Holy crap... Work.

zachoff · #1 01-09-2013, 05:49 PM

Ever been in a meeting where there's a decision about to be made that you personally think is the worst decision you've ever been party to yet you'll be the one that must execute that decision? If yes, what did you do?

bolophonic · #2 01-09-2013, 05:50 PM

Were you able to voice your instincts in the meeting?

zachoff · #3 01-09-2013, 05:53 PM

Yup... In no fewer words I said "I hate this design". I had no hand or input into the design, but at this point there's not much that's going to change. This was a "here's the design you're going to build" meeting.

carl h. · #4 01-09-2013, 05:54 PM

Tell them exactly why you think it is a poor decision and offer alternatives which are more likely to succeed.

When the idiots over ride you, just do your best, noting that your opinion was it was a bad choice.

Indiana Mike · #5 01-09-2013, 06:03 PM

I've seen it ,I've been part of it .

you've expressed your concerns .

If it's beyond your control you'll just have to make the best of it. Give it your all. If it starts to go south you may have some input to correct it.

Good luck .

Or you could quit...

.

Winfred · #6 01-09-2013, 06:13 PM

Done it a thousand times. After awhile, you just take their money and do what they want.

TBird1958 · #7 01-09-2013, 06:27 PM

I've always thought this was how the Pontiac Aztek came into being...

bolophonic · #8 01-09-2013, 06:42 PM

Are you concerned about the usability of the design, or the aesthetics? I just had a similar conversation with my next door neighbor about this. We both work in custom fabrication. He was commissioned to build some parts for a start-up that manufactures electric cars and he told them that the design they specified was a genuine stinker. They insisted and so he built them to spec and sure enough, the design failed. He fulfilled his end of the bargain, however it felt like an empty paycheck, since he couldn't take pride in having to build a dog of a project.

I've had similar experiences in the past. I don't know what to tell you besides good luck!

CrayZee_One · #9 01-09-2013, 06:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Winfred

Done it a thousand times. After awhile, you just take their money and do what they want.

I gotta say - ^this^

You can only let your opinion be heard or look for another job.

Frustrating isn't it?

dmusic148 · #10 01-09-2013, 07:18 PM

Voice your concerns and move past them and do your job. Sometimes in this situation, you will be surprised to later be shown how wrong you were. Keep an open mind.

Munjibunga · #11 01-09-2013, 07:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zachoff

Ever been in a meeting where there's a decision about to be made that you personally think is the worst decision you've ever been party to yet you'll be the one that must execute that decision? If yes, what did you do?

Once when I was CEO and Chairman of the Board, the rest of the board wanted to address an employment issue in an inappropriate way to avoid conflict with one of the board members. After a long and contentious discussion, I called for a motion, a second and a vote. The vote passed not in my favor and I executed the decision. As CEO I could have overridden the board at the risk of being demoted or fired, but that wouldn't have happened if I had. I was pretty grumpy for a few days over it, but it all boiled down to money which, at that time, we had. It was the only time in my 9 years of being CEO that a decision was not made by consensus. Sometimes you just have to let things ride to avoid wasting a lot of time and energy on matters that won't change the course of history.

fjadams · #12 01-09-2013, 07:27 PM

Nothing you can do about it except do as you're told.

We used to have a saying when I worked in the Lincoln Yards for the Railroad.

A job worth doing, is worth doing wrong, twice.

iamlowsound · #13 01-09-2013, 07:37 PM

Yep, happens all the time with clients. We tell them, "this is what you need" and they will reply, "no, I want this". We will do what they want and we always end up doing what we said in the first place as well. It happens, go along with it. If you are really concerned, write down your objections, date it, sign it and stash it away; just incase you need that piece of paper in the future.

lowsound

T-Bird · #14 01-09-2013, 08:28 PM

Hi.

Every once and a while.
However, my view and expertise has always been valued greatly, but that doesn't mean my view automatically wins. I still give 100% to that task regardless.

You're new to this kind of thing/work?
Whatever it may be.

