Category Archives: Technology
LONG LIVE THE FAX MACHINE
BRYCE ON BUSINESS
- Why +830,000 physicians rely on this aging technology.
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As a small businessman, I haven’t had to use a fax machine in quite some time. Like most people these days, I rely primarily on e-mail. If I have a lengthy document, I convert it to a PDF file and attach it to the e-mail. Many years ago, we relied heavily on fax machines to communicate with customers overseas (and TWX machines before that), but in recent times we have little use for such devices. We keep a fax machine in the office for “just in case” situations, but we mostly leave it unplugged to avoid the many spam faxes still plaguing the public. I am also able to interface with other systems to upload/download data in a variety of file formats with Delimited ASCII being the most prevalent.
I recently visited my doctor for a routine checkup. We’ve known each other for years and I am always fascinated by the latest medical technology in his practice. His office consisted of a modest sized staff with the typical number and type of computers you would expect to support administrative needs. Interestingly, I noticed he had a fax machine which was slowly chugging away and spitting out voluminous reports. Frankly, I was surprised to see a fax machine being so actively used; certainly he transmitted/received data by e-mail or some other computer protocol I thought. Actually, No.
Although physicians have abundant computer software available to them for communication purposes, it is not as actively used as the fax machine which is the true work horse of their office. The doctor claimed his office received on the average 18,000 faxes each year. This does not include sending documents which is probably just as voluminous. Patient records, test results, prescriptions, hospital reports, etc. are all regularly sent by fax, and no other device. This means the data has to be re-keyed into the doctor’s computers by his staff. It doesn’t take a systems man like me to realize this is not an efficient or cost-effective approach for operating any office. Frankly, I was thunderstruck just how primitive the office systems were, and this was just one office. As I was to learn, most doctors operate in the same manner thereby representing a model of system dysfunctionality on a colossal scale.
A mandate from the federal government a few years ago requires doctors to digitize all of their medical records (see “Turning Everyone into Data Entry Clerks”). This means every medical institution in this country has been busy entering data about all of their patients, a herculean task which the medical community is currently embroiled in. To accomplish this, a variety of medical software packages have been introduced with little or no compatibility between them. This means your medical records with your General Practitioner cannot be read by another doctor, unless he happens to use the same medical records software, which would be a very remote coincidence. There are, of course, strict privacy issues concerning the exchange of patient records. Regardless, assuming consent is given by the patient, there is no easy way to electronically exchange data.
Blame for this incompatibility falls squarely on the shoulders of the federal government who has not devised a standard file format for exchanging data. They may have mandated all doctors digitize their patient records, but they never devised a means for exchanging data. This incompatibility issue is so glaring, you have to suspect it is premeditated.
Now consider the enormity of this problem; there are over 830,000 physicians in this country, all of which are busily digitizing patient records, none of which can be exchanged electronically with other doctors. So how do they communicate? You guessed it; by fax. It also means all of these doctors and their staffs have to work double-time to record patient data as transmitted by fax. Doesn’t make a lot of sense does it?
Let’s take it a step further, assuming my friend’s office annual workload of 18,000 faxes is an average, and considering there are over 830K doctors, this translates into over 15 trillion pieces of paper being printed each year by physicians alone (not counting hospitals). This isn’t exactly environmentally friendly, but certainly supports the bottom-line of paper companies.
This system snafu places a significant burden on doctors and inhibits their ability to practice medicine and care for their patients. Not surprising, a mutiny is in the offing. Tired of growing governmental bureaucracy, many physicians are opting to retire early or quit their practices outright, thereby creating a shortage of competent doctors.
My visit to my doctor’s office taught me a couple of things; first, the fax machine is the Achilles’ heel of any physician’s office, without it, the doctor is lost. Second, this need not be the case if the federal government would just devise some simple standards for data exchange. However, knowing the government, I do not think I’ll hold my breath. I’m quite confident doctors will go on killing trees for many years to come.
Keep the Faith!
Note: All trademarks both marked and unmarked belong to their respective companies.
Tim Bryce is a writer and the Managing Director of M&JB Investment Company (M&JB) of Palm Harbor, Florida and has over 30 years of experience in the management consulting field. He can be reached at timb001@phmainstreet.com
For Tim’s columns, see:
timbryce.com
Like the article? TELL A FRIEND.
Copyright © 2013 by Tim Bryce. All rights reserved.
NEXT UP: POST OFFICE INEFFICIENCIES – How far behind is the USPS operating behind its competitors?
Listen to Tim on WJTN-AM (News Talk 1240) “The Town Square” with host John Siggins (Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, 12:30-3:00pm ET), and KGAB-AM 650 “The Morning Zone” with host Dave Chaffin (weekdays. 6:00-10:00am MST). Or tune-in to Tim’s channel on YouTube.
Also look for Tim’s postings in the Palm Harbor Patch, The Gentlemen’s Association, and throughout the Internet.
DETECTING SYSTEM DEFICIENCIES
BRYCE ON SYSTEMS
- It’s actually not too difficult to spot weaknesses in your systems.
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To use this segment in a Radio broadcast or Podcast, send TIM a request.
Our company has been conducting Systems Audits for a number of years, and by this, I do not mean analyzing computer hardware and software but, rather, the information systems used throughout a corporation, such as a manufacturing system, a finance system, a billing system, etc. It’s actually not too difficult to find deficiencies in a system. If you’ve done it as long as we have, it becomes rather routine. We’ve encountered systems that couldn’t accommodate foreign languages and local nuances, systems that were difficult to port across different computing environments, and systems that were plain and simply awkward to understand and use (“user nasty” as opposed to “user friendly”).
