In many posts (including this one) I have talked about the need for us as an industry to look beyond the current catch-cries of “differentiation” in OSS proposals:
- Cost-out
- More functionality
It’s easy to make such bold encouragement in a blog where there are no ramifications for stepping outside the norm. Much harder when actually in charge of a company, business unit or account worth multiple millions of dollars, to diverge in strategy from what customers have become so accustomed to.
They expect to be wowed by a myriad of features (even if they won’t use them) or promises of operational cost reductions (even if there is no way of proving them prior to implementation).
Looking introspectively, would I have the confidence to take the entirely different path that I’m imploring the industry to take? Would I put my money where my mouth is?
l am supremely confident that the path to rapid improvement for the OSS industry is a less but better mindset and to look at adding value far beyond the confines of operational business units.
Would you do it?
Would I do it?
YES! ….. (i think).