Comments on: Organizational Theory as Applied to the Management of Large Information Systems http://spotonpolitics.com/blog/2010/02/23/organizational-theory-as-applied-to-the-management-of-large-information-systems/ Sat, 07 Jan 2012 00:40:42 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Chris http://spotonpolitics.com/blog/2010/02/23/organizational-theory-as-applied-to-the-management-of-large-information-systems/comment-page-1/#comment-83 Chris Thu, 25 Feb 2010 04:11:03 +0000 http://spotonpolitics.com/blog/?p=113#comment-83 A particle accelerator is the last thing you need, it will only make the problem worse. And I didn't say my system would prevent the micro-black holes, just reduce the probability by distributing the paper a little less densely. As far as your inability to distinguish the three piles, it is simple, use color coding. A particle accelerator is the last thing you need, it will only make the problem worse. And I didn’t say my system would prevent the micro-black holes, just reduce the probability by distributing the paper a little less densely. As far as your inability to distinguish the three piles, it is simple, use color coding.

]]> By: Rich http://spotonpolitics.com/blog/2010/02/23/organizational-theory-as-applied-to-the-management-of-large-information-systems/comment-page-1/#comment-82 Rich Thu, 25 Feb 2010 03:11:04 +0000 http://spotonpolitics.com/blog/?p=113#comment-82 Very good tweaks to the system chris. I like the TRASH system in principle but I think it may be too much organization for me. I am quite sure I would often put things in the wrong pile and then not be able to find them later. I also don't think you have adequately addressed the micro black hole issue. Since we have yet to experimentally determine the actual density required to create these little admin suckers, your system may fall prey to them as well. Let me know if your boss will get you a particle accelerator, mine said no. Very good tweaks to the system chris. I like the TRASH system in principle but I think it may be too much organization for me. I am quite sure I would often put things in the wrong pile and then not be able to find them later. I also don’t think you have adequately addressed the micro black hole issue. Since we have yet to experimentally determine the actual density required to create these little admin suckers, your system may fall prey to them as well.

Let me know if your boss will get you a particle accelerator, mine said no.

]]> By: Chris http://spotonpolitics.com/blog/2010/02/23/organizational-theory-as-applied-to-the-management-of-large-information-systems/comment-page-1/#comment-81 Chris Wed, 24 Feb 2010 13:31:15 +0000 http://spotonpolitics.com/blog/?p=113#comment-81 Ok, for the chronically disorganized, I can see how this system might appeal to you, but I would make a few suggestions. These suggestions may complicate things a little but overall will end with a much more satisfying result (and it will help eliminate any new spontaneous black holes they might have formed under your current system.) This is referred to as the TRi-columnar Administration Sanity Help system (or yes, TRASH), and as you can guess it involves three piles. The first pile is titled the FI/FO pile. This stands for Fast in, Fast out, not the standard ‘first’ version, and is reserved for items that will take the minimum time and effort to get back out of your filing system and into someone else’s so it is no longer your problem. The second pile is titled SIMBAAL (pronounced symbol) or ‘Stuff I Might Be Asked About Later.’ This is an important pile that requires some maintenance and at least a passing knowledge of how high any particular document might be in the pile. This is the pile that requires the most maintenance and will also involve the highest number of repeated searches. It is your primary working pile. Finally, the third pile is the STOMP pile, or Stuff To Occupy My Place. This is probably the most important pile, it requires little to no maintenance, no one ever expects to hear anything back regarding this material, you can use it to hide anything you don’t want found (dependent on how big it is: a TV, six pack of beer, etc.) and if necessary to make it look like you have achieved a substantial amount of work, you can always just dump a large portion of this into the trash. You can use this last feature to make excuses to get out of meetings, watching ‘Dancing with the Stars’ or anything else someone may require of you that would occupy your time in ways that you would not choose on your own. You can just make a show of the size of the STOMP pile, and when the leave you can just throw a portion of it away so that when they come back to check on you, you can say and show them how much you have been able to get done. Of course this is dependent on your ability to disguise the trash and to hide the small TV and beer when they come in the room, but that is a separate issue. This system does take a bit more work than MAIDS but overall it will aid you in order, recovery, and periodically you can use this system to make you appear to be the single most productive person anyone else might know. Also, spontaneous black holes appear due to increased density of a work space, therefore your mono-column would need to be trimmed down fairly regularly and in sufficient quantities to minimize this effect. Ok, for the chronically disorganized, I can see how this system might appeal to you, but I would make a few suggestions. These suggestions may complicate things a little but overall will end with a much more satisfying result (and it will help eliminate any new spontaneous black holes they might have formed under your current system.)

This is referred to as the TRi-columnar Administration Sanity Help system (or yes, TRASH), and as you can guess it involves three piles. The first pile is titled the FI/FO pile. This stands for Fast in, Fast out, not the standard ‘first’ version, and is reserved for items that will take the minimum time and effort to get back out of your filing system and into someone else’s so it is no longer your problem. The second pile is titled SIMBAAL (pronounced symbol) or ‘Stuff I Might Be Asked About Later.’ This is an important pile that requires some maintenance and at least a passing knowledge of how high any particular document might be in the pile. This is the pile that requires the most maintenance and will also involve the highest number of repeated searches. It is your primary working pile. Finally, the third pile is the STOMP pile, or Stuff To Occupy My Place. This is probably the most important pile, it requires little to no maintenance, no one ever expects to hear anything back regarding this material, you can use it to hide anything you don’t want found (dependent on how big it is: a TV, six pack of beer, etc.) and if necessary to make it look like you have achieved a substantial amount of work, you can always just dump a large portion of this into the trash. You can use this last feature to make excuses to get out of meetings, watching ‘Dancing with the Stars’ or anything else someone may require of you that would occupy your time in ways that you would not choose on your own. You can just make a show of the size of the STOMP pile, and when the leave you can just throw a portion of it away so that when they come back to check on you, you can say and show them how much you have been able to get done. Of course this is dependent on your ability to disguise the trash and to hide the small TV and beer when they come in the room, but that is a separate issue.

This system does take a bit more work than MAIDS but overall it will aid you in order, recovery, and periodically you can use this system to make you appear to be the single most productive person anyone else might know. Also, spontaneous black holes appear due to increased density of a work space, therefore your mono-column would need to be trimmed down fairly regularly and in sufficient quantities to minimize this effect.

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