Lack of Documentation, what would you do?

[Larry Bud]

I started with this company in March, and quickly found out NOTHING is
documented. I couldn't get you a list of server names if my life
depended on it. When I started there were 2 .net guys (me and
another guy).

Well, a couple of weeks ago the other .NET developer quit, and I'm
left supporting all the websites he created, with ZERO
documentation. For example, one site handles online bill pay. The
customer had a question regarding a transaction. Well, I don't even
know what database or server the data is on, let alone the table where
the transaction is stored.

What would you do if you were left in a situation like this? I have
SEVERAL support issues a day that has left me with no time to actually
program. I've brought this up with the VP of IT, and I get the
familar line of "yeah, we do need to start documenting everything..."
then nothing ever happens. No docs, no standards, no program life
cycle, NO TEST ENVIRONMENT! (unless you count your laptop as a "test"
environment).

I've even had to debug applications where the ONLY source code is on
the now-defunct programmers old laptop(they've had 4 or 5 programmers
leave in the last 8 months). Just trying to find the source code is a
PITA, let alone code with no comments and no documentation! It's
chaos!

They are getting 2 more .net guys in the next 3 weeks, but I don't see
that helping much. They'll just be in the same boat as I am in.

 

[Mike]

welcome to the world of corporate america.

I'm a consultant, and every where, I mean everywhere I face this same issue
and get this same line. I think its taught in IT management 101 class

"yeah, we do need to start documenting everything..."

What I normally do is, I actually start documenting the app I'm working on,
and ask a ton of questions and by the time I leave, there is documents on
most apps I've worked on and a diagram of the infrastructure (servers,
databases, etc). This happens about 90% of the time, and the other 10%, the
mgrs just don't care so I don't bother to even do it.

 

[tomisarobot]

blackmail for a raise imo.