Making Changes to an IT Business?

everythingeverything asks: "Recently the IT development company I work for has undergone many changes, mostly focused on the streamlining of the development teams. Three people have recently been laid off, and massive pressure is being exerted on myself and my colleagues to develop more efficiently and delivery bug-free code. This is great - very positive changes. However it's blatantly obvious to many of my workmates that the sales and accounts team are not meeting their end of the bargain. They consistently oversell our services, write incomplete and inaccurate project specifications, set deadlines and budgets without consulting a TA or a developer, and frequently give in to clients when they want to change the spec halfway through. Management have agreed that there are problems and we have given them detailed research and documented solutions, but nothing happens. How have other employees in similar organisations brought about an effective, non-hostile and mutually beneficial resolution to the problem?"

Comments

Do we work in the same office?

[mshiltonj]

If you were an AC asking this question I would have bet money you were someone I worked with.

I feel for ya, man. I really do.

The Scotty solution

[E1v!$]

First, tell them it can't be done with current technology, but start working on it immediatly.

Multiply all work estimates by a factor of 4, then tell them it's 'iffy'.

Ignore their spec, write your own as generic as possible. When they change it 1/2 way through, you bitch and moan, then write the gui that will give them what they want.