Quote of the Day

This is from Microsoft SQL Server 2005: Database Essentials Step by Step, by Solid Quality Learning:

"The importance of analysis cannot be over-emphasized. Your first and primary objective is to know your business and design a model that appropriately describes your business data and procedures. You database system will be limited by your design and will inherit any problems built into that design that are caused by a lack of understanding of your business needs."

I was rereading this trusty companion just to make sure I hadn't drifted away from sound doctrine, and this passage's relevance to my current project hit me quite forcefully. We are relying on contracted consultants to design and develop a system for us based on proprietary technology that we do not fully understand. I think this is not the best approach, but I am not in a position to make such calls, and at any rate, it's too late to call the cattle back to the barn.

I just have a feeling I will be pointing to this quote in the lessons learned phase of this project. When asked why we paid so much for a system that doesn't address our needs, I will point them here, and bite my tongue.