REPLY Models, Problems and Systems (SD7024)

[SDMAIL John Gunkler]

Posted by  "John Gunkler" <jgunkler at sprintmail.com>

How many of us, working with a real client, would ever stop our interview
when the client says they want to "better manage the system"?  I certainly
never did.  It begs questions such as:  

"Why do you feel you need to better manage the system?  What's wrong now?"  
	[Obvious answer would state or imply the existence of a problem.]  
Or, "What do you need to do better?"  
	[Obvious answer would state or imply the existence of an opportunity
for improvement.]

So, at this point we have something to work on together -- solving a problem
or finding a way to create or take advantage of an opportunity.

And we're then modeling problems (or opportunities), not "systems."

John Gunkler
Posted by  "John Gunkler" <jgunkler at sprintmail.com>
posting date  Sat, 10 May 2008 10:17:25 -0400