Graph to show decreasing desirability when taking shortcuts
I'm responsible for creating a presentation to management that details how
a system should be refactored or rewritten. We have an existing system
that has had production failures and the code base is not in a desirable
state.
Here are the current possible options:
Rewrite the system using developers that provide the best code quality
Rewrite the system using developers that write less-than-ideal code quality
Leave the system as is and just maintain it
Rewrite the system using cheaper labor on the other side of the world
The issue isn't which one to choose, because I believe #1 provides the
best long-term value to the business. The issue is how to present this to
management so they understand the costs to each shortcut they take from
#1.
For example, I would start with presenting #1... then what? My original
idea is to somehow show each shortcut and what that means in terms of
long-term cost/benefit. So, perhaps management wants to use cheaper labor.
I need to show what that does to quality, time, etc. How do I show that?
Perhaps management wants to use a hybrid of the above options. How do I
show that? There could be 20 different permutations of the above options,
and I'd like to show that if they take the short-term approach of low-cost
everything, what that eventually means to the quality of the product.
Are there graphs for this type of thing? A recommended approach? I could
just start typing, but I don't want management's eyes to glaze over from
too many words. Hope that all makes sense.
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