Inverse Dilbert Correlation Factor

The more DilBert cartoons pasted on office doors and bulletin boards, the less well off the project is.

-- from DeathMarch by EdYourdon

Used as a test to determine the general health of a software development project team.

On the other hand, would FarSide cartoons be an indicator of health?

Alternatively, no cartoons posted, particularly if there's a no posting rule, says something about the health of the company. Yes. it says, quite clearly, "consider leaving"

Consider leaving? Plan for it! There's also a DilBert strip about this very issue.

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While what is said above may be true, consider this:

• The posting of cartoons is a demonstration that a sense of humor exists.
• The posting of cartoons is a sign that people WorkToLive?, as well as LiveToWork?.
• If it is an indicator, perhaps the phb's can get the message and do something to rectify the situation.

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An exception to the above rule: if there are no Dilbert cartoons posted by managerial fiat, the project is doing extremely poorly.

Rationale: Managers sometimes forbid Dilbert comics because of the gallows humor, in an attempt to either increase employee morale or keep himself from looking bad. They rarely do this when there are only a few Dilberts up. So when this happens, we can figure that the shop would have a lot of Dilberts otherwise (thus, the project is in trouble) and that the manager is being pointy-haired in correcting the problems.

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CategoryWhimsy