When we begin an audit, we’re not so much interested in the programming languages used and other issues pertaining to technology. These may be mildly interesting, but we’re more interested in the business problem to be solved and the parts of the organization served. In particular, there are three areas we concentrate on:
1. Documentation – as used in recording design specifications and as an operations manual. As a design tool, there should be sufficient documentation to describe the system architecture and its various components, e.g., inputs, outputs, and files. Unfortunately, this is an area which is typically neglected, if not abandoned altogether. There should be no excuse for this as there have been a multitude of documentation aids available (both graphics and text) for over 35 years, not to mention simple paper and pencil (anybody remember plastic templates?). There is simply no excuse for operating without such tools. It is impossible to maintain your systems without adequate documentation and, consequently, the systems will need to be replaced in its entirety in a short period of time (two to three years at most). Further, “firefighting” becomes the normal mode of operation in the Information Technology department.
From an operations perspective, there should be sufficient documentation to provide instruction in how to use the system, such as administrative procedures, samples of inputs and outputs, and operations considerations, such as backup and recovery. Unfortunately, this is an area that is also neglected. Even simple help text is often omitted or inconsistently applied. Without sufficient instructional materials, the system will be underutilized at best.
2. Lack of data integration – the only way systems communicate internally or externally with other systems is through shared data. Failure to design systems without such integration means it is possible for different systems to produce different calculations, such as inconsistent sales figures. It also leads to…
3. Data redundancy – which is common within most companies today. Although data dictionaries and Data Base Management Systems (DBMS) were deliberately designed to help prevent data redundancy and promote data integration, it is easy to create redundancy if one is so inclined. This is what happens when a DBMS is used as nothing more than a data access method as opposed to what the tool was designed for (sharing).
To determine if any data redundancy exists, we begin by searching on some key data elements as used by the company, such as Customer Number, Product Number, Part Number, Employee Number, etc. These are high profile data elements which will lead to the identification of duplicates, inconsistent data definitions (e.g., length, Validation rules, etc.), and locate data dependencies (those elements bound to the key item). From this, we can quickly determine the number of duplicate data assignments and if systems are sharing data. As an aside, I have yet to find an organization with only one definition for Customer Number.
If a company is inputting the same data element multiple times, there is no guarantee they are doing it in the same manner. If the data is inconsistent, how can we trust the information about such things as Customers, Products, Parts, Employees, etc.? The point is, we cannot which leads to considerable headaches within any company.
If data is assigned redundantly, it means there is also redundant work effort, if for no other reason than to input the duplicate data elements.
By studying these three variables (documentation, data integration, and data redundancy) we can find most of the problems with any information system. Try it yourself. If you encounter these variables, you probably do not trust the information you receive from your systems, your end-users likely have an adversarial relationship with the Information Technology department, and your development staff lacks uniform discipline and organization.
As I said, after you’ve examined a few systems over the years, it becomes rather easy to spot problems.
Keep the Faith!
Note: All trademarks both marked and unmarked belong to their respective companies.
Tim Bryce is a writer and the Managing Director of M&JB Investment Company (M&JB) of Palm Harbor, Florida and has over 30 years of experience in the management consulting field. He can be reached at timb001@phmainstreet.com
For Tim’s columns, see:
timbryce.com
Like the article? TELL A FRIEND.
Copyright © 2012 by Tim Bryce. All rights reserved.
NEXT UP: THE INFORMATION CURTAIN – What can be done about the media’s stranglehold on the news?
Listen to Tim on WJTN-AM (News Talk 1240) “The Town Square” with host John Siggins (Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, (12:30-3:00pm).
Also look for Tim’s postings in the Palm Harbor Patch, The Gentlemen’s Association, and throughout the Internet.
OUR INTOLERANT SOCIETY
BRYCE ON LIFE
- What role does technology have in all this?
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To use this segment in a Radio broadcast or Podcast, send TIM a request.
Freemasonry is one of the most misunderstood institutions on the planet. It is not a religion, charity, political action committee or cult. It is simply the original fraternity whereby members congregate to enjoy friendship, morality and brotherly love. Despite this, people are suspicious about their motives and have accused the Masons of everything from starting World War I to the Kennedy assassination. No, they are not trying to secretly commandeer government. Heck, they have trouble organizing a picnic, let alone the world. Now I’m going to let you in on a little secret, but before I do, you should understand in order to join the Masons you must possess a belief in Deity (in a Supreme Being). Because of this, no atheist or agnostic can join the Masons. I have personally sat in Lodge with members representing every religious denomination imaginable, all enjoying peace and tranquility. Now for the secret: discussion about religion and politics is forbidden in a Masonic lodge. This is done in order to maintain the harmony of the Lodge.
It’s interesting to see what a little tolerance can do. Instead of squabbling over theological or ideological differences, Masons sit as brothers looking for ways to cooperate and understand each other. I’ve discovered a little tolerance can go a long way. It’s a pleasure to know men who are my political and religious opposites. You gain invaluable insight as to their interests and perspectives on life. We learn from each other. It’s actually quite refreshing to speak on the level without fear of retribution. The fraternity proves it is indeed possible to have civil and respectful discourse, but certain rules of decorum have to be observed.
Outside of the Lodge, there are no rules or decorum. In the real world of today, it has become commonplace to make scurrilous claims designed to attack the integrity of another. It wasn’t always like this though. Although we understood differences existed between ourselves, there wasn’t a public venue to comment. Thanks to the advent of easy-to-use social media, where a wide variety of disparate personalities and interests meet and pass public communiques, decorum and cordiality have been replaced with venom and hostility. People will say things in such venues they would never dare say face-to-face. Such discourse is changing our society and makes for heated arguments. Nobody is immune from this, including yours truly who has been duped into reacting upon having his nose tweaked. Even those of us who do not use social media are affected as they will undoubtedly encounter a person influenced by such technology.
Thanks to electronic communications, where we observe the thoughts of others, we have sharpened our personal sense of social and ideological right and wrong, thereby accelerating the rift between us. One side sees our country as half-empty, and the other half-full. To illustrate:
Liberals pound on conservative doctrine, and vice versa.
Atheists ridicule people over their religious beliefs.
Politicians spin lies and deceit against their opponents. Negative advertising is now the norm, not positive.
Gays argue with straights over lifestyle.
