> Either view the designer as a temporary cost of supporting your partner, or figure out a way to train the guy into greater competence in his role. At a minimum, it sounds like you'll have to be the bearer of bad news if you let him go. Do you have a way to do this and save your partner face?
It would be rather simple to set up a list of skills this guy is going to be required to get versed in to actually execute his job rather than be a resource black hole. If this guy can't get versed then there's clear reasoning to let him go and save your partner face. It's not being cruel or unkind in anyway, it's simply requiring him to do the actual job he was wanted for.
You could always be exceptionally mean and just force this guy to quit, but he'd likely do a lot of collateral damage on the way out.
It would be rather simple to set up a list of skills this guy is going to be required to get versed in to actually execute his job rather than be a resource black hole. If this guy can't get versed then there's clear reasoning to let him go and save your partner face. It's not being cruel or unkind in anyway, it's simply requiring him to do the actual job he was wanted for.
You could always be exceptionally mean and just force this guy to quit, but he'd likely do a lot of collateral damage on the way out.