How do you convince your boss not to jump on every hype?

Question

Guess you know what I mean? Your boss read this article about a certain shiny new and fancy technique like e.g. Ajax and is now an expert in everything related to it. He now wants to use this cool new thing on nearly everything.. What now? How do you avoid this kind of stuff?

Answer 1

Cost it. Put it in terms of time, effort and price, as well as providing both good and bad examples of the technology use and let him decide.

Answer 2

I am wondering if I should answer 'get a new boss' or 'cheer him on', really. The latter on account of my own employer being rather slow in accepting that technology doesn't stand still. He'd rather wait for a new hype to build up years of 'track record' (which, in this business, is way too long if you ask me).

The first would be put jokingly. But I find it a rather suspicious quirk for someone who should be showing signs of management. As long as he doesn't understand the concept of "the right tools for the right job" you will always have problems. What's really leaving me wondering is where he thinks the time/money is going to come from if you keep re-writing all your products with new hypes.

This last part is probably your key to dealing with it. Every time he comes with a 'suggestion' to implement a hype, make a list of pros and cons, putting it against the techniques you think are most suited for the job. When that's done and discussed, put a price tag on both options.

Answer 3

If your boss is not technical, it is your job to educate him on what those technologies actually are, when is the right time to implement them and what are the costs / benefits. Even if you explain it in layman terms, the better your boss understands what he needs to about emerging technologies, the better off you'll be.

Answer 4

The worse thing is he IS technical but seems to have forgotten everything for the buzz. It's still always a mess to convince him. The advice 'get a new boss' is maybe the best here. ;)

Answer 5

It's good to look at the reason for your boss wanting to use the cool new technology. More often then not, I've found the choice is made because of vendor relationships rather then the "right tool" for the job.

For example, often small companies (<200 people) with Microsoft Gold partnership status will use products that Microsoft themselves say are suited to enterprise level companies (ie 1000+ people). TFS anyone?

I know it seems there is not much we can do about this, but at least understanding this allows you see things for what they are.

Answer 6

The trick is to discuss the limitations with him. Most of the articles your boss is likely to read will be extolling the virtues of any particular technology, with little regard to the downsides and negative consequences of actually implementing it.

The AJAX example is a pretty good one - it's a useful technique, but it definitely has its place. You wouldn't want to build a website CMS with AJAX, for example, you'll break the 'back' button, you'll make it hard for search engines to find your content, you'll render your site unusable for anyone without JS, and it'll be a hell of a lot of extra work. (yes there are ways around all these things, but they all significantly complicate the implementation).

Also, don't forget that a boss that's willing to let you play with bleeding-edge stuff is pretty rare - use it to your advantage! All of these technologies are excellent CV fodder, and implementing stuff you've never done before can teach you a lot. So if you can 'tame' him a bit, by discussing these technologies and convincing him they aren't all applicable all the time, he could be an excellent boss to have.

Answer 7

He's your boss, you get to do what he says. Why is this even a question? If you don't like his management, then either bring it up with him, or leave.

That being said, if you fear for the company coffers everytime he sends you off on a wild goose chase implement a "trial, training, and investigatory" period for all new technology.

Essentially this means that when he wants you to use something then you set aside a few weeks (depending on the technology) to train yourself on it, implement a few NON PRODUCTION tests, and investigate the costs, benefits, which systems would be affected, and insist that if it's implemented then it must be done company wide as the new technology/process.

If, after 3 weeks and a report on the costs/benefit, he still wants to go forward then great - you've both been satisfied that this is the right choice (or at least you know he's in for the long haul).

However, chances are good that by the middle of the investigatory period he's moved on, and you can merely give an oral report that says, "It's pretty much not worth it, boss" and he'll be satisfied because he really is hot on the tail of another new revolutionary technology and he needs you to start right away.

Be a diplomat and make sure you both get what you want, rather than trying to stop him from getting what he wants.

Answer 8

My problem is pretty much inverse. Bosses don't want to jump on anything and prefer to stick with whatever is stable. Not messing with the status quo is the rule.

So, how do you convince your boss to jump on the right hypes?

Answer 9

Buy him/her a copy of The Mythical Man-Month, or at least, have him/her read No Silver Bullet.

Answer 10

Who says that he's wrong?

Go and investigate the facts of the technology that he's looking at and report back. Could be he's right, could be he's wrong. Report the facts and go with it like that.

Don't look at your boss as the enemy, as someone who has to be worked around.

Answer 11

Jumping on the latest technology can also have the negative side effect that your ability to estimate software features will be even more inaccurate.

Answer 12

And it prevents a software from ever be finished - who knows what technologies will be developed/released next week?