Our divisiveness is now in full bloom for all the world to see. Our common sense of right and wrong is cloudy at best and we no can longer agree what kind of country the United States should represent. Not surprising, one side or the other will not not be happy, which is why I worry about the fallout from the November elections. It is impossible to elude.
We have gone from respectful discourse to a society intolerant of the other person’s point-of-view, thanks in large part to technology. It’s too bad we cannot all sit in Lodge together and speak on the level.
Keep the Faith!
Note: All trademarks both marked and unmarked belong to their respective companies.
Tim Bryce is a writer and the Managing Director of M&JB Investment Company (M&JB) of Palm Harbor, Florida and has over 30 years of experience in the management consulting field. He can be reached at timb001@phmainstreet.com
For Tim’s columns, see:
timbryce.com
Like the article? TELL A FRIEND.
Copyright © 2012 by Tim Bryce. All rights reserved.
NEXT UP: HOW WE WILL VOTE IN NOVEMBER – Keep an eye on “The Silent Majority.”
Listen to Tim on WJTN-AM (News Talk 1240) “The Town Square” with host John Siggins (Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, (12:30-3:00pm).
Also look for Tim’s postings in the Palm Harbor Patch, The Gentlemen’s Association, and throughout the Internet.
“BRYCE’S LAWS” MINI-POSTERS ON PROJECT MANAGEMENT AND SYSTEMS
New “Bryce’s Laws” Mini-Posters for Project Management and Information Systems have been introduced. The popular “Bryce’s Laws” include axioms for a variety of management and technical subjects, not to mention life in general. This particular collection includes ideas pertaining to Project Management (“Manage from the bottom up; not just from the top down; this creates personal commitment and accountability”) and Information Systems (“An information system is a product that can be engineered and manufactured like any other product.”) The Mini-Posters are thought provoking and good conversation starters.
BRYCE’S LAWS ON
PROJECT MANAGEMENT
Click on image to download.
BRYCE’S LAWS ON
INFORMATION SYSTEMS
Click on image to download.
ALSO AVAILABLE:
BRYCE’S LAWS ON: LIFE, and MANAGEMENT.
Posters courtesy of M& JB Investment Company, Palm Harbor, Florida.
PRODUCING NEWSLETTERS: BEWARE OF THE BIRDCAGE
- Writing newsletters that will be read as opposed to discarded.
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To use this segment in a Radio broadcast or Podcast, send TIM a request.
As I have been involved with a variety of nonprofit organizations over the years, I am often saddled with the task of producing the group’s newsletter. Maybe it’s because I know how to string a few words together and have worked with computers for more years than I care to remember. Nonetheless, I have probably produced over a thousand newsletters over the years for management groups, technology associations, homeowner groups, and fraternal organizations. Because of this, I like to believe I have learned a thing or two over the years about these publications, the first being they should never be taken for granted. Too often I see newsletters prepared frivolously where the same verbiage is spewed out month after month thereby become very predictable and quite boring. I know of newsletters where the same copy is used year after year and nothing changes except the names of the club’s officers. Surprisingly nobody notices. There is nothing wrong with devising a standard format, which readers tend to adapt to, but if there is no “news” in the newsletter, in all likelihood it will only be used to line the bottom of a birdcage. However, if they are meaningful, not only will they be read, they’ll also be kept for future reference.
When writing copy for the newsletter, keep it simple and to the point. Do not ramble as most readers of newsletters have the attention span of a gnat and become easily bored. You have less than thirty seconds to grab a person’s attention with a newsletter, after which they will decide to either read it or discard it. I tend to see the newsletter as a working tool which is why people should discuss more about what is on the horizon and less about what happened in the past. Your column should be positive and upbeat, not negative and depressing. In other words, keep the glass half full as opposed to half empty. We write to communicate, not to put people to sleep. People will likely follow you if you are more optimistic. If you’ve got bad news though, do not try to sugarcoat it, give it to your members straight so you get their attention and encourage participation if necessary.
Other than news, a schedule of upcoming events should be included, along with a listing of club officers and their contact information (e.g., telephone, e-mail). These two items are what most people are looking for, everything else is secondary. In terms of “filler,” there is a lot you can add, but do not overdo it as you should be mindful of the birdcage liner phenomenon. I have seen a variety of things used, such as a welcome of new members, a listing of past presidents, this day in history, cartoons, some useful tips and techniques, educational trivia, and a listing of sponsors.
As I begin editing the newsletter, I collect all of the notes and columns from contributors and place them into a plain text file (ASCII) suitable for use with any text processor, e.g., MS Notepad. People always wonder why I do this. The answer is simple, in this format I can migrate it to any other computer file format, be it a word processor, desktop publishing, HTML (web page), E-Mail, PDF, etc. Whereas these other formats are limited in terms of migrating to other file formats, plain ASCII text can go anywhere. In one association I am involved with, I produce multiple versions of the same newsletter: using desktop publishing, I produce a paper copy to be printed and mailed and a PDF version to be e-mailed; I also produce an HTML version for our web page. This is all simple to do, but not possible without first preparing the plain ASCII text version. As an aside, I am a big proponent of Adobe’s PDF file format as it is more universally applicable than word processors like MS Word.
Since your files are now on the computer, be sure to run spell checkers and grammar checkers on the text. In this day and age, there is no excuse for not doing so.
I tend to name computer files in a specific manner so I can easily sort through them and find what I want, as well as to easily backup files. For example, I put the publication date into the name; to illustrate:
NEWS0612.TXT – Representing the June 2012 edition (MMYY) – my personal preference
NEWS1206.TXT – the same thing backwards (YYMM)
NEWS200612.TXT – Representing the June 20th, 2012 edition (DDMMYY) if so inclined
I have seen other people name them based on Volume and Edition number; for example:
Vol06Ed10.TXT – Volume 06, Edition 10
How you name your files is your business but I encourage you to devise a standard format thereby simplifying the storage and maintenance of the files. This is also useful for setting up a new edition of the newsletter. Instead of inventing an entirely new edition of each newsletter, I copy and rename a past issue and use it as a template to build the next edition, thereby saving considerable time.
