My Project is Like My Baby

Paul Venezia of InfoWorld spoke with an inside source to learn possible motivation for network engineer Terry Childs’ sabotage of the San Francisco’s FiberWAN network. It’s a six screen article I recommend reading. The heart of the matter seems to be how IT professionals view their work.

IT professionals spend a profound amount of time dealing with intangibles. When a project is finished there is seldom much of a physical entity that truly represents all the work necessary to create it. IT projects are much like children. We spend hours, days, weeks, and sometimes years on their design, development and maintenance. They occupy our attention even when away from work. Proud parents can point to their child’s performance as a result of years of hard work and perseverance like many celebrate an IT triumph. An uninvolved observer will never truly feel the same way about that child or project.

I know the years of experience, study, and sheer power of will it takes to make a great IT professional. It is no wonder to me that we feel so attached to our projects. So much goes into my work I can’t help but be proud of the final product as if it was an extension of myself.

Do you have a past, present, or future project you consider to be your baby? Share your experiences in the comment box below.

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