Context
The bank was replacing a locally built HR system with one that could support international operations. The goal was clear: enable growth across multiple countries. External conditions weren’t ideal. The 2006 Lebanon War created logistical delays. But most of the friction came from within the organization.
The Drag
Late in the process, someone introduced a requirement: employee numbers must reflect seniority. The longest-serving employee should have the lowest ID number.
This had no impact on functionality. It didn’t affect payroll, reporting, or access rights. It was cultural, not operational.
Still, it was treated as essential.
The migration was delayed by several days. Senior consultants were left idle. The team redirected effort to sort and validate legacy data, just to meet this symbolic request.
The Twist
No one challenged it. Not the business, not the vendor, not the sponsor. And I didn’t either. It was faster to comply than to argue. So we implemented it.
The Insight
We should have priced it. Put a price tag to it. Say it clearly. “This will cost around 25,000.”
Maybe they accept that. Maybe they drop the requirement.
Either way, it becomes a conscious decision, not an invisible drain.
The mistake wasn’t doing the work. The mistake was pretending it didn’t cost anything.