Conference 7.286::digital

    Hmmm, sounds like you've described the job to a tee!
    
    It's a real catch-22.  If you want to work in software engineering
    in the Field, just about the only place to do it is on a Project
    (note the capitalization!) or a residency (sometimes known as a
    project...).  Unfortunately, unless you are blessed with an
    above-average UM, that means virtual banishment.
    
    When I first started with the company 5+ years ago, my first assignment
    was an out-of-town residency.  Didn't even report to my home office
    the first day of work, just drove the 250 miles to the remote site.
    I met the UM there (for the first and only time), we had lunch,
    and I was delivered to the customer site by 2:00 PM.  That was the
    last time I saw or heard from a unit manager for 6 months.  Oh,
    except for the second week on the job when my UM called to say that
    DEC was not going to pay for my meals while I was living out of
    town...
    
    Towards the end of my residency, the customer told me that my boss
    was taking another job.  Nice way to find out, huh? I got back home, 
    met my new manager, and went off on some random assignments.  Six 
    months went by, and it was review time.  My review consisted of
    opening my paycheck one day and discovering that it had gone up.  A 
    query to my UM revealed that I had been "reviewed".  He admitted that 
    since I was away on an out-of-town residency for so long, he didn't 
    really know much about my performance.  That didn't stop him from 
    doing a performance appraisal with no input from me, however!
    
    About that time I was ready to leave the company.  I think all
    residents go through this.  Since I didn't really want to do that,
    I decided that in order to suceed in this organization, you have
    to be aggressive and willing to call attention to what you do. 
    I spent the next 3.5 years building a single residency into a
    significant project (note the lowercase! means not a Project, but
    a bunch of residents...), with about $4.5MM in combined hardware
    and consulting sales.
    
    Meanwhile, I got a few more managers.  I discovered that they are
    not all alike.  The one I work for now was a resident during his
    previous job at DEC.  He's really sensitive to the needs of
    consultants, and takes positive steps to see what you are doing
    and make informed performance appraisals.
    
    Unfortunately, as I found out, there is only so much you can do
    for your career while on a residency.  I recently went before the
    Area MDC (Management Development Committee), which is what you do
    when you are ready to start pursuing a career in management.  They
    make recomendations as to your suitability as a manager, as well
    as a development plan.  One of the comments that came out of it
    was that I had been at the same site too long!  Although I "passed",
    the residency and all of my success there was not really viewed
    on a positive note by upper management!
    
    In summary, you need to make your manager get involved with what
    you are doing.  Otherwise, you will be entirely at the mercy of
    your customer, your manager's perceptions, and chance.  My own opinion
    is that the Field is *not* a good place to work if you want to pursue
    a technical career.  It may be someday if we ever get our act together
    with Projects, but not at the rate we're going.  If your definition
    of success has, as significant components, recognition and advancement,
    be prepared to rule out residencies and seek out a career in Sales
    Support, the SIC's, ACT, or anything else!
    
    /Al
    
    
    

    I did many residencies when I was in SWS (I've since escaped), but
    I understand exactly what you're going through.  There seemed to
    be two primary indicators of performance:
    
    1.  No problem-related phone calls from the customer to your boss.
    2.  Did the residency get renewed for another one when it expired?
    
    Fortunately, the last residency I was on (for 19 months) was a very
    good customer.  They gave *unsolicited* comments to my boss
    periodically.  But that still seemed to be not good enough, because
    my boss was only at that customer site ONCE in those 19 months.
    So starting on week 3 of the 19 months, I did two things, which
    helped immensely:
    
    1.  I sat down with my manager and we outlined a list of things
    that needed to be done during the residency period.  (And it was
    quite a bit more specific than just "keep the customer happy" which
    would've been the ONLY criteria if I hadn't done this). 
    
    2.  Every other week, I would send my boss a detailed status report
    consisting of several sections; ie:
    
        1.0  Activities & Accomplishments
        2.0  Problems Resolved
        3.0  Unresolved Problems
        4.0  Billable Time For This Two-Week Period
        5.0  Plans For Next Period
    
    It showed my boss what I was doing (1.0), what kinds of problems
    were being encountered that were not a "planned activity" (2.0),
    problems that had come up which I had either not resolved so far,
    or were not within my capacity to resolve (ie, hardware) (3.0),
    of course the billable time, which I suspect was the FIRST thing
    he looked at when he read the report, and to let him know that I
    had the infamous *plan* for what was going to be done next (5.0).
    I also sent a copy of it to the sales rep, which he greatly
    appreciated.
    
