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Troubleshooter 10
To the Travel Sector Account Manager, Mr Jones, The security team has the tradition post-Christmas flu, but one of them was in the office long enough to answer one of my e-mails, so at last I can make progress on the BritBreak web page. I have been given permission to remove the encryption from the web page, but I am concerned about the rest of the message, which described an outing the security bods had to an anti-virus company. Apparently all their technical experts work in a sealed room and have to request permission to come out, even for a comfort break. The security team feel that we ought to extend this approach to all our programming staff, as they are concerned about industrial espionage. I can’t see it being too popular. I think we ought to include a module on user psychology in the next refresher course; after working with the Marketing department, I’m not sure I’ve got the hang of it. The big technical push at BritBreak this year is a move from PCs to Network Computers. I recommended that we start with a pilot to iron out any difficulties. It seemed best to go for a single department, so I selected Marketing, because they always love new toys. We had a meeting with Marketing’s IT coordinators this morning. My agenda was simple. Five minutes describing the advantages, then we’d have half an hour brainstorming migration issues before pulling together an action plan. We never got off item one. All seemed fine as I launched into my presentation. We all, I said, recognise the problems with PCs. Here’s a chance to push them aside. Network computers would get rid of the need to backup; problems from user-introduced programs and individualised PCs would disappear. Every workstation would look the same and act the same. You could work from any desk without a problem. Then one of the marketing men stood up. I realised he was trouble when I saw his tie, six inches wide and depicting a lurid scene from the American mid-west. “So what you’re saying,” he piped up, “is we lose our privacy, we can’t choose our own software, and we can’t personalise our machines the way we want them. All disadvantages for us. Okay, I can see the benefit for you guys – you get control, it makes your life easier – but what’s in it for us?” It was such an unfair question. That’s the trouble with PCs, people take them so personally. I tried to regain control, but after that it descended into a slanging match. P.S. Just as I was about to send this in, I received another e-mail from security, though there appears to be no-one in their office. They want to make sure that before we remove the encryption from the web page we will set up a password system, so that only the right people can get in. Back to the drawing board. ... read next column Copyright © Creativity
Unleashed Limited 2006 |
The Troubleshooter column relates the experiences of a fictional consultant. Although the context is made up, many of the experiences related in Troubleshooter have happened in real UK businesses. Take a break from the creative pressures with Troubleshooter and return to your creativity refreshed. Originally published in PC Week magazine.
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