In terms of layout, devise a clean and simple approach that you can standardize on, thereby inviting readership as opposed to discouraging people. Most desktop publishing tools have standard templates for such purposes. Always be cognizant of your readership and try to accommodate people. For example, do not use a tiny font or strange type style that nobody can read. Break your text into multiple columns on a page, two or three, and leave a sufficient amount of white space between columns, thereby making it easy to read. Underline or highlight key words you want to draw attention to but do not do so excessively as people will start to ignore it.
Again, I warn publishers of newsletters, regardless of how graphically appealing your publication looks, it it doesn’t say anything of substance it will inevitably end up in the birdcage. Before you release it though, try to get a second set of eyes to review the publication. Another person might be able to spot something you have overlooked.
Although most publications today are distributed via e-mail and web pages, there are still people who do not have access to a computer, particularly elderly members who prefer printed copies instead. This means you need an address book that can produce both mailing labels as well as a listing of e-mail addresses. Electronic versions of the newsletter have no restrictions in terms of number of pages. However, printed versions do, as dictated by postage costs. I have seen many organizations struggle with the issue of discontinuing the printed version of the newsletter. Electronic versions are cheaper to produce, and you can do more with them, but if a sizeable portion of your membership cannot access it, you will inevitably alienate them. Then again, this may become a moot point if the economics of the group cannot justify the continuation of a printed version.
The question remains though, can a simple newsletter truly impact a nonprofit organization? You betcha. First, it reflects the personality of the group (tired versus stimulating; lethargic versus ambitious). Second, it gets the word out as to the plans and activities of the group. I would wager you this: those groups without a newsletter or offer nothing more than a “birdcage liner” are probably the same groups suffering from apathy, lack of attendance, and a decline in membership.
All that is needed is someone who can string a few words together and feels comfortable around computers. Oh oh, now I know how I get trapped into doing this.
Keep the Faith!
Note: All trademarks both marked and unmarked belong to their respective companies.
Tim Bryce is a writer and the Managing Director of M&JB Investment Company (M&JB) of Palm Harbor, Florida and has over 30 years of experience in the management consulting field. He can be reached at timb001@phmainstreet.com
For Tim’s columns, see:
timbryce.com
Like the article? TELL A FRIEND.
Copyright © 2012 by Tim Bryce. All rights reserved.
NEXT UP: REBUILDING THE MIDDLE CLASS – Two distinctly approaches for putting the country back to work.
OUR GROWING DEPENDENCY ON MASS MEDIOCRITY
- “The state of the art is whatever Microsoft says it is.” – Bryce’s Law
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To use this segment in a Radio broadcast or Podcast, send TIM a request.
Have you ever been looking through a mega-hardware store/garden shop and not been able to find precisely what you are looking for? Instead, you settle for something else which you take home, try it, and regret having purchased. Instead of returning it though, you think it is not worth your time and throw it in the garbage. Not only is the exact merchandise not available, merchants even go so far as to make the item difficult to return in order to discourage you from doing so. Even if you do, there is a penalty fee associated with it. You’re stuck and you learn to live with it.
There is a growing trend to accept second class workmanship. For example, it is no longer a surprise to us if something doesn’t work properly or is late in delivery. Instead of finding it intolerable, we simply accept it. And this is the mindset most businesses are hoping for.
Understand this, it is the middle class that fuels a country’s economy. It is the middle class that purchases the products and services en masse. As such, the middle class is the impetus for mass production. By carefully manipulating the wants, desires and purchasing attitudes of the middle class, merchants and manufacturers can maximize their profit margins. They also know it is not necessary to sell a high quality product (which adds to costs) but, instead, simply offers what the public will accept.
Years ago, when we purchased something, we expected it to be durable and work according to expectations. We no longer think this way. This is why manufacturers carefully build in planned obsolescence into their products. They don’t want you to buy it once, they want you to buy it over and over again.
I laugh when I hear people bragging they have the latest from Microsoft. They honestly believe it is the best that money can buy. But is it really? Let me give you an example. Back in the 1990′s, IBM introduced its OS/2 operating system for the PC platform. Frankly, OS/2 was years ahead of itself. Not only did it have a fine Graphical User Interface (with a true object oriented desktop), it also included preemptive multitasking, crash protection, a vastly superior file management system, multimedia, Internet access, Java support, etc. Microsoft, on the other hand, offered Windows 3.x which provided a simple Graphical User Interface for DOS (which most people were using at the time). Over time, enhancements were added and the product was superseded by newer versions entitled Windows 95/NT/98/ME/2000/XP/7, all at ever-escalating prices.
Whereas consumers perceived OS/2 as a radical departure from their DOS environment, Windows appeared less threatening and affordable. In reality, people have paid Microsoft more than quadruple for Windows than what they would have paid IBM for OS/2. But Microsoft’s forte is in marketing where they carefully spoon-fed their product to the public in smaller mouthfuls and captured the “mindshare” of the middle class. Even when Windows started hiccupping errors, people were taught that this was to be expected from a high tech product. And people accepted it. Today, OS/2 is all but forgotten and Windows dominates the PC world.
Microsoft has used similar tactics in marketing products that compete with Lotus, Real, Turbotax, and Adobe. Basically, their initial offering can be described as primitive at best but it is sold for next to nothing (thereby setting the hook for the consumer). They then issue subsequent releases of the product at ever-increasing prices until they dominate the market. I would wager you that Microsoft’s research and development budget (against gross sales) percentage-wise is vastly lower than their competitors. No, their forte is shrewd marketing to the middle class and controlling its “mindshare.” Windows, therefore, is an excellent example of a product tailored to the middle class. It is not necessarily state of the art, it is what the general public perceives as state of the art.
As an aside, to this day, I still prefer the reliability and performance of my OS/2 machines over Windows.