    Yes, it's easy to become a "forgotten soul" on a residency, but
    it's up to you to make yourself more visible, and this might be
    one of the ways to do it.  Of course, much of it also depends on
    your manager, and there are some very poor ones out there.
    
    fwiw
    Jon

    Yes, I too have been left out in the bowels of customers' sites
    for many years of abuse and neglect.  A resident is somewhat of
    an "orphan child".  They don't belong in the the office, and they
    aren't part of the customer's "family".  You work to please the
    customer and your manager rates you on things he knows nothing about.
    
    Here are some ideas that have helped me.
    
    -	Make your manager have status meetings with you, the customer
    	and preferably the account manager.  The frequency can be whatever
    	you desire.  IF HE WON'T DO IT INVITE HIS BOSS!!!  District
    	Managers want to know what's going on in the field.  They won't
    	approach you but you can sure approach them.  (See the open
        door policy.)
        
    -	If you have regular unit meetings, GO TO THEM.  It's easy to 
        put the customer's priorities over yours, but don't let that
        happen here.  You need to be visable as much as possible.  If
        you don't have regular unit meetings, START THEM.  Just because you
        may have a bad manager doesn't mean you have to have a bad unit.
        You need to get to know you collegues and they need to get to know
        you.  You don't have to be alone. 
        
    -	Go to the office regularly.  Get to know your secretary.  Stop
        in and have a "chat" with your boss.  The more he knows about
        the "little things" you have encountered, the more information
        he has in order to rate you.
    
    The idea here is to communicate and be visable so you won't feel so
    alone.  Let people know you are a "real" person with goals,
    accomplishments, and problems; not just a name with a profit margin by
    it.
    
    Also, thank you for posting this note.  There are MANY of us who
    feel the way you do.  There aren't any good answers but maybe with
    this note we can come up with more ideas to choose from that will
    allow us to get the support we need.
    
    Jean Boggess     
                        

Back in '75, when I was a resident, things were a little different.  There were
only about 15 specialists in the entire district, and only about five residents
in the whole region -- and the region was everything south of New York City.

We were bringing in big bucks with low overhead, so management was interested
in what we were doing.

I was more concerned about feeling orphaned, not really a part of DEC, and I
solved that by keeping in touch by phone with various friends in larger SWS
offices and in Engineering in the Mill.  I managed to get the field service
manager to let me have a table in a corner of the office, even though as a
resident I wasn't really supposed to have one.  The (yes, I mean "the") local
salesman also helped me feel a part of DEC -- mainly because I was supporting
his biggest local customer and because he wanted me to be off the residency
soon and helping him on sales calls.

To get my manager's attention (there was no such thing as a Unit Software
Manager then, we all reported to David Creed, the District Manager), I at
first had to call him up and tell him I'd meet him in Atlanta on Saturdays
if I drove the 200 miles to Atlanta to visit friends.

Later on, I got a lot of attention, because we got a second resident who
did not get along with the customer at all.  So I had the advantage of the
customer constantly calling up and complaining about the other guy and
praising me.

But like .0, my first raise simply showed up in my paycheck one day.  My
third manager in less than a year apologized for not telling me.  Since it
was somewhat more than the high Ford/Carter inflation rates I wasn't
complaining.

If you want to be treated right on a residency, you have to be creative
and make the best of it for yourself.

/john

    It's good to find out it's not just me.
    
    Re: .1:
    
    Al, I'm not sure that I agree with you about the Field not being the
    place to pursue a techincal career. Before doing residencies, I
    was in the Installation Unit. I saw lots of configurations and went
    to a lot of neat customer sites. My big complaint was lack of depth.
    I'd come to DEC from a signal processing R&D company. I was an
    internals code-slinger. In Installation, it was always "get them
    up ASAP and get out the door cause you're booked solid for the next
    5 weeks."
    
