The Blind TEAMS AND THE ENTERPRISE

© 2011 Lynn Noel with apologies to John Godfrey Saxe's version

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.


Exec approach'd the Enterprise,

And happening to fall

Against his broad and sturdy side,

At once began to bawl:

"God bless me! how this Enterprise

Has whiteboards 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 project of an Enterprise

Has targets like a spear!"


Sales then approached the Enterprise,

And happening to take

That squirming trunk within his hands,

Thus boldly up and spake:

"These deals that feed the Enterprise

Are pipelined like a snake!"

A Dev reached out an eager hand,

And felt about the knee.

"What most this wondrous beast is like

Is mighty plain," quoth he,

"'This epic, Agile Enterprise

Is backlogged 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 living, learning Enterprise

Is list'ning like a fan!"


Infra 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 networked 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!