Its a different ball game

So, I have settled down in a CMMi Level 5 company as I had been expecting for a long time now. Actually a CMMi Level 5 company was not my target. but a good established concern. basically people should be able to understand to immediately identify the company you are working for. Still TATA Elxsi(the company I work for is not the Infosys of the world and the Wipros of the world. But still the name TATA has a reputation worldwide.

I might make you thinking that I go after fame. Certainly not. Its always a different ball game. There are standards set here and there are predefined procedures to work here. You might not have the liberty to work as a freelancer. Everything is pretty organised here and you get to know what it takes to organise and manage such huge projects that they handle.

Small startup companies have their advantages too. For example, it is only in a small startup company your learning range is wider and wider. You get exposure to all the stages. You are free to try out new things. You are free to research on anything you would like to. You get to know many thing being in a startup than in a MNC. This is my honest opinion. And the disadvantages that you have working for a small startup are not much, infact nothing if you are not seriously looking at the money aspect. Small startup MIGHT NOT (some companies do, like Skava Systems) pay you more. But you should accept the fact that the work you get there is above par.

When it comes to MNCs, you are basically hired on an as-needed basis. Your learning is very much narrowed down to the project that the company is currently interested in. But I should tell you that there are some exceptions in MNCs too, where they offer you great work culture and atmosphere.

I just sat for a discussion with our team and a discussion with a client. Thats when I was thinking how a similar project would be approached elsewhere. We go out to discuss to a separate discussion room, we have a white board, somebody goes in front and talks for a while, explains, and then everybody asks questions to him, THATS NOT EXACTLY WHAT I AM TRYING TO TELL YOU. There is something more more more more important than those silly things. The procedure that you have to follow. The decisions that are taken here are not always taken. And there is no adhoc plan on how to go about with the project. Everything is clearl charted out. The way to write out a proposal document, going through requirement specifications,.... In my previous company, it was all product. no service. We developed our own product coz of which we had to requirement specification doc or anything else. We just start off with an initial design of the product straight away and after approval from boss, we go about implementing. Here it takes much more than to start designing right away. You are also considering the cost aspects for the development. You also have to think about how the client would like to have so many resources in the project, since he is actually paying for each and every resource that is in the project. We have to convince the client about the need for a particular resource, if the client finds that as unnecessary. Lots of things, but you gotta appreciate the fact that, there are too many people to manage this. But for all thsoe people, it is up to them to mange it themselves. They dont think that somebody else will do it. They take the responsibilities on their shoulders. And thats a sure sign of success...

hmm, I was just thinking as i was blogging. how about adding some technical information which some ppl might find good. Infact, I myself will be one in that in the future. So, expect some technical stuff or atleast some useful stuff in this blog later.

for now,

time to go,

bye

Joe