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Re: I am a Business Systems Analyst in the IT dept
Subject:Re: I am a Business Systems Analyst in the IT dept From:Bruce Byfield <bbyfield -at- axionet -dot- com> To:techwr-l digest recipients <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com>, Brenda_Duncanson -at- mtha -dot- gov -dot- on -dot- ca Date:Wed, 31 May 2000 10:21:29 -0700
> Any brilliant suggestions? Any solid reasons as to why we cannot go =
>another minute with out having our systems documented? Our IT department =
>reports to Finance and our CFO is a very demanding task master. It is he =
>I need to sell the idea to.
Here's an idea that should appeal to bureaucrats:
If the documentation is five years out of date, that means that
the department is almost certainly relying on the expertise of
one or two people. If those people should die or move on, the
department won't be able to function. At best, someone who needs
answers is going to have wade through old e-mails and printouts.
One company I worked at a couple of years ago was in exactly the
same position. My hiring was an attempt to change things.
Meanwhile, though, the company was seriously considering a policy
of making sure that the two gurus didn't travel on the same
plane. Otherwise, an accident could take the entire company down
with the gurus.
--
Bruce Byfield, Outlaw Communications
"The Open Road" column, Maximum Linux
3015 Aries Place, Burnaby, BC V3J 7E8, Canada
bbyfield -at- axionet -dot- com 604.421.7189
"Well, ah fare you well, and it's Ushant slams the door on us,
whirling like a windmill through the dirty scud to lee,
Till the last, last flicker goes from the tumbling water rows.
We're off to Mother Carey (walk her round to Mother Carey),
We're bound for Mother Carey where she feeds her chicks at sea!"
-Rudyard Kipling, "Anchor Song"
