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February 04, 2004
Garden Power?
I only just realised that I have passed my first blog-anniversary without even noticing it. The first post was 2003/02/01 although the blog didn't work properly until 2003/02/11. Anyway, in all that time I have tried to be careful about not mentioning where I work. That policy has not changed but I feel a burning desire to communicate about the resolution to the problems last week and so I have decided to try an analogy. This may not work but it is worth a try.....
Imagine I work in the agriculture business. We have a number of gardens that we maintain, some large ones, some smaller ones. Some are open to the public and some are not. These gardens produce stuff for market. I work in the maintenance section - looking after a group of larger gardens (about 100 of them). Elsewhere in this large corporation there is a "garden architecture strategy" (GAS) section which specifies what to grow, when to grow it and how to grow it. They like to dabble but do not (in general) have a lot of front-line, getting-your-hands-dirty garden expertise. They do however set long term garden directions. Some time ago they raised the question of dealing with public gardens and the gardens that are linked to the public gardens (with gates of course which only let employees through). The visitors tend to leave stuff behind. A lot of it is rubbish from casual visitors but some of it may be valuable. Because of the high level of expertise required to sort rubbish from valuables (hmmm, analogy a bit weak here), an outside organisation was required to do the analysis. A tender was prepared by GAS and a number of the garden operatives were involved. A company (Beautiful Terrain or BT) was selected (by tender) and started to do the detailed design and implementation proposals. Internally a team of operational people (most of whom were involved in the tender) were used to evaluate, comment and sign-off the detailed proposals (and I was in both teams).
In the tender there is a requirement for the valuables to be forwarded to us for dispersal. The tender did not specify how this was to be done. Initially BT proposed using Australia Post or DHL but a faster method would be for direct delivery. When a gardener finds something, he (or she) takes it to the Environmentally Sustainable Monitor (ESM) which is is distributed appropriately. I suggested that the same mechanism could be applied. BT countered that there was no authentication when using unidentifiable distribution personnel (UDP) and no guarantee of delivery. They would prefer something that involved trusted competent personnel (TCP) instead. There was a bit of to-ing and fro-ing and they asked how we handle the garden produce. I admitted that we had customised wheelbarrows for doing exactly that. BT basically decided that the customised wheelbarrows looked like a really good deal. So far so good.
Then BT mentioned that in addition to the valuables, they could provide some extra functionality (at no extra cost) where they could effectively prevent some things from getting lost in the first place. That looked like a good feature but a change like that needed GAS approval. During the GAS presentation the matter of delivery was mentioned in passing. GAS mandated that environmentally friendly, solar-powered, massive, high-quality (MQ) trucks would be required and that these should all travel via a checking station which happens to be in one of the gardens adjacent to a public garden.
I got a bit hot under the collar pointing out that the cost would be prohibitive, the MQ trucks were not tested for this, the ESM was not designed to cater for MQ trucks and having the MQ trucks full of valuables pass right next to the public garden was an invitation for someone to break in and steal the contents. Meetings were arranged. Arguments were held. Stress levels went through the roof and I ended up being off for a day (stress migraine).
End result: it was all my fault. GAS explained that quite clearly. I should never have mentioned the wheelbarrows. That is providing a solution and that is what GAS does. Not garden managers. Not even garden managers in charge of implementing a GAS project. Well at least I know now and that means I am a lot more relaxed. Oh, and I have to get involved in the changes required to fit the MQ trucks into our garden system.....
However if you come asking for a solution to your problem, then I am afraid that I will have to redirect you to someone full of gas from GAS instead.
[I hope you enjoyed that and it made some sense. If you want to ask questions or comments then PLEASE do not try and link the analogy to real people or places of possible employment....]
Posted by Ozguru at February 4, 2004 07:02 AM
Comments
Posted by: Kathy K at February 4, 2004 07:02 AM
Posted by: TL at February 4, 2004 07:02 AM