    With a residency, you have time to get more depth. And being
    in the field you get massive exposure to real world problems. You
    develop a pretty broad grab bag of problem solving. It's the next
    best thing to running your own facility without having to pay for
    it. ;-)
    
    I forgot who made the comment about residency renewals, but I've
    found that kind of difficult. It's been my experience that the customer
    *really* prefered that you weren't there. You're costing them a
    hefty chunk of change and the only reason that you're there is that
    they have realized that they can't handle it on their own right
    now. They'd much prefer to hire your expertise base than rent it
    ala a residency. The groups that are footing your bill often have
    had to jump to major hoops to justify you in the first place. They
    really don't like going back to the VP and saying "Ahem, well, we're
    still not up to speed. We need more money." I was involved in
    justifying an extension on my last residency (their system manager
    quit on them out of the blue). They were *very* nervous about it.
    
    I also forgot who brought up the part about keeping in touch with
    folks back East. I do. I'm a moderately active noter and I know
    a lot of real neat folks over the E-net. In fact, it was the E-net
    folks who talked me out of quitting as opposed to taking the transfer
    back when I was such a happy camper. I see this networking as a
    way to do my job, but I don't see how that has to do with career
    advancement. I guess it would mean something if I wanted to move
    to the Boston area, but I really don't. Back when I was interviewing
    Boston fell off the list of options pretty quickly. (The major part
    being that I'm allergic to snow. But then, again, I still haven't
    spotted a lobster farm out here in the desert).
    
    Likewise, I've forgotten the person who suggested asking my DM to
    come to my site if my UM won't. Oy! 1) Take gun out of desk,
    2) point at foot, 3) pull trigger. If my boss doesn't like waves
    coming from my customers, how's he going to take waves from his
    boss? Have you really done this before? If so, do you still work
    for any of these people? 
    
    I'm starting to think that's what managers like so much about selling
    residencies. Once the person is in place, they sort of go on
    auto-pilot. Very minimal care and feeding required. (or so they
    seem to think) And it's a very stable source of revenue.
    
    Re: .4:
    
    John, I think you made a good point about getting Sales involved.
    My last residency was very visable (DEC's foot in the door of Arizona
    banking - that reads, you blow it, you're in trouble). The Sales
    Rep was very involved and was at the meetings I attended and copied
    my boss on a lot of memos, etc. The Sales Rep on the new account
    seems to be extremely disinterested. He cut the PO for the residency
    and one's out there. End of story. He has other fish to fry.
    
    I appreciate the input that's come up. My UM (the one in the review)
    is taking a new job. I've got a new UM coming up. I'm going to try
    to break him in right.
    
    Jim
    

    Another thought, which is more or less case-dependant, but may be
    able to be worked out for you.  In terms of creating visibility,
    why not have your customer featured in InterOffice magazine (or
    a similar publication)?  When I was a resident, I had completed
    alot of major applications for the customer, so one day, I called
    the people listed in the front of InterOffice.  I asked them how
    they decided what customer sites to feature for their publication.
    They told me that they waited until some person from the field called
    them and says "we've got this really neat customer who's doing some
    really nifty things with Digital computers".  I got the sales rep
    involved, and my customer was featured in InterOffice magazine a
    few months later.  (January 86 issue, I believe, Ford Motor Credit).
    
    A lot of visibility for me and for the sales rep, the customer was
    very happy about being featured that way (they wanted 200 copies
    of the magazine), and my boss got alot of favorable feedback from
    people (both in and out of our district) about the way the customer
    was being kept happy via DEC systems and their software resident.
    
    I don't know what industry your current customer is involved with,
    but there's probably an industry marketing person out here who is
    responsible for that industry.  Talk it over with the sales rep,
    find out who that is, talk it over with the customer, and see if
    you can get your customer's name in lights.
    
    Just an idea
    Jon

    Re: .6:
    
    Well, Jon,
    
    Sorry, no credence on that one. (Op. Cit. InterOffice Vol 6. No. 2
    US Dept. of Agriculture article). I was System Manager on that system
    for the first year of it's existance. Can you say 160+ DECServer
    100's and 135 LAN-based printers plus 1000+ ALL-IN-1 users in less
    than 6 months? (We replaced about 7 Wang VS-100s with an 8650
    3-node cluster) You could type $SHOW QUEUE/ALL and go to lunch.
    