We see similar instances of manipulating the public in other areas as well, from everything from cell phones to automobiles. Foreign manufacturers have taken notice as well. Whereas Japanese and German cars were once considered a joke, they now dominate the industry.
We also see this same phenomenon in the information systems of our companies. System hiccups are commonplace, as are project cost and schedule overruns. So much so, that the end user community hasn’t just lost confidence in the IT development staff, they expect such problems to occur.
A lot of this can be blamed on the decline of craftsmanship over the years, but more importantly, the consumer has been conditioned to accept screw-ups.
For example,
* People ACCEPT inferior workmanship; we no longer have high expectations.
* People ACCEPT delays and cost overruns.
* People EXPECT products not to have a long life cycle.
* People ACCEPT shoddy service (heck, we’ll even tip people for bad service).
In other words, the intolerable is now tolerable and business is counting on the middle class accepting mediocrity. Is it that we no longer know how to make durable goods anymore or do we not want to?
As we should all know by now, business caters to the middle class. And they spend a ton of money on research to know precisely what the public wants and how they perceive things. More importantly, they have subliminally brainwashed the public’s perceptions over the years whereby our search for excellence has been supplanted by the acceptance of mediocrity. Consider this, we now live in an age of electronic communications (cell phones, faxes, the Internet), but does anyone take the time to express their outrage? Far less than you might think.
Like it or not, we are being conditioned to accept mediocrity and are becoming more dependent on it each passing day. It seems the more high-tech we go, the more problems we encounter, and the lower our expectations get.
I guess misery loves company.
Keep the Faith!
Note: All trademarks both marked and unmarked belong to their respective companies.
Tim Bryce is a writer and the Managing Director of M&JB Investment Company (M&JB) of Palm Harbor, Florida and has over 30 years of experience in the management consulting field. He can be reached at timb001@phmainstreet.com
For Tim’s columns, see:
timbryce.com
Like the article? TELL A FRIEND.
Copyright © 2012 by Tim Bryce. All rights reserved.
NEXT UP: INDEPENDENCE DAY – When was the last time you read the Declaration?
ARE I.T. WORKERS BLUE COLLAR?
- “How we look and act speaks volumes” – Bryce’s Law
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To use this segment in a Radio broadcast or Podcast, send TIM a request.
Are Information Technology Workers Blue Collar? Interesting question. I was recently asked this by some executives who were concerned with improving the productivity of their I.T. departments. I asked them to explain why they thought this way. They contended their I.T. people (e.g., analysts and programmers) exhibit a lot of blue collar characteristics, e.g., repetition in types of work performed, they do not dress or act like professionals, and regularly punch in and out of work with little interest in going above and beyond the call of duty.
I countered there were two other aspects to consider: first, blue collar workers tend to perform manual labor, and; second, they are nonexempt workers who are paid an hourly wage. Also, they tended to be less educated than white collar workers.
They told me I was being naive; that blue collar workers can perform technical tasks as well as manual tasks, such as those found in manufacturing and assembly; and although they are classified as exempt workers paid a salary, they tend to behave like hourly workers instead. Further, there are plenty of blue collar workers who were just as educated, if not more so, than a lot of the programmers and analysts on their staffs. One executive even went so far as to tell me about a couple of craftsman machinists he had with MBA degrees.
Frankly, I had a hard time refuting their arguments. This is actually an old concept, one which I haven’t heard in quite some time, back to the 1980′s when there was talk of unionizing programmers. Nonetheless, it should cause us to pause and think how I.T. people are regarded in the board room. To me, it suggests a credibility gap between management and I.T. and helps explain why a lot of jobs are being outsourced.
In recent years I have met a lot of people who have abandoned corporate I.T. shops and have opted to become consultants instead. Its not that they didn’t like their companies, they simply became disenchanted with how I.T. departments were being run, read the writing on the wall, and figured it was time to bail out before they were outsourced. So who is at fault here, management or I.T.? If management truly perceives I.T. workers as blue collar, than there will be a great temptation to give the work to shops overseas at greatly reduced costs.
There are those in the I.T. field who believe unionization is the route to take. As far as I’m concerned, this would be the kiss of death to corporate I.T. shops as executives would rather outsource than be held hostage to a union.
Instead, I believe I.T. workers should do some soul searching and ask themselves how they can differentiate themselves from their foreign counterparts. Technical knowledge alone will not do it any longer. Outsourcers have already demonstrated their technical skills are on a par with ours. No, the answer is they must demonstrate how the I.T. department adds more value to the company than an outsider can. This means they have to become more serious about their work and produce better I.T. solutions more quickly, correctly, and less expensively. Anyone can apply quick and dirty Band-Aid solutions. What is needed is a higher caliber of professionalism and improved skills in management. The I.T. workers have to work both harder and smarter. In other words, job assignments have to be performed in a more professional and craftsman-like manner (methodically with a quality consciousness). This requires a more disciplined, organized, and professional attitude which is the exception as opposed to the rule in a lot of I.T. shops today.
If I.T. can demonstrate they behave more like white collar professionals, executives will become dependent on them and will be less likely to outsource their jobs. Ideally, you want to hear executives say, “I can’t live without these guys (the I.T. department).” But if executives perceive you, the I.T. worker, as nothing more than a blue collar worker, than your story is told.
Think I’m kidding? Consider this, I know of a large manufacturing company in the U.S. Midwest who had a pressing I.T. project not long ago. Knowing he was short on staff, the CIO appealed to the executive board for additional funding for more personnel. Basically, the board gave the CIO carte blanche to hire as many people he wanted at generous wages, with whatever job title the workers wanted. But the CIO was explicitly told, “When the project is over, fire them.” Do you think these executives had a high regard for I.T. people?
So, are I.T. workers “Blue Collar”? Look in the mirror and you tell me.
Keep the Faith!
Note: All trademarks both marked and unmarked belong to their respective companies.
