Marshmallows, Red Peppers and Toothpaste - An International Potluck

On the way to Office, this morning, had an interesting topic on the air, on the International Potluck in school. 

Just last night had my plans for my kid's school potluck on Friday, being the last day of the school.   Surprisingly she wanted an traditional Indian Receipe which should not be really Indian...I didnt understand what she meant...may be a traditional receipe in a continental way...I have few more hours to figure that out and send something....unlike a child who took "Marshmallows, Red peppers and Toothpaste" to a potluck in school in Washington D.C to celebrate July 4 Independence Day! Oh Yeah!  The theme for potluck was "American Flag"  and hence translated into Blue Marshmallows, Red Peppers and White Toothpaste.

To me "Outsourcing" Projects almost look like an International Potluck... But believe me, we dont have the option to celebrate with any of the real requirements fulfilled in the real sense.  Infact, I appreciate the child who took MRT for Potluck....for Marshmallows are Blue, Red peppers add color Red and Toothpaste helps kids at the end with White Finish.... and it surely satisfies the potluck need.  But again...Do you think so?

In a true outsourcing project., one classical example.... A project to be used in America, where the requirements are given by business in United States,  the Servers are built in Korea and Japan, the money is funded by China, the technology is supplied by India,  the support is done by Thailand... we expect the project to provide 100% results.  Beyond boundaries of Nations, Cultures, languages, technologies, infrastructure, the whole world of virtual projects deliver an amazingly transforming results.  That is the strength of global projects today.

With an extensive experience in a banking project, where the Global Project was build in India, with requirements coming from close to 25 countries local offices,  and the COTS product supplied by a company in United States,  senior management funding the project sitting in Europe...and finally we tested the swift message printouts in Korea and Australia sitting in office at 4 am in India.... what else can you ask for in a global project. 

It is not only important how you deliver and match requirements, it is also important to provide cost-effective solutions.  It is also important to consider the global stage, people involved, technical challenges, and interfaces that connect beyond country specific regulations and laws.   The challenge is to address the needs of the business taking into control all the factors within the line of control and also planning adequately to manage things beyond control.

If not, we still end up fulfilling the requirements with "Marshmallows, Red peppers and Toothpaste".... at no man's cost!