    About all I have to show for that is the article and a lot of
    over-time. And I'm still a Senior Software Specialist. :-(
    
    Jim
    
    Imagine a building 2 blocks by 3 blocks that has 6 floors and 2
    basements. If nothing else, I got my exercise. :-)
    
    PS - I went to Personnel months after the fact, and not one mention
    of the USDA time was listed in my file. That's when I demanded a PA 
    and started looking for the job I have now.
    

    After reading all the replies so far, it seems that a popular idea
    is to get your manager more involved and visit you on-site.  A word
    of warning (I pray my manager doesn't read this)... you may do such
    a good job getting your manager involved that s/he's visiting you
    too much. They can really get in the way sometimes.
    
    In Connecticut, we too had the problem with a manager writing reviews
    for employees when they know squats about what the employee does.
    We solved the problem in a fairly unique (from talking with specialists
    in other districts) manner...WE WRITE OUR OWN REVIEWS.  Believe
    it or not, the managers' don't even change them much.

    Hi, Jim --
    
    The invisible resident has certainly been common around here,
    especially in the past.  As we're moving towards the project business
    and away from the resident business, I think it's changing.
    
    If you are on a project, it helps because there's more visibility,
    and a project manager/leader who knows your performance.  If you're
    not on one, I always recommending getting on one -- let your UM
    know you'd like to -- both for the visibility and the career growth
    opportunities.  It's too easy to get stuck on a 27-year residence
    and be the most senior All-in-1 System Manager in the world.
    
    When you're not on a project, I second alot of what people have
    already been doing.  Always write a status report (weekly to the
    customer, possibly less often to your UM), with accomplishments
    and goals for the next period.  This gives you and them a record
    of accomplishments when review time comes, plus keeps reminding
    your management you exist and do alot of stuff.  Also, get the UM
    to visit you and the customer occassionally -- it's good for both
    you and the account.  Also, see what you can do about expanding
    business there -- not just extending your contract, but maybe ideas
    for a project, or for selling more bodies.  And, like someone said,
    if you don't have unit meetings, get your UM to start them (like
    quarterly).  The network of other specialists you make is as important
    there as reminding people you exist (and reminding yourself of the
    way to the office).  And recommend that everyone give a short report
    on what they're doing these days  in the meetings.
    
    Just some thoughts --
    
    	MKV
    

    I can certainly sympathize with the author of this note.  I've
    been on 3 residencies back-to-back now over the past 4 years (one
    was 25 months!). While I feel that the positive aspects of this
    type of assignment are rewarding (prime chance to build very good
    customer relation skills, usually less hectic, change of scenery,
    ability to work as your own boss in lots of cases, customer
    satisfaction), they don't outweigh the negative aspects (just a
    face among the crowd - low visibility, if any; lack of contact
    with Digital peers, slower promotions, etc). 

    I found out a long time ago during the first 1-year residency that
    you have to make yourself visible in any way possible. 

    I might add my first residency wasn't renewed after 12 months
    because the customer thought I should have been "evesdropping"
    (literally) more on their workers' phone calls to Atlanta so that
    my "inside" channel to Atlanta support could improve the abysmal
    response time (this was 3+ yrs ago). Fortunately DEC mgmt
    poo-poo'd that whole line of thought and said don't fret about it
    - unrealistic expectations on the part of the customer. 
        
    I pushed to get lots of publicity for a big customer VTX project
    that I was the sole technical resource for.  Management loved it.
    The customer hyped in the national trade mags for a month or two.
    I put in a site VTX server with color lobby terminal at our office
    and was the sole maintainer of it for over 2 years.  I was the
    sole ALL-IN-1 manager at our office in its early days, way before
    ALL-IN-1 gained respectibility (at one point it seemed to be the
    kiss of death as a technical specialty).

    I have made it known to all my local network of people that if
    they need help in some area that I'm well-versed in, they can
    always feel free to call with a question.  Make yourself
    well-known in any Notes files which support your real work.  I've
    submitted quite a few different solution tools to Office ASSETS,
    and have had Digits as far away as Europe send me mail for
    assistance on some things.

    I'm not trying to toot my own horn here - just to show some
    examples of what you CAN do to make yourself more visible in this
    situation.  While my attempts to do so have not all paid off as I'd
    have liked them to, I can't help but feel that I'd be a lot worse
    off if I hadn't done them!