Tim Bryce is a writer and the Managing Director of M&JB Investment Company (M&JB) of Palm Harbor, Florida and has over 30 years of experience in the management consulting field. He can be reached at timb001@phmainstreet.com
For Tim’s columns, see:
timbryce.com
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Copyright © 2012 by Tim Bryce. All rights reserved.
NEXT UP: SO, WHAT ARE OUR PRESIDENTIAL CHOICES? – How the race is shaping up for 2012.
HIGH TECH PICKPOCKETS
- Keeping your hand on your wallet will not help either.
(Click for AUDIO VERSION)
To use this segment in a Radio broadcast or Podcast, click HERE.
An interesting technology that is gaining momentum among consumers is Radio-Frequency IDentification (RFID), and it is something we all better start paying attention to. Actually, RFID is an old concept allegedly resulting from our military and espionage efforts in WW2. It involves the miniaturization of radio transmitters to send signals for a variety of purposes; e.g., does anybody remember the transmitter James Bond hid in the heel of his shoe in the movie “Goldfinger”? RFID has come a long way since then, and has been reduced to a tiny computer chip about the size of a grain of rice. This of course means it can go just about anywhere and opens some interesting possibilities for commercial use. It is now implanted in animals to identify them, in highway toll collection devices, in passports and company identification cards thereby allowing security access to facilities. Consumers though need to pay particular attention to how RFID is being implanted in credit/debit cards, for this conceivably opens Pandora’s Box to identity and financial theft.
I recently saw an investigative report by WTHR-TV in Indianapolis who discussed the ease by which criminals can steal your credit/debit card information, thanks to the RFID chip. Unbeknownst to consumers, new RFID cards have slowly been replacing expired traditional plastic cards. They may look the same, but they certainly are not. Such cards are intended to speed up purchase transactions simply by waving the card at a reader as opposed to swiping it through a machine. Many people, including yours truly, didn’t realize we already have the new cards. On some cards, the chip is visible, but most are hidden from sight just below the plastic surface. However, if you have a symbol on your card which looks like radio waves )))) or if it says “payPass”, “Blink”, or “payWave”, then in all likelihood you have the chip.
According to the WTHR-TV report, it is relatively simple to purchase or assemble an RFID reader, wave it near an RFID credit/debit card and thereby illegally obtain the card’s information for criminal use. In other words, no physical contact is required for the criminal to pick your pocket, only near contact to receive the transmission signal from the chip. The ease by which this can be done was rather startling to consumers in the television report who see this as a genuine threat to their finances.
The credit/debit card companies contend security is not a problem, but the WTHR-TV report made a skeptic out of me. It then becomes a question of how to protect ourselves. Theoretically, the radio waves can be blocked if the cards are wrapped in aluminum foil. There are also companies like Identity Stronghold who are now selling specialized wallets and other devices to secure your card.
In the television news story, the reporter indicated a consumer can request non-RFID cards from their companies, however I found this to be easier said than done. I discovered the RFID chip on one of my cards (I don’t want to say which) and so I called their Customer Service department to request a new card without the chip. I explained my situation to the Customer Service rep who said he would look into the matter and take care of it for me. About a week later I received a form letter from the company informing me I was ineligible to get a non-RFID card, and if I had any other questions, I should call them back. Believe me, I called them back, and I wasn’t too pleased doing so. I made my displeasure known to the first Customer Service rep who quickly passed me on to a supervisor, who passed me on to a higher level supervisor named “Jane” who patiently listened to my predicament but claimed not to know anything about this security problem. I began by telling her I hoped it wouldn’t be necessary for us to part company after +20 years using their card. Remaining cool and calm under pressure, Jane assured me she would look into the matter and resolve it for me. However, while talking to her I got the uneasy feeling Jane was acutely aware of the problem but was handcuffed in terms of solving it. It seems the credit/debit card companies are bent on having everyone use the new RFID cards. As of this writing, I still have not had the problem resolved.
Fortunately, I discovered on the Internet a rather simple and inexpensive way for solving the problem, either by simply drilling a hole in the chip or banging a hole into it with a small screw or nail. I’ve got a feeling though, this is something the credit/debit card companies do not want to see propagated, but if they are unwilling to replace the card, what choice does the consumer have?
It is not so much that I am against the RFID card, as much as I see it as another example of a technology solution that wasn’t properly thought through, and the consumer will inevitably have to pay for the snafu. If the credit/debit card companies are truly committed to this technology they better be working overtime to correct this breach of security. Otherwise, I will likely not be alone in returning my card to “Jane.”
Keep the Faith!
Note: All trademarks both marked and unmarked belong to their respective companies.
Tim Bryce is a writer and the Managing Director of M&JB Investment Company (M&JB) of Palm Harbor, Florida and has over 30 years of experience in the management consulting field. He can be reached at timb001@phmainstreet.com
For Tim’s columns, see:
timbryce.com
Like the article? TELL A FRIEND.
Copyright © 2012 by Tim Bryce. All rights reserved.
NEXT UP: JUMPING TO CONCLUSIONS – How the Internet has altered the way we argue.
DATA MINING VOTES
- What does the Obama re-election “app” really do?
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To use this segment in a Radio broadcast or Podcast, click HERE.
The concept of Data Mining involves harvesting data, organizing it, and using it for such things as trend analysis. Historically, it is a technique used by companies in the absence of a managed data base environment whereby companies resigned themselves to simply pouring through huge volumes of data to arrive at some conclusions. More recently it has come to represent a technique for gathering data external to a company which is particularly useful for evaluating the likes and dislikes of consumers thereby providing the means to court their favor.
Recently, it was revealed the Obama re-election campaign is actively Data Mining the interests of potential voters. Some suspected the campaign was collecting data through such proprietary networks as Facebook, Google, Twitter, and other sources, but this has not yet been proven. Critics cried “foul”, that this was an insidious attempt to manipulate the election, but as someone who has been in the business a long time, I frankly wondered what took them so long to figure it out. With the advent of such things as social media, search engines, and smart phones, the means to Data Mining votes was begging to be implemented.
