On Mon, Jun 29, 2009 at 12:54 PM, wesley kiriinya <kiriinya2000@yahoo.com> wrote:

"...why are there so many people complaining about the lack of government funding and start up capital?..."

Complaints about lack of gvmnt funding might not necessarily mean funding for start-ups and anyway I dont think the government should be funding start-ups in the first place. The funding complaints could mean funding for infrustrure to create a good IT environment for everyone.

I believe anyone strong enough to get gvmnt fundin is strong enough to get the funding from other sources. Of late I've noticed an increasing number of people willing to fund innovative ICT ventures.

Perharps this topic should be discussed in another thread...

--- On Mon, 6/29/09, Crystal Watley <crystal@voicesofafrica.org> wrote:

From: Crystal Watley <crystal@voicesofafrica.org>

Subject: Re: [Skunkworks] Can you build teams... if?
To: "Skunkworks forum" <skunkworks@lists.my.co.ke>
Date: Monday, June 29, 2009, 12:14 PM

In response to your questions:

a) Can you form a team consisting of Project Manager (to assure
everything is done in time, guide the proposal making etc); Designer
(who does outstanding designs in CSS); Developer(s) who can work well
with Google Aps - integrate Gmaps etc into the site; mobile developer
to develop mobile apps, etc; integrator to ensure that the site is
seamless?

So there is a question if this team can be formed. Let's test the idea here, right now. The question is how many good programmers are out there without employment. So why not test this idea right here. Can one Designer who is good at CSS make their presence known today? Can one Developer who is good at Google Aps make their skills known here today? And can we find one Mobile developer to create the mobile apps? This appears to be a four person team. I would be more than happy to provide the Project Management as that is my field of expertise.

b) Can your team come together and bid for the project in detail -
including what you can put together, timelines, budgets,
documentations etc? (Each member of the team would sign a contract and
would be paid as an individual for their quoted rate)

If the team can be developed from the Skunworks members, I am sure that a bid could be created with more information about who the funding is providing the funding, the goals with the site development, and their organizational objectives. Project details are not difficult to put together once a team has been formed.

c) Can the team that wins the bid implement the project in such a
seamless and timely manner, delivering such high quality that the
project can stand up as a model that the government, organisations and
companies can use to contract you?

This would be a resounding yes. If a team could be established and would be able to put together the proposal, which I have all confidence could be done if the talent comes forward. Implementation comes down to individuals working on a team. A team of four to five can be done in Kenya without issue as long as everyone know the rules of the game.

d) Being that this is such an untried model, would the other
developers in the skunkworks arena support the winning team to ensure
that they succeed in delivering the project at the highest possible
quality and within the exact time they promised to do so? If yes, what
is the structure that skunkworks would use to do this?

I have previously proposed that skunkworks create a directory of companies, products, services, and individuals ont he list to be able to faciliate growth in the industry. I would buy a product from someone I had heard and recognized on the listserve before I would buy from someone else and I have consistently done so. As far as gaining support from other Skunks, I have found them to be some of the most friendly and useful people I have meet in Kenya as it is one of the few places you can find an industry semi-organized by the same interests. So I would ask my collegues, if we created a team to do this project, would ya'll be willing to help?

If people with the skills u're looking for exist, it will be strange that they are freelancers i.e. they don't have companies already set up. Follow your 'usual route'.

I would like to same something about this comment: If everyone who has the necessary skills in the ICT sector is employeed by various companies or have started their own successful business, why are there so many people complaining about the lack of government funding and start up capital?

While I agree wholeheartedly with the previous comments that state that the government has not donem enough, that shows there is need. If the private sector is willing to pick up the ball and provide opportunities, they would be providing Kenya with a service that has been largely ignored.

So... Can we do it?

Yes we can...

But will we?

Many blessings,

Crystal

--- On Mon, 6/29/09, Al Kags <alkags@gmail.com> wrote:

From: Al Kags <alkags@gmail.com>

Subject: Re: [Skunkworks] Can you build teams... if?
To: "Skunkworks forum" <skunkworks@lists.my.co.ke>

Date: Monday, June 29, 2009, 11:05 AM

Colleagues,

From Alex's rejoinder and from Barrack's response under a variated subject line, I am left with no choice but to think that this team does not have the capacity to work together as a team viz my specific questions - not without government leadership from what I understand.

