> Don't look for a silver bullet.

Have cut my teeth long enough to know that there's no silver bullet (except in a 'con'sultant's marketing brochure, that is! :D)

> Trying to add some kind of process or framework is likely to just suck more energy out of the system and make the ICs think you're wasting their time.

Absolutely. Point taken!

> Nobody likes to live in chaos.

Unfortunately, few do want to, cause it makes them look like heroes. And that's where the problem arises. These fellows to nurture their heroic image end up ruining it for everyone, and worse - make the org just stagnate in a limbo.

Almost sounds like you have a cultural hero issue? This happens a lot. I think some of it is because people praise people who work extra hard, rather than those who finish their work quickly and well and rarely have to come back to it. Maybe reinforcing good process and looking at things like bug count might help prevent the heroes. Or ask them "how can we make it so next time we don't have to work all night?"

Maybe let the heroes own the solution so that they are still heroes after implementing the thing that fixes everything?

Culture is probably the hardest thing to turn around though. But so important!

> Or ask them "how can we make it so next time we don't have to work all night?"

That's a good one; will certainly use it! thanks!