[thelist] Discussing XHTML and ROI with your "boss"

[Tom Dell'Aringa]

--- Frank <framar at interlog.com> wrote:
>
> Thursday, August 15, 2002, 6:32:27 PM, you wrote:
> >> If you need to have these conversations with them, you
> >> probably shouldn't. If your boss is tech-savvy, she'll
> >> have a good ideas as to why.
>
> > In actual fact, its these very "tech-savvy" folks
> > with their preconcieved predjudices and beliefs that you
> > will probably find yourself in front of - not the CEO or
> > the CFO.
>
> > I will have to stand before a VP here, who has 15 years as
> > a "tech-savvy" individual. He is the *Chief Architect* of
> > the company. And if the Chief Architect doesn't want to
> > use XHTML, guess what..we won't.
>
> > Now, what was your argument?
>
> The argument stands quite firmly.

You have no argument, you have stated no facts that I can act on.

> Most "bosses" are big picture people who can't/don't/won't
> understand the details. It's not their job, or strength,
> that's why they are execs and not coders. One doesn't talk
> to big picture people about details, it just doesn't work.

Most <insert race> people are <insert stereotype>. Most <insert job
role> don't understand <insert anything>.

Stereotypes don't work in the real world, and certainly not in real
offices where real people in fact DO understand the details, it IS
their job and often IS their strength. The execs at companies *I*
have worked with *ARE* indeed "coders" as you so lightly put it to a
great degree.

When is the last time you walked up to a Senior Architect and accused
him/her of not knowing what XHTML is?

> If your boss, of 15 years, Chief Architect doesn't know
> about XHTML, it leads me to questions most politely unasked.
> What you are telling us, however, is that your superior
> isn't a big picture thinker, the approach then will be
> different.

When did I say he didn't know about it? In fact, just the opposite -
I said he DOES know about it. That doesn't make it a technology he
wants to embrace because he knows about it.

Your questions "politely unasked" are there because you aren't paying
attention. He most assuredly IS a big picture thinker, which is the
*exact* reason why a person in his position needs to know WHY you do
something.

So, far you have offered no "approach" other than general statements.

> http://www.wdvl.com/Authoring/Languages/XML/XHTML/

This is a link to a <rather pathetic> XHTML tutorial with further
links to the W3C et. al. This does me no good, I need business case
arguments, I need to tell him why it benefits his company.

> http://www.webmasterworld.com/forum21/2641.htm

This is a forum where a bunch of developers like us discuss moving
from HTML to XHTML. Again, this has nothing to do with ROI or
business arguments, which was the question.

What I am looking for is insight into how one might make the case for
using XHTML/Standards/CSS instead of the "old ways" of doing things.
If you say you save money, *tell me how*. If you say it saves time,
*explain how*.

Tom

=====
var me = tom.pixelmech.webDeveloper();

http://www.pixelmech.com/
http://www.maccaws.com/
[Making A Commercial Case for Adopting Web Standards]

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