Flutterby™! : That the users are implementing

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That the users are implementing

2012-03-27 17:01:06.318128+00 by Dan Lyke 4 comments

That the users are implementing solutions without regard for how the system works indicates a problem in the system, not the users.

comments in descending chronological order (reverse):

#Comment Re: made: 2012-03-28 01:59:30.872515+00 by: meuon [edit history]

About 66.6% of what we do is process change. Much of it accounting and cash flow changes in large entrenched entities. Software is an enabling tool, not the limit. The limits are typically legal and executive decision. One of the nice things about working with organizations with a lot of engineers entrenched is that things are often very methodical and logical. It is also one of the bad things. Getting commercial services, customer service, engineering, accounting, legal AND marketing departments to agree on a process that in some way touches them all, is a miracle. I'm sure Dan is looking at similar processes: onboarding a customer, initial installation..

#Comment Re: made: 2012-03-27 22:54:39.918908+00 by: Dan Lyke

I'm absolutely a fan of reconceptualizing processes in ways that the users couldn't foresee. In this case it's the other way, and I'm not sure how to address that.

#Comment Re: made: 2012-03-27 21:42:42.626222+00 by: m

Not necessarily. A new system might be valid in the old ways of doing things, but a truly good system reconceptualizes in ways that are unforeseeable to the designers. A system that simply replicates what people did before, albeit faster and with less effort, is a partly failed system design.

#Comment Re: made: 2012-03-27 18:59:31.659097+00 by: meuon

Well said. I love seeing people that implement creative solutions to system limitations. When policy/procedure permits, I really love making them not need those bypasses any more. Sometimes they exist because management (far removed from the actual day to day needs) has mandated certain system behavior.

Sometimes Harry Tuttle appears and for certain keys users. things work differently.