Do you really need to know?
I’m given a list of changes for a project. The project is a list of slides shown in a presentation.
I’m told that “these 2 illustrations must be updated. Put them in their 3 slides.”
Wait a sec… 2 images, 3 slides.
- HPDEB:
- I know that the 2 images reference the slides they go in, but what’s this 3rd slide?
- Nouveau Sidler:
- It goes in another slide as well.
- HPDEB:
- Which slide?
- Nouveau Sidler:
- Do you need to know?
- HPDEB:
- Yes… that way I can, you know, actually do the change you’re requesting.
- Nouveau Sidler:
- Oh. Ok.
It gets better.
The 2 graphics had their source slide #s in them (92 and 94). I still didn’t know where that 3rd slide was. Nouveau Sidler finds the slide numbers for me and sends me an message: “Put them in #93, 95 and 98.”
Guess what? 93 has no graphic. 95 has no graphic. Sigh.
Then, I ask about reviewing the project.
- HPDEB:
- Has it been reviewed for mistakes during production?
- Nouveau Sidler:
- Yes.
- HPDEB:
- Ok, so these 7 changes are it… Nothing else. You’ve reviewed it.
- Nouveau Sidler:
- Yes.
I make the changes. I find some other errors. I keep looking.
In the end I find 76 substantial problems (obvious things, like the title is going off the edge of the page). So much for a careful review.