I subscribe to a newsletter from Bright Yellow Jacket where they always seem to have good insight (and you can sign up for it too).

In light of Paul's recent articles (Developer As Typist and Developer as (Fashion) Designer) on what a developer is or is not, I found the latest newsletter from Bright Yellow Jacket to be apropos.

Too often, many businesses may find a designer or developer in order to dole out commands rather than explore what a relationship with that vendor may provide. I thought it would be appropriate to re-broadcast the idea:

Two weekends ago, Sean O’Hair won the Quail Hollow Championship. Paul Tesori also won. Who’s Tesori you may ask? O’Hair’s caddy. This is important. As a golfer, you want someone to carry your clubs. It makes for a more enjoyable day of links. But you need more than that. You need a professional, and better yet, one that knows the game. A professional caddy can provide a second opinion; knowledge of the course; feedback on your shot, club choice and approach that is tailored to your skill set. O’Hair’s caddy carries his clubs, he’s also an ex-PGA player, but most importantly his caddy is his partner.

These are important ideas. I don't say this because I'm in a company that provides partnership like that, I'm in a company that provides partnership like that because these are important ideas.

I really like the way the folks at Bright Yellow Jacket created the analogy. When you want a professional job, you don't just hire someone to drag your clubs around for you.