In enterprise software, we are often exposed to product statement.
Here's a typical product description that we, as architects, come across daily:
"ABC Co Business Rules Software is a high performance light weight business rules product that delivers agility and enables businesses to change their key decisions and policies rapidly, flexibly, and with confidence. ABC Co Business Rules Software is seamlessly integrated with ABC Co BPEL PM and the rest of the SOA stack. " (Source: see footnote)
While I hear that, I can't stop and wonder: what if it really means this?
"ABC Co Business Rules Software does not deliver agility at all since it's a heavy (business rules) product that is slow and prevents business to change their key decisions and policies rapidly, flexibly, and with confidence. ABC Co Business Rules Software is not integrated at all with ABC Co BPEL PM and the rest of the SOA stack."
So my job is to decide which statement is true. How do I do it? Instinct, knowledge and experience is the only receipe I know. I follow my instincts for the most part, I try to rapidly form an impression on the person who is making the statement. Then , I carefully verify the company track record. After 30 years in the business, I certainly know someone who has worked with them. Finally, is that statement true based on previous project experience?
Note: ABC Co is ficticious company name. I've changed the company name to protect me, mostly and the innocent who wrote that product statement.
You can guess the company name by inserting a comment!