One item that is likely the cornerstone of the Obama Data Mining efforts is their “app” (also available on iTunes), a small program used on a smart phone. Although it provides handy campaign information, such as news and announcements, it is allegedly a backdoor approach to tracking a person’s computing habits and interests. By having the “app” implanted on a phone, a viable mechanism is now in place to monitor and scrutinize such things as: a person’s age and sex, their political and religious inclinations, their likes and dislikes, and much more. This data is then stored in a massive data base where it becomes a relatively simple matter to sift through and identify potential voters and make decisions to modify the candidate’s campaign. By downloading the app, Obama supporters are giving more than just their support to the President, much more.
It appears the Democrats have a leg-up in terms of Data Mining, but I’m sure the Republicans are not far behind. As the 2012 election gets closer, we will all doubtless receive more campaign e-mails and telephone calls than ever before, regardless if we’re on the “No-Call List” or if we have spam filters in place. What I find interesting is how easily we allow ourselves to jeopardize our identity and personal interests. I guess Big Brother is watching after all, but don’t forget we were the ones who allowed him to do so. Data Mining votes may seem rather insidious, but it was inevitable.
Keep the Faith!
Note: All trademarks both marked and unmarked belong to their respective companies.
Tim Bryce is a writer and the Managing Director of M&JB Investment Company (M&JB) of Palm Harbor, Florida and has over 30 years of experience in the management consulting field. He can be reached at timb001@phmainstreet.com
For Tim’s columns, see:
timbryce.com
Like the article? TELL A FRIEND.
Copyright © 2012 by Tim Bryce. All rights reserved.
NEXT UP: THE CLASS OF 1954 – and the effect we had on society.
THE 4 STAGES OF BUSINESS/TECHNOLOGY GROWTH
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Back in the 1980′s I wrote a paper entitled “The 4 Stages of IRM Growth” which described the maturation process by how companies implement information resources (Information Resource Management). The paper was published not only in the trade press but was included in our book, “The IRM Revolution – Blueprint for the 21st Century,” (MBA Press) which was well received, not only in this country but in Japan as well. I recently stumbled across the paper again and, in reading it, I found it to be as applicable to today’s world as when I first penned it 25 years ago.
The paper descibes the characteristics of a company as it implements information resources in four stages: Birth, Childhood, Adolescence, and Adulthood.
BIRTH
The day a company goes into business is the day when its information systems are born. When a new company or organization is established, there are some very primal information requirements to accommodate the operation of the enterprise. For example, basic bookkeeping (billing, payroll, government reporting, etc), minutes of meetings, recording of policy decisions, schedules, correspondence, etc.
To implement these basic administrative requirements, simple office equipment is typically required, such as typewriters, calculators, photocopiers, telephones, fax machines, etc.
An Office Manager with a clerical staff (e.g., secretaries, book-keepers) normally implements these processes and operates the equipment. During this stage, their concern is for implementing basic manual procedures with an eye for work simplification to minimize overhead.
As the business expands and becomes more complicated, whether from an increase in employees and/or business, there is a growing demand for more information which leads to the next stage of growth…
CHILDHOOD
This stage is entered into either by an emerging company or an established firm that is pressured to investigate the potential of new technology, namely the computer, to give leverage to their business needs. This is a stage which most of the “FORTUNE 500″ companies and major government institutions went through in the 1950′s, 60′s and 70′s.
In the childhood stage, the intent is to investigate the potential of the computer. This is an age of experimentation where a highly complicated and technical device is introduced to a company. This new technology, of course, requires a technically oriented individual to operate it. Someone who is more in tune with the equipment as opposed to the problems and objectives of the business.
The computer is typically centralized in one location until someone can determine an appropriate way to apply it to the business.
This stage results in the executive’s “black box” image of the computer. The executive doesn’t fully understand its capabilities and looks upon it suspiciously as a necessary evil. As a consequence, they divorce themselves from the machine and appoint a “IT Manager” who is given free reign over the new technology. Like the staff that supports him, the IT Manager is technically inclined (probably just one step ahead of a programmer).
The “IT Department” tackles simple problems aimed at automating some of the basic administrative routines of the company. There is not considerable pressure to satisfy business problems, only a “see what you can do” type of attitude. As a result, the IT staff takes an ad hoc, “quick and dirty” programming approach to problem solving. This type of philosophy sows the seeds for problems to come in the years ahead. For example, applications are not integrated, data is not shared (data redundancy is commonplace) and documentation is nonexistent, applications are not easy to maintain or modify. As a result, they are constantly being discarded and rewritten, further compounding the problem.
One of the most significant aspects of this stage is that it fosters the “tool oriented approach” for solving problems. The attitude of the staff is that the only legitimate problems worth solving are those that can be addressed by the computer. All others are immaterial. This is a frame of mind that will take considerable time to overcome. The indifferent attitude of the IT Department irritates and alienates end users who have increasing demands for information.
Impatient for results, management begins to apply pressure on the IT Manager for more applications to satisfy user demands. This leads to the next stage …
ADOLESCENCE
This is the age of awakening for most companies, an era when the IT Department begins to manage itself in order to accommodate growing business demands. The IT Manager is supplanted by an IT “Director,” someone who is a little more adept at management politics.
In this stage, the IT Director implements rudimentary management controls, particularly in the areas of project management and documentation. Using the “tool oriented approach” to improve staff productivity, the IT Director implements several software tools and techniques, such as: Data Base Management Systems (DBMS), Program Generators, Report Writers, Fourth Generation Languages (4GL), Computer Aided Software Engineering (CASE), etc.
Dazzled by sophisticated software and in fear of “falling behind” in the technology race, the IT Director authorizes the purchase of tools that implement esoteric (some prefer to call it “Voodoo”) management principles.
Unfortunately, the IT Director is seduced and abandoned by the technology; the results are still the same: Applications do not satisfy user needs, applications are not integrated, data redundancy is still pervasive, applications are still difficult to modify and maintain, and the staff remains a free-spirited group of technicians.
