The Back Side of the Curve

The Back Side of the Curve
For every information system envisioned, conceived and implemented, there is a curve. On the front side of the curve, one finds excitement, enthusiasm and dedication, not to mention careers being made, as the system is designed and built.

On the back side of the curve, a different atmosphere exists, as the system is deployed, maintained and updated. The atmosphere on this side of the curve is one of weariness and frustration as those charged wit the day-to-day training and operation of the system are forced to deal with the more mundane aspects of information processing.

How is a large, integrated data-driven system deployed? In a large governmental organization – say the Sheriff’s Office in a medium-sized county – there are workers at desktops spread geographically within and between buildings sprinkled around the organization. When updates are needed for the system, it is time-consuming and disruptive for the IT person to visit every desktop to apply the updates.

The non-IT workers are annoyed at the interruption to the tasks they are charged with, knowing that they will only be disciplined for not getting their assignments complete on time. This annoyance is transmitted to the IT workers in the form of hostile stares and lack of cooperation – even passive aggressive behavior: “the system isn’t working the way it used to” or “the system is a lot slower now”.

To compensate for the steady drone, monotony and hostility, IT workers should be evenly distributed on both sides of the curve, with everyone getting an opportunity to enjoy the excitement of development, while paying the price by also getting to deploy and maintain what they have written.