From the workfloor
Posted by Pepijn Oomen
Some time ago I was asked to create a mail account for a certain function within our company. I usually answer such a question with a counter-question: 'Why? What is the reason? What do you want to achieve?'. Specifically since I time and again find that people are not clear about the difference between roles and persons fulfilling those roles. These things should be separate entities.
When I came in to discuss these issues, I was confronted with a guy who was installing a particular piece of software for use within our company. History has learnt me that those people can usually not do more than read the steps from the provided manual and they panic when a certain step does not provide the prescribed result.
Now, this guy starts telling me he must have a mail account for this software. While he tries to explain to me how smart their software is:
This automatically sends mail, to which your customers can reply, and then your colleagues get it in that special account I want you to create.
A single account? And one of my colleagues has to check that? Why does that smart server of yours not just pick it up and run it through that great workflow of yours? Although I did not actually say this, I did imply so much.
Then, while going over the basic network configuration of the Windoze machine and noticing loads of misconfigured things (at least, for a machine that runs in our network) and trying to convince the guy to solve those, he puts his hands up in a frantic move and says:
No, no, do not change anything. I am waiting for a call because I can not get it to work!
sic!
Now, all of this happened some time ago, but today, while discussing some related stuff with the colleague that actually has to work with that piece of software (he was also horrified the thing might stop working... sounds to me this software is to complex to actually do anything useful) and mentioning the nitwit from that other company, it appears that the other guy had said to my colleague that I appeared not very knowledgeable.
I do not want to say that I now everything -- I know I don't, but I am eager to extend my knowledge -- but I did feel hurt. I have a background of nearly 30 years in IT and when it comes to networking, messaging and the likes I just plain am.
The only reason I can think of why the guy acted like he did, is that he wanted to save his own face. He obviously felt threatened and did not like me pointing out errors in (what turned out to be) his work of days. But the reason it takes him days is because he is too narrow-minded and not capable of abstracting his own work to a level of understanding. The book says I have to select 'Standard install...' so I am not allowed to have a look at 'Custom install...'. That kind of thing.
I rest my case!
