[Sigia-l] Help! New job ... terrible knowledge management

[Robert M. Fein]

Lucie,
	Very sorry to hear about your situation.  Positions like that are why I
gave up client-side 2 years ago (after 6.5 years) to work in a consultancy.
The only thing I can offer outside of sympathy are the following nuggets won
at a pretty high cost in blood, sweat, and tears.

1) Most tech companies are run by either Product Marketing or Tech.  Find
out which group runs the company.  Make friends with the director of that
group for your division/unit/thingy and couch all things in ways that makes
their department run smoother/easier/delivers quicker/saves money/etc...

2) If you weren't hired to do it, nobody will listen to you.  So raise the
issues in terms of "wouldn't it be better/easier" **NOT** for the users but
for the people doing the work.  If people see you as someone who makes their
jobs easier (esp. if it's for "free") they will cede you control.

3) Ironically, the time in which people listen to you least AND most is when
you are just hired.  You still have that aura of an "outside expert" that
working with you hasn't tarnished HOWEVER, if they are not in you're remit,
it can only be on things that are not legacy.

4) If you are LOW down on the food chain (as in a non-manager or someone who
doesn't report in to at least a 2nd or 3rd line manager) you will NEVER
effect any real changes outside of tactically or locally.  CAVEAT:  This
goes away if you cultivate a POWERFUL manager as a supporter

5) If you ain't tasked to do it, DON'T (do it, get worked up about it, rock
boats, etc).  Once you've established you can do your job with an excellence
and flair then volunteer (VERY important word) to "help out" over and above
your current job --> see comment about free work above

and lastly, AND most importantly for your sanity,

6) Be a duck!  As like water off one's back.  Don't get involved in issues
you can't win make small comments to the people doing the work and DON'T
stress about it.  Sadly, if you don't do this you're tenure will measure in
single digit months.


Good LUCK!

____________________________________________________________________________
___
--robert m fein
"'He did tolerable stuff for tolerable people because they paid him.' I'm
not that much of a whore."
-- David Maister



> -----Original Message-----
> From: sigia-l-admin at asis.org [mailto:sigia-l-admin at asis.org]On Behalf Of
> Lucie Melahn
> Sent: 03 July 2002 15:43
> To: sigia-l at asis.org
> Subject: [Sigia-l] Help! New job ... terrible knowledge management
>
>
> After a year of seeking employment as an IA, I finally did a bit of a
> career switch, and have been hired as a researcher/analyst at a
> government contractor. Part of the reason they hired me was, ostensibly,
> for my IT experience, although I doubt anyone understood what the "IA"
> thing on my resume was all about.
>
> Well, not surprisingly, the system of sharing research & organizing the
> database here is absolutely appalling.
>
> Everyone here thinks it is just fine, and so far no one wants to listen
> to me when I say there are serious problems. They are just plowing ahead
> creating this massive Access database with totally messed up categories,
> all of which were chosen by the programmer. I have no idea why Access was
> chosen, since I'm new, but it's already causing confusion. I've never
> used it before now, but am horrified at the interface.
>
> I just sat through three meetings where everything I said was basically
> dismissed out of hand. They kept saying the process was "straightforward"
> and that people needed "training", all in the same sentence. this is so
> totally screwed up.
>
> help.
>
> I'm pretty upset about two things... first, that we are creating a huge
> body of research, and plowing ahead with a clunky organizational
> structure for it that no one will understand or use.
>
> second, after years in a web agency, I am a bit freaked out to find
> myself in a place where no one has the slightest understanding of
> usability. I have to somehow establish credibility and convince people
> that I actually know something about this sort of thing; that I'm not
> just there to be a pain in the ass; and that the programmer should not be
> given free rein to totally organize everything. I am the new person, so
> although I'm horrified at what is being built, I can't march in and say
> we have to chuck it all out because I said so.
>
> I need advice. And a hug.
>
> Lucie
>
>
>
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