| "A company runs on information, not
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| | yet balk at spending money for
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| data."
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| | management, a sort of "penny-wise and
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| - Bryce's LawINTRODUCTIONYou've heard
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| | pound foolish" mentality. Corporate
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| them all before. They particularly arise
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| | management genuinely believes that I.T,
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| whenever
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| | management controls and tools can
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| quality work is required or when
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| | be developed inexpensively, if not
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| organization and management control
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| | free.To some companies, technology is
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| is imposed. Of course, I'm talking
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| | purchased more as the latest
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| about the ten common myths of
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| | status symbol, as opposed to its
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| I.T. Ten common rationalizations people
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| | practicality. It is purchased more
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| in the Information
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| | to "keep up with the Jones'" than
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| Technology world turn to whenever their
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| | anything else. What they don't realize
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| authority or professionalism
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| | is the Jones' are in as much trouble as
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| is challenged. They are neither new or
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| | they are."A DBMS IS A PREREQUISITE FOR
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| limited to a specific
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| | DATA BASE"I remember meeting an I.T.
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| geographical location. They have been
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| | Director from a large regional bank from
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| around as long as the modern
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| | the
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| computer and they transcend all cultural
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| | U.S. southwest who insisted his company
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| and industrial boundaries. What's
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| | didn't have a data base. What he
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| worse, they have proven to be
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| | meant to say was he didn't have a DBMS
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| effective.The following is the ten most
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| | (Data Base Management System). With the
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| popular myths in the field. Obviously,
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| | propagation of DBMS packages in the
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| it
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| | field, most companies now sincerely
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| is not all inclusive. It is simply the
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| | believe
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| ten most commonly used:
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| | a DBMS is a prerequisite for data base.
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| OUR PROBLEMS ARE UNIQUEWE NEVER SEEM TO
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| | Although DBMS software offers
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| HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO DO THINGS RIGHTYOU
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| | tremendous leverage for file management,
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| ARE STIFLING OUR CREATIVITYSYSTEM DESIGN
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| | it is far from being a mandate for
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| IS AN ART FORMTECHNOLOGY WILL SOLVE OUR
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| | data base.All companies have a data
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| PROBLEMSA DBMS IS A PREREQUISITE FOR DATA
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| | base, some are managed, most are not. A
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| BASETHERE IS AN INFINITE AMOUNT OF DATA
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| | data
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| IN AN ORGANIZATIONOUR COMPANY RUNS ON
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| | base is nothing more than a collection
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| DATAUSERS OWN THE DATAUSERS DON'T KNOW
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| | of all of the data required to produce
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| WHAT THEY WANT
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| | information. Obviously, this definition
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| Let's look past the facade of each of
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| | transcends the computer. It is a
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| these for a moment and
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| | recognition that data is a resource
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| see what they really mean."OUR PROBLEMS
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| | which must be managed like any other
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| ARE UNIQUE"This is perhaps the most
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| | resource; e.g., money, people,
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| popular of the myths and is probably
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| | materials, etc.A DBMS offers great
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| used to pacify the ego of I.T.
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| | capability when managing data stored on
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| Management. I discovered it
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| | mass storage
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| several years ago when I happened to do
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| | devices. But it must be realized that
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| some consulting for three
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| | data is used throughout an entire
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| separate companies from the United
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| | organization, in manual and computer
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| States, Japan and Brazil. In all
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| | applications, in a variety of files
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| three instances, the I.T. Managers
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| | (manual, tape, microfiche, disk, etc.).
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| insisted their problems were
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| | Data Base Administration
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| unique to their company. They pointed
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| | activities typically cover only the data
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| at the overwhelming pressure
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| | used by a DBMS. What is necessary is
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| they operated under, uncooperative
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| | a higher level position that manages all
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| users, insensitive management,
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| | of the data, regardless of where used
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| and some cultural constraints. The
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| | or how stored. The Data Management
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| parallelism was incredible. Here
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| | function should behave in a manner
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| were three separate companies,
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| | similar
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| geographically separated by thousands
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| | to Materials Management, Financial
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| of miles, all of which describing the
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| | Management, and Human Resource
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| same problems, yet viewing
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| | Management. This
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| themselves as unique.In studying this
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| | is the Achilles' Heal for most I.T.