    When I see people get promptions for what seems to be the most
    arbitrary or political reasons - and it's very aggravating, but I
    guess that's the luck of the draw.  One of my pet peeves is the
    Excellence awards - residents sure seem to be forgotten there!

    It's a double-edged sword.  I love the work - but hate the
    ramifications.

    Just my thoughts,

	Al

        

    I'm really pleased with the information coming from this topic.
    
    Hi, Mary,
    
    I can see where getting on a project would improve one's visibility,
    but I don't find projects as real attractive. I've done code-slinging
    in a former life. Residencies are often more eclectic than that
    sometimes. It's the ideal job for the Renaisance Man in the 20th
    Century.
    
    Plus *somebody's* got to go out and press the flesh and look into
    the customer's beady little, er, financially rewarding eyes. Plus
    if the residency is more of a long term contract, you develop a
    very neat position at the site. There are a lot of people who come
    to you for assistance and it's really neat to service so many people.
    
    Like I said before, I get a lot of positive feedback from most of
    my customers. I have days where I leave feeling like I've really
    helped them out and saved them a lot of time and effort.

    I had my first talk with my new UM today. We've agreed that we've
    got to talk soon about 'things'. I'm seriously considering extracting
    this topic and having him read it to start the conversation. I think
    that progress can be accomplished, it's just a matter of how.
    
    Jim
    

    Actually, Jim, the type of project I'm thinking of generally takes
    place on site, sometimes working with customer-programmers as well.
    
    The whole team, then, rubs flesh (so to speak) with the customer
    every day, and we really learn their application.  And, since we'll
    have, say, an ALL-IN-1 expert on our team too, then we can provide
    the day to day support as well.  Also, often we'll add a system
    manager/support type person to the project team, so that we budget
    for the time we need to spend on "I have a Digital question" queries
    from the customer.
    
    That latter kind of position would provide the "Renaissence-person"
    kind of opportunity, instead of the more development-oriented other
    slots.
    
    	MKV
    

    I almost feel bad writing this, but my experiance as a resident
    at HSO has been very good.  My UM visits at least once a month with
    me and sometimes the client.  She arranges for all of the residents
    in a certain area to meet for lunch, and she usually pays.  I get
    and give lots of feedback and the UM seems intrested in what is
    going on.  We have pictures taken and posted in org charts at the
    office so at leaste the other workers don't forget what we look
    like.  I really have no complaints .
    
    No, my UM doesn't read notes!
    
    Sparky

        If every Unit Manager were as good a manager as yours sounds,
        there wouldn't be a problem.  The *real* problem is that there's
        so much variability in what happens, from the good (what you've
        described) to the very bad (what some others have described).
        
        Tom

    Re .12:
    
    OK, Mary, I see what you mean. The projects that I've been familiar
    with took place on DEC property. A few ccustomers may wind up at
    DEC. I haven't seen one the other way.
    
    Jim
    

    re .13
    
    Give thanks for what you've got!  As a matter of fact, where are
    you located?  Got any openings?  Have 10+ years in DP, in search
    of good management!
    
    re .15 et al
    
    I was surprised to hear that there are places that do projects in
    the DEC office.  ALL of our projects business goes straight to the
    customer site, and the Ts & Cs specify that adequate workspace and
    equipment (computers, etc.) will be provided.  I am currently on
    a project that has lasted for 18 months at the customer site.  I
    am more at home there, than at the DEC office.  In fact, I even
    gave up my office at the DEC site - my only contact there now is
    my mail box.
    
    Which brings me to the down side.  I sympathize with nearly all
    the negative comments made so far.  "The Action" all occurs at the
    home office, and mostly with the sales support specialists.  They
    get seen, they get heard, they get the benefits.
    
    My frustration has been that, although everyone knows we are a
    "field" unit, there seems to be very little done in the way of
    compensating us for the additional hardships of being in the field,
    like not *REALLY* having a manager, and not experiencing the benefits
    of working with your "coworkers" (witness recent cancellation of
    the car plan). 
    
    We get forgotten.  In fact, if you've had a rough time of it, managers
    will often send you on a project/residency so that the bad press
    blows over during your 1-2 year absence, and you can "start fresh".
    
