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

[Niall O'Sullivan]

I have notice the tension that can exist betweens IA and programming staff
on previous projects. I'm currently involved in developing a tool designed
to give more control to the IA in the development process. Content
management systems have not matured beyond very technical complex platforms.
Our approach is to give more control to the IA. A lot of functionality for
presentation logic, database configuration, workflow, taxonomies, search
etc. should be easily configurable by an IA resource with the right tool.
Therefore reducing the dependence of programming staff for a large
percentage of standard site build. Hopefully our efforts will lead to less
frustrated IA staff.

Niall
---------------------------------
Niall O'Sullivan
www.arconics.com




-----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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