The “tool oriented approach” is very costly to the company, but the results are still the same. The IT Director is still supported by a technical staff that believes that the “real work” is in the production of software, where their programming skills excel. The “Analyst/Programmer” is really nothing more than a senior programmer.
Superficial standards and pseudo-scientific management techniques are applied to the development process. An application project typically consists of the classical approach for developing systems: A primitive Feasibility Study, General Design (sometimes referred to as “External Design”), Detail Design (“Internal Design”), Programming (usually following a Structured Programming Guru’s technique), Testing, Installation, and Review. In this situation, programming remains 85% of the entire project. This approach is usually well packaged in voluminous standards manuals (which no one but the Auditors read).
The computer is decentralized with mainframes, minis and micros being distributed throughout the company.
The end User, who is frustrated by the lack of support from the IT Department, turns to the Personal Computer (PC) for help. Unfortunately, the User is no more adept at using the computer to solve his business needs as the IT people are and the problems are compounded even further (particularly in the area of redundant data).
Despite the substantial investment in computer hardware and software thus far, executive management finally recognizes that conditions are intolerable and that the company is not getting a satisfactory return on investment. This becomes the catalyst for change. Without it, the company stagnates and the situation worsens. Adolescence must eventually give way to …
ADULTHOOD
This stage represents a radical departure from the past mode of operation. Very few companies, if any, have reached this stage of growth yet. It represents a mature environment where the systems staff is in tune with the mission of the company, and information is viewed as a corporate asset used for strategic purposes. This is the age of Information Resource Management (IRM). This philosophy gives rise to the Chief Information Officer (CIO), a true and legal officer of the company, not just a job title. Such an officer reports, at least, on the same level as the Chief Financial Officer (CFO).
No longer is the “tool oriented approach” pervasive in the company. It was tried, and it failed. The latest “state of the art” technology is a worthless status symbol if it doesn’t contribute to the profitability of the company.
Now, the CIO turns to tried and proven approaches to management. Information Systems design is no longer viewed as an art, but a science. The CIO organizes the systems development environment into an engineering/manufacturing company, complete with Assembly Lines, Production Control and Materials Management. As a result, the systems staff is transformed from free spirited programming “hackers” to a group of disciplined and quality conscious business professionals. In some respects, the staff will resemble the “Systems and Procedures” staff of yesteryear who had a business orientation.
The computer is viewed as just another piece of office equipment; they are not discernible. Users and management no longer fear technology because the CIO implements it effectively into the business. In the adult stage, the emphasis is on complete and integrated information systems, not just software. Programming is less than 15% of the entire development process, with the bulk of the work being expended on business analysis. Data is managed as a resource and redundancy is eliminated. All of the problems experienced earlier disappear.
As enticing as adulthood may sound, very few companies have the management skill or fortitude to make it happen, particularly in the United States. Most companies don’t even understand the problem. Adulthood represents a substantial and long-term corporate commitment, not just departmental commitment, which most American companies strongly resist. Instead, they are content with short-term “quick and dirty” solutions. On the other hand, Asian companies, who are much more far-sighted, have a greater chance for success and are rapidly moving into the adulthood stage. This will make them increasingly more competitive in the years ahead.
THE FOUR STAGES OF MATURITY
| CHARACTERISTICS | BIRTH | CHILDHOOD | ADOLESCENCE | ADULTHOOD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| APPLICATIONS | Basic Bookkeeping | Program basic administrative routines | Major systems | Information as asset & strategic weapon |
| EQUIPMENT | Basic Office Equipment | Centralized computer | Decentralized computing | Computers blend in with office equipment |
| PERSONNEL | Office Manager & clerical staff | IT Manager & technical staff | IT Doirector & programmer/analysts | CIO & business oriented staff |
| ENVIRONMENT | Concern for manual processing; Work simplification |
Experimentation “See what you can do”; Beginning of the “tool oriented approach” |
Awakening. Applying rudimentary management techniques & tools | Age of IRM. Strong management; Science vs. Art; Discipline, organization & quality consciousness |
CONCLUSION
Over the last ten years alone, computer technology has changed radically, job titles and terminology have changed, and salaries have risen sharply, but little else has changed. The information problems of today are no different than 10, 20 or 30 years ago. Despite today’s technology, companies still experience:
* Project cost overruns and slipped schedules.
* Poor communications and relations with the User community.
* Redundant data and lack of application integration.
* Applications are difficult to modify and maintain.
* Lack of adequate documentation.
* Design inconsistencies.
* Applications still do not satisfy User needs.
* Hardware/Software dependencies.
* Employee dependencies to maintain systems.
The tools and characters have changed, but the tune remains the same. Regardless of the titles and technology used, most companies in North America are stuck in either the “Childhood” or “Adolescent” stages of growth. Indicative of this are the journals, trade groups, universities, and trade shows that still promote the “tool oriented approach” as opposed to promoting management. Systems development is still viewed by many people as an art, not a science. In reality, it is a science. It has established and proven concepts and can be taught as a science.
“No amount of elegant technology will solve our problems, only strong management will.”
- Bryce’s Law
EPILOGUE
Again, it has been 25 years since I penned this paper but I do not see anything in the corporate world to cause me to change this model. Whereas American businesses tend to be stuck in the Adolescent stage, many companies in Japan and Europe have moved on to the Adulthood stage. As long as our viewpoints remain focused on technology and not the big picture of total systems, America will continue to lose its competitive edge.
Keep the Faith!
Note: All trademarks both marked and unmarked belong to their respective companies.
Tim Bryce is a writer and the Managing Director of M. Bryce & Associates (MBA) of Palm Harbor, Florida and has over 30 years of experience in the management consulting field. He can be reached at timb001@phmainstreet.com
For Tim’s columns, see:
http://www.phmainstreet.com/timbryce.htm
Like the article? TELL A FRIEND.
Copyright © 2012 by Tim Bryce. All rights reserved.
