I worked as a code monkey at a company for 8 years. Ive posted about the shenanigans in this place, but when you think it cant get worse, it does.
I was on a project for the last 3 years, completely mismanaged. Upper management saw this, and shut it all down this week, and fired those responsible. Finally! Some sense right?
I get moved to a new department, and we are told to wait for more information. We sit all week before we learn we are just going to be porting data from some old systems to our new flagship software. Simple, easy, the planning was already done, estimations have been provided. Its literally a “follow the numbers” job.
Not even a couple days into the project when asking where documentation is, or even where the systems are located, or even the source code.
Upper management returns with “Its your job to understand the system and write your own documentation. You must find the information yourself. No one has any responsibility to help you.”
We have to individually hunt down who we need for source code, where the servers are, who manages them, what teams are responsible for what…IF they feel like talking to you that day. So far we discussed with India, Italy, California, and Mexico with no leads, either the person quit, or moved to a different part of the company like Sales and out of reach. I.T. is no help either, its a third party company that only sends a bill. Never useful.
This isnt including the ACTUAL work itself of porting the systems once we find it…
in 6 weeks!?
How does this company make Billions?!!?
Note: We were provided a recording by upper management discussing the project with us earlier today, then dismissed us and we leave the call, they didnt stop recording though. In the banter after my team leaves they realized they have no clue what to tell the VP and the CFO because this project was supposedly DONE 6 months ago and work was never started and they are kicking themselves in the ass. My entire team made individual copies of these. A little CYA for later if they try to throw us under. They never reviewed it when they gave it to us. We only realized when my team member who missed the meeting watched it back.
Tldr; company realized projects were mismanaged. Fired those responsible, then immediately mismanages the replacement project because they fired the ones who knew everything.