Re: Process kills the dot.com

[Bruce Byfield <bbyfield -at- axionet -dot- com>]

Andrew Plato wrote:

> Too many people assume that if they do something logical and structured
> (documenting every little nuance), that this system will be inherently useful
> everywhere.  This just isn't true.

Following routine is always easier than being analytical or
creative. Considering how stressed and over-tired the average
high-tech worker is, the temptation to follow routine is very
strong. And you can only spend so many days holding yourself
together with caffeine before any talents you have start to
disappear. Add the North American love of over-simplifying beyond
all reason, and you don't have to be Nostradamus to predict the
results.

> In my opinion this is one of the most fundamental problems in technical
> communications today. Too many writers focus on the organization and structure
> of information and not the "value" of that information. Crap is worthless, no
> matter how you pretty it up. However, disorganized gold is still valuable.

I think that a distinction needs to be made between templates and
guidelines. Too many people take a process as a template. Whether
the process encourages itself encourages this view or whether they
don't understand the process is uncertain, but the tendency is
assume that one template fits all. 

It's a Procrustean view of the world. Procrustes, you may remember,
was a robber whom Theseus met on his way to Athens. Procrustes used
to have a bed that he insisted travellers sleep in. If they were too
small, he stretched them on a rack to fit. If they were too large,
he hacked off a limb or two. In much the same way, people who regard
a process as a template tend to cram information into it, regardless
of whether or not its the ideal shape for the information.
Sometimes, a template can identify areas where the information is
lacking, but, more often, it tends to distort the information.

The alternative viewpoint is to view a process or structure as a
possible solution, comparing its usefulness to what needs to be
documented, then discarding or modifying it as needed. In other
words, instead of using a one size fits all solution, using the
process or structure as a guideline and constantly monitoring its
usefulness. I suspect that this is what competent advocates of
processes actually do. Unfortunately, the descriptions of high
profile processes gloss over this point, and not everybody is in
shape to realize the fact.

-- 
Bruce Byfield, Outlaw Communications
Contributing Editor, Maximum Linux
604.421.7189 bbyfield -at- axionet -dot- com

"All those people that you mention,
Yes, I know them, they're quite lame,
I had to rearrange their faces
And give them all another name."
- Bob Dylan, "Desolation Row"

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