Document Sign-Off 1

[Lozbinator]

Hi Everybody,

I have a question for you all.

I am involved in a project where my role is to compile a configuration plan for a new system, which is agreed upon by all other members in our daily workshops.

It is almost time for the plan to be completed and 'signed off'. My question to you is this - should I provide spaces on the configuration plan for the workshop attendees to sign, indicating their approval of the plan? Or not? If yes, where in the document is this normally placed?

Bearing in mind, the attendees are functional users, who's input is provided to shape the system. At the end of the day, responsibility for the system is not likely to fall upon them, rather will be directed further up the heirarchy.

Thanks in advance.

 

[LesleyW]

When I've used a sign off sheet, I put it at the end of the document. The implication being that the parties have read through the document, got the end , signed it.

I've also seen sign off sheets at the begining of a document but to be honest I think it gets in the way there if you later reference that document for its technical content.

 

[CajunCenturion]

I think it depends on how the sheet is to be used. If this document is a front end design document, that, like so many design documents, will not be referenced, or used as a roadmap during project development, then I would simply have the signatures at the end.

On the other hand, if this is a living document, and one that will be constantly referenced and used as a baseline by the development team, then signature blocks should be made available at each and every milestone mark described in the document. I would also have page breaks between milestone markers so that individual milestone sections can be updated as requirements change. Each section should be autonomous, and provide for sign-off by all relevant parties.

“At the end of the day, responsibility for the system is not likely to fall upon them, rather will be directed further up the hierarchy”. In my opinion, the sign-off sheet is useless if not signed by the responsible parties. If you do not have the responsible party’s signature, then you have nothing, because it’s the responsible party that is calling the shots, or perhaps more importantly, signing of checks.


Good Luck
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As a circle of light increases so does the circumference of darkness around it. - Albert Einstein

 

[SQLSister]

However, having their signatures might be way to convince upper management to sign on the dotted line as well.

Just wish my management felt that requirements were important. Here's a direct quote from out Systems Analyst,
"I don't really think that requirements are necessary."

Needless to say my boss and I both almost fell out of our chairs at that one. Of course this is the same individual who asked me if a megabyte or a kilobyte was larger. And who posted my performance evaluation, salary information and personal information on a network drive accesible to the entire development staff (Good thing it was a good eval! She is the CEO's mistress, can you tell?)

 

[manarth]

Here's a direct quote from out Systems Analyst,
"I don't really think that requirements are necessary.".....this is the same individual who asked me if a megabyte or a kilobyte was larger.

"Systems analyst"? You've got to be kidding....she either liked the sound of the job title, or liked the salary that goes with the position!

<marc> i wonder what will happen if i press this...[ul][li]please give feedback on what works / what doesn't[/li][li]need some help? how to get a better answer: faq581-3339[/li][/ul]

 

[LesleyW]

From what SQL Sister tells us, the correct name for her position is &quot;on her back&quot;!!

SQL, you're doing well to stay (reasonably) sane - in your position at some point I'd probably have punched her or the idiot who put her in that position in the first place.

 

[SQLSister]

Believe me if the job market weren't so rotten, I'd have been out here. I do have a punching bag at home that I practice kick boxing with. I named it with her name.

 

[theoxyde]

I do have a punching bag at home that I practice kick boxing with.

Ahh, Catharsis.

Signing-off on documentation is a reasonable way to aid in fighting the pass-the-buck-itis virus that is spread by &quot;fecal matter being flung upon the fan&quot;, as it were. Nevertheless, the person that designed and/or implemented the system will always be the one with the gigantic neon ***BLAME ME*** sign hanging over their head.

Just because somebody signs off on a requirement, they will blame the person(s) that recommended it. The person(s) that recommended it will blame the person(s) that implemented it. I see this every day, and no amount of signatures will change that. I have even had the joy of *NOT* signing off on documentation because I thought the process was flawed and generally a bad idea (which I wrote on the documentation). Not only was I overruled and told to do it anyways, but was accused of sabotage when the process failed (because of my dislike of the process). Once sabotage was ruled out, incompetence was chosen as the prevailing reason.

Upon fixing the problem my way (and behold, it was good) I renegotiated my contract to give me final line-item veto authority on *any* project I have to implement. This basically means (and this is the wording I used with my client) &quot;If I am designing an inventory system, and I think it wise to wire the coffee pot to a serial port on a machine that can be controlled from a web service so that someone in New Zeland can start our coffee pot, then It Will Be So.&quot;

I realize that most people don't have the luxury of dictating terms like this. But like my client told his CEO, I may be &quot;difficult&quot;, but my stuff always works, and I'm always right. So long as the guy signing the checks thinks I'm the best, I'm content to act the part.

Back on topic: All this was to say: Don't expect signing-off to be the silver bullet to put an end to officia-politica. Poeple will play politics regardless of any document.