst’s Decalogue
1. Your client does not understand the problem. You must help him gain his understanding.
2. The problem as posed is too specific. You must imbed the specific problem in the next more general question.
3. Your client does not understand the concept of an index of performance. You must help him to weigh the several desired attributes of a particular problem.
4. You are the systems analyst, not the decision maker. You present the weighted evaluations of options. The client makes the decisions.
5. You must present your recommendations to fit the agreed upon time scale and level of generality. Generalization of the client’s problem is a technique for finding and solving the correct specific problem, not for avoiding the issue.
6. A goal-centered approach rather than a technology-centered, time-sequential approach is essential.
7. The disadvantage to the non-user must be included in your weighted evaluation of each candidate system.
8. A universal computer simulation model of a complex system cannot exist. You must postulate a priori those specific questions you wish to simulate.
9. The role of the “decision maker” in a socially relevant, large-scale system is generally unclear. You must expect to engage in building a political consensus if your recommendations are to move to an action phase.
10. A system study that begs the question and has as its major recommendation another study that costs more time and money is a failure. Answer the client’s real question.
No matter how this plays out, this is NOT going to look good on the resume’.
“Until I hear different I’m not going to lay the blame primarily on the contractors. The problem begins and ends with the client.”
Actually, disallowing scope creep or if impossible, pushing out the end date AND bumping the cost IS the job of the contractors (assuming that the “project manager” is the lead contractor). To do otherwise is bad customer management; If the customer doesn’t understand this, and changes the project scope but will not allow you to increase the cost and/or push out the end date, then you call in the lawyers.
Unfortunately, I suspect that “the government” was the project manager in this case, which, of course, is Automatic Total Fail.