At the local Udipi...

So I'm sitting in this udipi fast food restaurant waiting for my lunch (rawa idli - highly recommended), and I find myself observing the waiters going about their jobs. This is what typically happens:

1. Customer enters, sits, decides what he wants and tells the waiter.

2. Customer asks the waiter how long it will takes and the waiter gives an approximate waiting time.

3. Waiter heads over to the kitchen and bellows the order to the cooks.

4. If a customer gets impatient, the waiter goes to the kitchen to check and assures the customer 'it's almost done!'.

5. Once the order is ready, the waiter takes it to the customer's table and serves it to him.

6. If the customer didn't like the meal, the waiter gets a earful. He smiles and goes back and abuses the cook.

7. Waiter handles many customers at the same time.

8. Finally the waiter hands over the bill.


With a start I realise - it's no different from my current job. I'm sort of a Project Lead. This is what I do:

1. The client sends me the requirements.

2. Client asks me how long it would take to deliver it. I estimate and return a figure.

3. I hand the requirements over to my team, who then start working on it.

4. Client gets impatient and eager to see 'anything', so I tell them 'it's 90% done!'

5. When it's actually done then it's released to the client

6. If it's a poor quality release, then I get a earful from the client and I pass it on to my team.

7. Many such requirements are being handled simultaneously.

8. End of the month, I total up the time sheets for the billing.


!!!



I ate quickly, tipped the waiter handsomely and left.


Someday, I want to go back into the kitchen and be the cook...



Cheers,
Aldrin