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| further, I discovered most companies
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| | organizations, the failure to recognize
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| share
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| | data as a valuable and re-useable
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| the same problems, such as:A. A
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| | resource.To compound problems further,
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| substantial backlog of user requests
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| | even when DBMS technology is introduced
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| (three to five years seems
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| | to a company, it is rarely used
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| to be the norm).B. Poor communications
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| | effectively. Instead of utilizing a DBMS
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| internally within the I.T. staff
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| | to share data among applications, most
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| and externally with end-users.C.
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| | apply it as an access method only.I
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| Project cost overruns and slipped
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| | conservatively estimate less than 5% of
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| schedules.D. Employee dependencies to
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| | all I.T. organizations
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| maintain and support systems.E. Hardware
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| | in the world have successfully
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| Software dependencies; systems are tied
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| | implemented a managed data base
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| too closely
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| | environment,
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| to a particular vendor, making upgrading
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| | DBMS or not."THERE IS AN INFINITE AMOUNT
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| difficult.F. Redundant data throughout
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| | OF DATA IN AN ORGANIZATION"Some people
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| an organization (we know of one state
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| | would have you believe there is an
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| government who conservatively estimated
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| | inordinate number of
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| NET-PAY is calculated
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| | unique data elements used in an
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| at least 100 different ways).G. Lack of
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| | organization and to catalog and control
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| adequate documentation (thus providing
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| | them is a mammoth undertaking
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| job security for
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| | (therefore, we shouldn't waste our time).
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| the staff).H. High staff turnover.I.
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| | Instead
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| Design inconsistencies.J. Systems
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| | of documenting a data element and
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| personnel clash with data base
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| | re-using this intelligence,
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| personnel.K. Information Systems do not
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| | people typically redefine data with each
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| meet users needs.L. DBMS is used as
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| | application. This leads to
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| nothing more than an elegant access
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| | inconsistent definitions and redundant
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| method.M. Data is tied too closely to
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| | work effort. But worst of all,
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| applications, making change
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| | it makes implementing a change to a data
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| difficult.Bottom-line, I.T. organizations
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| | element extremely complicated.In reality,
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| suffer from low productivity
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| | there is a finite number of data elements
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| and poor performance. Inevitably they
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| | in any given
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| end up in a "fire-fighting" mode
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| | organization, probably in the
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| of operation constantly patching
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| | neighborhood of 3,000 to 5,000. And
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| problems. However, the problem here is
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| | although
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| the chief fire-fighters are also the
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| | it is no small effort to document the
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| principal arsonists. It is
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| | data, it is a wise investment in the
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| unfortunate the "fire-fighters" enjoy
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| | future. Once it is defined, a data
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| higher visibility than those
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| | element can be re-used in multiple
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| who work quietly in a methodical manner.
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| | applications, which leads to a shared
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| This is a situation where the
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| | data base environment. Capturing this
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| guilty are promoted and the innocent are
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| | intelligence must evolve over time with
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| prosecuted.Instead of imposing management
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| | each application, it cannot be
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| discipline and control, I.T. managers
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| | captured over night."OUR COMPANY RUNS ON
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| resign themselves to a life of chaos.
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| | DATA"This is one of the most naive
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| It is no small wonder their average
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| | statements in the business, one
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| tenure in office is less than three
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| | rooted in ignorance. The person using
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| years."WE NEVER SEEM TO HAVE ENOUGH TIME
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| | this expression obviously
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| TO DO THINGS RIGHT"This implies "we have
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| | doesn't grasp the inherent differences
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| plenty of time to do things wrong."
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| | between data and information. They
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| There
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| | are not synonymous. The differences are
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| is an interesting relationship between
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| | simply too numerous to list
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| the quality of a product
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| | here but essentially Data by itself is
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| and the speed by which it is developed.
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| | meaningless; it is the representation
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| This phenomenon is true of
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| | of a fact or an event. It is the raw
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| any product being built.The faster the
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| | material by which information is
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| delivery of a product, the greater the
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| | produced. Contrary to this, Information
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| chances are
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| | is the intelligence or insight
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| for inferior quality. The slower the
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| | gained from processing data to support
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| delivery, the greater the chances
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| | specific business functions.A company
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| are for superior quality. Neither
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| | runs on information, not data. In fact,
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| extreme is acceptable; an even balance
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| | information is the
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| must be maintained to assure one doesn't
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| | most important asset a company has. All
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| have an adverse effect on
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| | actions and decisions are
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| the other.Instead of developing a long
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| | predicated on information.