    I won't go on.  A fellow specialist had an expression that conveys my
    feelings quite well - "I used to be angry, but now I'm just amused". 

    Jim
    

    
    Can any one explain the role of an Unit Manager who manages a group
    of software residents ??
    
    

	In a phrase:




		"MAINTAIN CUSTOMER SATISFACTION"


	All his decisions key on that.  His budget responsibility lies in 
getting the booked business staffed and billing ASAP.  Booking the business is 
Sales Support and Sales' responsibility.  Trouble is, if Sales doesn't sell, 
PSS doesn't make budget!

	Note that the apparent trend is away from "split" units, and back to 
"combined" units - Sales Support and PSS together - to eliminate the p%^^%&$ 
contests that sometimes went on between an understaffed Sales Support Manager, 
and an under-budget PSS manager.  Also, the freedom to use Sales Support in 
revenue business is returning.

    My personal name is a quote from an interview with Admiral Grace
    Hopper.  
    
    It very succinctly explains the situation with unit MANAGERS.  
    
    Very few do anything more than act as business managers.  Admittedly,
    business management is a vital function, and every member of a unit
    would have problems without the unit manager arranging the next
    port of call.
    
    However, the unit manager's metrics deal with $$$, not employee
    satisfaction, growing unit members, etc.  It takes a REAL visionary
    to see past the numbers at the end of the quarter, and realize that
    s/he has PEOPLE working for him/her that have needs that are just
    as real (I would argue MORE real) as the numbers that must be met.
    
    I don't fault unit managers, anymore than I would fault a policeman
    for not doing a fireman's job.  The unfortunate thing is that higher
    management has thrown the additional responsibility of people
    management on top of the unit manager's, with no metrics or incentives
    to lead them to do a good job at it.  In fact, the metrics that
    they MUST meet to be successful are usually in conflict with 
    keeping specialists well-equipped, trained, and generally happy.
    That is, training, purchasing equipment, etc. all cut into the almighty
    margin.  Believe me, if its the difference between making margin
    and training a specialist, I KNOW who will lose.
    
    But to get off the soapbox and back to answering your question, the
    responsibility lies LOOSELY with the unit manager.  However, on almost
    any project with more than two people, one will be the project manager
    or project LEADER, and that person will have responsibility for running
    all aspects of the project except negotiations and controlling money.
    In no case will the control of the purse strings be relinquished by the
    UM, nor will anything that affects liability, etc. 

    There is a whole WRITTEN project methodology that explains how DEC
    sells, contracts for and delivers project work.  It is not a trivial
    thing lightly entered in to, and I VERY strongly recommend taking
    the project methodology course (Project Manager, Project Leader,
    Project Member) before getting involved with a project.
    
    Having learned the hard way, I would liken it to deciding to play
    pro football at the age of 31 and having NEVER played organized
    sports in your life.  Getting the ball across the goal is the barest
    fraction of whats involved in the game.
    
    Likewise, being able to deliver a technical solution is only a small
    part of delivering a project.  
    
    However, I digress.  You must forgive me, because this has become
    my favorite topic since going on an 18 month project, and learning
    all about things like project methodology AFTER the fact, and realizing
    how much more painless things could have been, had we followed the
    rules.
    
    My unit manager WAS the project manager until he was promoted. 
    It is now completely impossible for him to do more than touch base
    with the project manager to keep a light pulse on what is happening
    with the project.  He is much more concerned (for reasons stated
    above) with where we are all going to be in two months when this
    project ends.
    
    Bottom line:  Units usually have very little to do with most software
    specialist's day-to-day activities, especially so on projects.  It is
    unfortunate, then, that they are saddled with the responsibility of
    doing their reveiws, promotions, excellence award nominations, etc. 

    Jim
    

    GIVEN:
    	customers with irregularly shaped hole and time restraints
    	management with large money bin and time restraints
    	specialists of various shapes, sizes
    	salary continuation plan predicated on performance of management
    		goals
    Problem:
    	fill money bin by accepting money from customers for the 
    	successful matching specialists of various shapes to different,
    	irregularly shaped holes in the time specified.
    
    Kicker:
    	success is rewarded, somehow, maybe
    	failure is considered contrary to management goals, above.