I notice that no one bothered to answer the questions as asked and so on the specific matters I raise, I am not able to know whether or not this team has any capacity that I or the organisations I mentioned may need. Please correct me if I am mistaken, but the following questions have not been addressed:-

a) Can you form a team consisting of Project Manager (to assure
everything is done in time, guide the proposal making etc); Designer
(who does outstanding designs in CSS); Developer(s) who can work well
with Google Aps - integrate Gmaps etc into the site; mobile developer
to develop mobile apps, etc; integrator to ensure that the site is
seamless?

b) Can your team come together and bid for the project in detail -
including what you can put together, timelines, budgets,
documentations etc? (Each member of the team would sign a contract and
would be paid as an individual for their quoted rate)

c) Can the team that wins the bid implement the project in such a
seamless and timely manner, delivering such high quality that the
project can stand up as a model that the government, organisations and
companies can use to contract you?

d) Being that this is such an untried model, would the other
developers in the skunkworks arena support the winning team to ensure
that they succeed in delivering the project at the highest possible
quality and within the exact time they promised to do so? If yes, what
is the structure that skunkworks would use to do this?

To this end, it occurs to me that the easiest option is to simply ask for companies to express interest and go that "usual route"? Interestingly a number of companies have been quick to send me expressions of interest (which defeats the purpose, if the original proposition was to give developers who are freelancers a chance?

By the way: I really do think we should not create an impression that government should hand-hold the ICT industry in terms of enterprise development. That should be the role of entrepreneurs. Government should be following the money makers - not the other way round. My views.

Cheers.

Al Kags
-----------------------
Founder, The Desturi Trust
http://www.alkags.com

On Mon, Jun 29, 2009 at 6:29 AM, Gakuru Alex <alexgakuru.lists@gmail.com> wrote:

Actually it's the ICT Board that needs a senior staff member with
knowledge on the subject in order to offer leadership. This has been
lacking for a long time.

On Sun, Jun 28, 2009 at 5:59 PM, Al Kags<alkags@gmail.com> wrote:
> Hi all.
>
> Much has been said on this forum about government, organisations and
> companies not giving much work to developers who do are not
> companies. having spoken to a few people who could give the contracts
> etc., i understood them to say that the concerns were that their
> concerns are:-
>
> 1. They cannot be assured of the freelance developers level of quality.
> 2. They cannot be assured of the freelance developers delivery time -
> that they will deliver everything they say they will at the appointed
> time
> 3. That they require too much supervision
> 4. That they over promise.
> 5. The development of a website/application requires several
> competences - designer, IA, developer, integrator etc. The contention
> is that you guys don't/won't work together as a team.
>
> Here's a question:
>
> If an organisation/ company was to decide to do a call for entries/
> tender of sorts for a significant web project to be delivered by a
> team of freelance individuals from this forum, can it be done?
>
> The sub-parts of these question are:-
>
> a) Can you form a team consisting of Project Manager (to assure
> everything is done in time, guide the proposal making etc); Designer
> (who does outstanding designs in CSS); Developer(s) who can work well
> with Google Aps - integrate Gmaps etc into the site; mobile developer
> to develop mobile apps, etc; integrator to ensure that the site is
> seamless?
>
> b) Can your team come together and bid for the project in detail -
> including what you can put together, timelines, budgets,
> documentations etc? (Each member of the team would sign a contract and
> would be paid as an individual for their quoted rate)
>
> c) Can the team that wins the bid implement the project in such a
> seamless and timely manner, delivering such high quality that the
> project can stand up as a model that the government, organisations and
> companies can use to contract you?
>
> d) Being that this is such an untried model, would the other
> developers in the skunkworks arena support the winning team to ensure
> that they succeed in delivering the project at the highest possible
> quality and within the exact time they promised to do so? If yes, what
> is the structure that skunkworks would use to do this?
>
>
> Here's my thinking. A lot of the developers and other related
> professionals here are passionate and really good at what they do, and
> they often just need a chance. Not everyone can be employed by the
> 3mice etc of this world and so its a challenge to give everyone a
> chance.
>
> Given the concerns expressed by the client group, the onus is on
> interested people here to prove to them that the model of contracting
> individual freelance professionals here is a workable one.
>
> I know one organisation that would be interested in trying it out. So
> before they make a further move, I bring the idea here to you and ask,
>
> what is possible?
>
> --
> Al Kags
> -----------------------
> Founder, The Desturi Trust
> http://www.alkags.com

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Voices of Africa for Sustainable Development
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http://www.voicesofafrica.org/

"You must be the change you wish to see" - Gandhi

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