A funny image using the metaphor of a tree swing how a large project gets totally screwed up when going from analyst to developer to marketer, etc.

OK, so I’m kind of tripping this week on nerd stuff, but this image really is a potent distillation of any sizeable development process which involves multiple stakeholders and production people. Although I received this image in regards to a large open-source course management system web application development, I think its pretty easy to apply this same diagram to:

  • Trendy New Products (um, hi, Holiday Spice Pepsi, which I argue in a previous post “… tastes like a horrid mixed drink consisting of amoxicillin, Karo corn syrup, and Glade potpourri spray”. Also, even as a small child, I remember regarding with some horror Goober Grape, a product that combined peanut butter and grape jelly in the same jar: barf! Who likes grape jelly??!?!
  • The Democratic party: Um, just because Georgie is using a butter knife to slice off his own finger vis a vis the Dubai Ports deal does not mean that anyone thinks y’all are victorious. I’m not even sure the Dems can even be trusted to know what to do with a tire swing even if an entire Girl Scout troop spent a weekend showing them how it works.

I’m sure there are more, but those are the two which come to mind.