I once was dropped into this contentious, gone-off-the-rails dot-com-era collaboration between a large software company and a well-known NYC museum to do an "online museum".
The project had stalled in large part because of an apparent culture clash between the curators and the database guys. As it was explained to me, the curators were used to having discretionary power over how information was presented on a case-by-case basis (that was basically their job), while the database guys were trying to pin them down to specific database fields with specific field lengths and communications had broken down completely. 8|
Caller: (angry already) Where's my Taxi? It's supposed to be here. Me: I'll have a look. What's your name? Caller: Dave Jones. Me: I don't have anything booked under that name. Could it have been booked under another name? Caller: I don't know, maybe? I didn't book it. Me: Well then what time was it booked for? Caller: I don't know. Can you hurry up a bit. Me: OK, so where was it supposed to pick you up? Caller: I don't know! I told you, I didn't book it! Me: OK, so you don't know what name it was booked under, when it is supposed to arrive or where it is suppressed to collect you. So how do you know that it's late? Caller: Em, well... Oh, it was booked on account. Me: Great, OK, do you have the account number? Caller: No. Me: Maybe next time you should figure out how your account works before calling. (Hangs up)
Coworker: The client is Jane Smith.
ReplyDeleteMe: That's great. Do we know her ... phone number, SSN, or even her customer record ID?
Coworker: No. Why do we need that?
Me: Because we have thousands, and it'll take a team a month to figure it out.
Coworker: Oh. Isn't that your job?
Me: Not. Without. A. Unique. ID.
I once was dropped into this contentious, gone-off-the-rails dot-com-era collaboration between a large software company and a well-known NYC museum to do an "online museum".
ReplyDeleteThe project had stalled in large part because of an apparent culture clash between the curators and the database guys. As it was explained to me, the curators were used to having discretionary power over how information was presented on a case-by-case basis (that was basically their job), while the database guys were trying to pin them down to specific database fields with specific field lengths and communications had broken down completely. 8|
Caller: (angry already) Where's my Taxi? It's supposed to be here.
ReplyDeleteMe: I'll have a look. What's your name?
Caller: Dave Jones.
Me: I don't have anything booked under that name. Could it have been booked under another name?
Caller: I don't know, maybe? I didn't book it.
Me: Well then what time was it booked for?
Caller: I don't know. Can you hurry up a bit.
Me: OK, so where was it supposed to pick you up?
Caller: I don't know! I told you, I didn't book it!
Me: OK, so you don't know what name it was booked under, when it is supposed to arrive or where it is suppressed to collect you. So how do you know that it's late?
Caller: Em, well... Oh, it was booked on account.
Me: Great, OK, do you have the account number?
Caller: No.
Me: Maybe next time you should figure out how your account works before calling. (Hangs up)
You shouldn't be using SSN for that glares
ReplyDeletePatty Kirsch We aren't. If I said "travel agency" and "IATA number", nobody would know what I was talking about.
ReplyDelete