[Esophagus4]

I've always thought it would be interesting to be the guy called in to clean up these messes. That's where I'd love my career to go... being called in to turn around a sinking ship.

Technology projects have a habit of going wildly off the rails, especially if you're not at ${bigTechCo} with a really mature software factory pumping out large projects consistently, so it seems like there'd be no shortage of mess to clean up around the industry.

The idea of building something greenfield isn't as interesting as fixing a badly broken machine to me. Call it a fixer complex :)

[wmf]

Nah, it's a horrible job. They box you in so that there is no acceptable solution then blame you for not fixing it.

[Esophagus4]

Bummer McBummertown. That seems less fun.

[roryirvine]

As a consultant, I do actually quite enjoy proper shitshow engagements - not least because, from a very selfish point of view, it's often possible to make a really obvious positive impact, which is really satisfying.

For a situation as bad as the one described here, though, the scope for an individual engineer - no matter how experienced - to turn things around is going to be limited. The core problem is almost certainly organisational and cultural rather than technical, so it needs to be addressed at the strategic management level.

[Esophagus4]

Agreed - I wouldn’t go in as an IC, I’d go in as leadership.