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| range plan that incorporates an
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| | Organizations progress when the impact of
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| information
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| | good actions and decisions outweighs the
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| strategy, management nurtures the
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| | impact of bad actions and
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| problem by saying they need everything
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| | decisions. Information gives us the
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| "yesterday." Software vendors prey on
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| | means to make these actions and
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| companies like this by offering miracle
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| | decisions.Those who do not understand
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| products (e.g., CASE, 4GL, program
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| | the differences between information and
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| generators, etc.) promising to accelerate
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| | data are probably the same people who do
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|
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| | not understand the differences
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| development while producing quality
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| | between an information system and
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| results. Without the appropriate
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| | computer software."USERS OWN THE
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| management environment, they deliver
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| | DATA"This is a typical attitude found in
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| neither and compound problems
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| | companies who do not
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| further. These tools concentrate on
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| | understand the concept of managing data
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| efficiency, not effectiveness. Before
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| | as a resource. In this
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| you can streamline your operation, you
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| | situation, data is jealously guarded by
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| must first know what you are doing."YOU
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| | each user. As a
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| ARE STIFLING OUR CREATIVITY"This
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| | consequence, redundant files and
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| scapegoat is a favorite among the "techy
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| | applications are the norm. The
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| set." It is a defensive
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| | sooner you get past this stage, the
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| expression that springs up whenever
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| | better off your organization
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| discipline or change is mentioned. What
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| | will be.Does the Controller "own" the
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| is ironic is these same people do not
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| | money? Does the Human Resources Manager
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| hesitate to reorganize a user's
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| | "own" the employees? Does the Materials
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| department. The hypocrisy is
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| | Manager "own" the parts?
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| incredible. Systems people, who are
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| | Of course not; they simply administer
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| supposed
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| | the resource. A comparable
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| to be the agents of change in an
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| | position to manage data resources must
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| organization, are the most resistant to
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| | also be created."USERS DON'T KNOW WHAT
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| it."SYSTEM DESIGN IS AN ART FORM"Closely
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| | THEY WANT"Translation: "I don't know
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| related to the "stifling" myth is the
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| | what I'm doing so I'll just keep hacking
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| view of system design
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| | away at the problem." This type of
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| as an exotic art form. Most systems
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| | comment is a sign the person
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| developers like to be viewed as
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| | is not properly trained in Systems
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| free-spirited souls who do not like to
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| | Analysis. Users didn't get their job
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| be encumbered with organization,
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| | by default; they must know a little bit
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| discipline and accountability. The fact
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| | about their end of the business,
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| is, many of these so-called
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| | otherwise they are not going to have it
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| "Rembrandts" are nothing more lousy
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| | for long. The problem typically
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| house painters. They hide behind
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| | stems from the analyst's inability to
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| the mystique of their technology in the
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| | define business problems, specify
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| hopes it will conceal their
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| | information requirements and to
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| poor performance.Systems design is a
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| | effectively communicate with the
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| proven and teachable science. This is
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| | user. Instead of asking how the user
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| not to
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| | wants to view their screen,
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| suggest science lacks creativity. For
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| | try to understand their problem first.
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| example, there is considerable
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| | An elegant solution to the wrong
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| creativity in the sciences of
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| | problem solves nothing. Only when the
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| architecture, engineering, music, etc.
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| | Systems Analyst can walk in the
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| Science
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| | moccasins of the user, does the analyst
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| simply establishes the governing
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| | have the right to build a system
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| principals and rules to be observed
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| | for the user.CONCLUSIONYou would think
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| in your work."TECHNOLOGY WILL SOLVE OUR
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| | after forty years of promoting these
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| PROBLEMS"This is more of a train of
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| | myths,
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| thought as opposed to an actual
| |
| | we could invent some new ones that are a
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| expression. It is based on the belief
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| | little more imaginative. The
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| that hardware and software will
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| | fact they have survived this long is
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| correct all of the ills and
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| | indicative that management is
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| ineffectiveness of the company. The
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| | still not facing up to their problems
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| belief
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| | and are still baffled by
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| that technology, not management, will
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| | technical gobbledegook.Tim Bryce is the
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| solve problems is just as prevalent
| |
| | Managing Director of M. Bryce &
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| today as it was when the computer was
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| | Associates (MBA)
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| first introduced.It is fascinating to
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| | of Palm Harbor, Florida and has 30 years
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| watch companies throw millions of dollars
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| | of experience in the field.
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| at
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| | He is available for training and
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| solving a problem through technology,
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| | consulting on an international basis.
|