It's their money, they can't execute the work, You (perhaps) can.

It's within' Your right to let it slide and put the personal feelings and pride the top priority and thus make you either unemployed or at least the person responsible for losing the deal/customer.

If we are talking about art and YOU are the sole artist, you should have at least some say, but if it's just regular work Your hands are usually pretty much tied by the parties paying for your time.

OTOH if we're talking about performing a hack-job for a reason or another, I've still done it after a protest, but no official or un-official documents will be signed with my name.

Regards
Sam

zachoff · #15 01-09-2013, 09:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bolophonic

Are you concerned about the usability of the design, or the aesthetics? I just had a similar conversation with my next door neighbor about this. We both work in custom fabrication. He was commissioned to build some parts for a start-up that manufactures electric cars and he told them that the design they specified was a genuine stinker. They insisted and so he built them to spec and sure enough, the design failed. He fulfilled his end of the bargain, however it felt like an empty paycheck, since he couldn't take pride in having to build a dog of a project.

I've had similar experiences in the past. I don't know what to tell you besides good luck!

Exactly what I'm feeling. I don't even want the project it's so bad and it's not something I'll put on a resume because it's not something I'll be proud of.

The user interaction/usability is not at all consistent with the rest of the site in any way, shape, or form. The actual design.. Aesthetics, colors, etc., are fine except for the massive scrolling each page creates. It's just a super bad UI.

The analogy I used in the meeting was having a brick house, building an addition, and making it stucco.

zachoff · #16 01-09-2013, 09:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Winfred

Done it a thousand times. After awhile, you just take their money and do what they want.

IMO, there's something to be said for being engaged and happy with what you're doing. Work is normally pretty fun and interesting for me. This just threw a wrench in the next 4 months of it.

two fingers · #17 01-09-2013, 09:14 PM

You did your duty. You told them in plain terms that the design stinks. If they override you, then go out and build the crap out of the bad design. In the end, if you are correct, it will come out for everyone to see. But if you protest too much now, and the design somehow comes together, you will lose your cred.

zachoff · #18 01-09-2013, 09:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by T-Bird

Hi.

Every once and a while.
However, my view and expertise has always been valued greatly, but that doesn't mean my view automatically wins. I still give 100% to that task regardless.

You're new to this kind of thing/work?
Whatever it may be.

It's their money, they can't execute the work, You (perhaps) can.

It's within' Your right to let it slide and put the personal feelings and pride the top priority and thus make you either unemployed or at least the person responsible for losing the deal/customer.

If we are talking about art and YOU are the sole artist, you should have at least some say, but if it's just regular work Your hands are usually pretty much tied by the parties paying for your time.

OTOH if we're talking about performing a hack-job for a reason or another, I've still done it after a protest, but no official or un-official documents will be signed with my name.

Regards
Sam

Not at all new to this work... Been doing it for 13 years. Quite the contrary on the "artist" front. The devs are pretty much forbidden from participating in the design process here. It's a big problem and I've more than voiced my concerns before.

**Pacman** · #19 01-09-2013, 09:15 PM

***** please. I was in the military for 24 years. I don't think I need to say more.

slobake · #20 01-09-2013, 09:34 PM

I once was the supervisor in a huge corporate telecommunications company. I think it was a Canadian company it did have the word Northern in the name.

I had 24 employees installing PBX and Voicemail systems. The company decided to layoff about a third of our employees, I am assuming so the stock holders could get their dividends and the CEO could get his bonus.

Moral was low and people were working a lot of overtime which in the long run cost us more. We had a meeting about the situation and they asked for our input. I and a few other managers suggested we hire some of the employees back. It was quickly shot down and it was obvious the whole meeting was a sham. Upper management had a great idea, we were going to have "Involvement Day." They hired some company to encourage employees about being involved and they gave out a t-shirts that said "There is no I in teamwork." I did my best to poker face my way through the whole thing but ultimately it just pissed off our employees even more. I wasn't long for that company anyway. Can you tell I'm not corporate material?

I soon quit and started a bakery.