The Blind Teams and the Enterprise
With apologies to John Godfrey Saxe's ( 1816-1887) version of the famous Indian legend
It was six teams of Industry
To learning much inclined,
Who went to see the Enterprise
(Though all of them were blind),
That each by observation
Might satisfy his mind.
Sales first approach'd the Enterprise,
And happening to fall
Against his broad and sturdy side,
At once began to bawl:
"God bless me! but the Enterprise
Is very like a wall!"
PM, feeling of the tusk,
Cried, -"Ho! what have we here
So very round and smooth and sharp?
To me 'tis mighty clear
This wonder of an Enterprise
Is very like a spear!"
BA approached requirements,
And happening to take
That squirming trunk within his hands,
Thus boldly up and spake:
"I see," quoth he, "the Enterprise
Is very like a snake!"
A Dev reached out his eager hand,
And felt about the knee.
"What most this wondrous beast is like
Is mighty plain," quoth he,
"'Tis clear enough the Enterprise
Is very like a tree!"
Training, who chanced to touch the ear,
Said: "E'en the blindest man
Can tell what this resembles most;
Deny the fact who can,
This marvel of an Enterprise
Is very like a fan!"
Support no sooner had begun
About the beast to grope,
Then, seizing on the swinging tail
That fell within his scope,
"I see," quoth he, "the Enterprise
Is very like a rope!"
And so these teams of Industry
Disputed loud and long,
Each in his own opinion
Exceeding stiff and strong,
Though each was partly in the right,
Yet all were in the wrong!
MORAL.
So oft in technologic wars,
Does every project team,
Rail on in utter ignorance
Of what each other mean,
And build and lead an Enterprise
Not one of them has seen!
It was six teams of Industry
To learning much inclined,
Who went to see the Enterprise
(Though all of them were blind),
That each by observation
Might satisfy his mind.
Sales first approach'd the Enterprise,
And happening to fall
Against his broad and sturdy side,
At once began to bawl:
"God bless me! but the Enterprise
Is very like a wall!"
PM, feeling of the tusk,
Cried, -"Ho! what have we here
So very round and smooth and sharp?
To me 'tis mighty clear
This wonder of an Enterprise
Is very like a spear!"
BA approached requirements,
And happening to take
That squirming trunk within his hands,
Thus boldly up and spake:
"I see," quoth he, "the Enterprise
Is very like a snake!"
A Dev reached out his eager hand,
And felt about the knee.
"What most this wondrous beast is like
Is mighty plain," quoth he,
"'Tis clear enough the Enterprise
Is very like a tree!"
Training, who chanced to touch the ear,
Said: "E'en the blindest man
Can tell what this resembles most;
Deny the fact who can,
This marvel of an Enterprise
Is very like a fan!"
Support no sooner had begun
About the beast to grope,
Then, seizing on the swinging tail
That fell within his scope,
"I see," quoth he, "the Enterprise
Is very like a rope!"
And so these teams of Industry
Disputed loud and long,
Each in his own opinion
Exceeding stiff and strong,
Though each was partly in the right,
Yet all were in the wrong!
MORAL.
So oft in technologic wars,
Does every project team,
Rail on in utter ignorance
Of what each other mean,
And build and lead an Enterprise
Not one of them has seen!
Comments