Effective IT operations are:
- Measurable: Consistent and reliable methods of measurement for the key processes
- Repeatable: Key processes are performed the same way each time: no ambiguity, no uncertainty
- Predictable: There is a high degree of confidence in the expected results
- Transparent: Visibility to where work is being performed; where work is stacking up; where problems are occuring; what changes are being made

-Donny

Meet Fred the Frustrated Engineer.

He developed a solution that people should use. But they don’t.

He can’t figure out why they won’t use it. It’s a perfectly good solution. Stupid people.

This is really an article about the word should.

You see, there’s the way things should work, and then there’s reality.

It turns out that what people should do and what they do do are two different things. (There’s a Chandler joke in there somewhere).

In fact, what should happen and what does happen are entirely different stories.

It’s time for Fred to face the truth. He must accept and embrace it. And the truth is this: should doesn’t matter. (It should, but it doesn’t.)

What’s Fred going to do? Does he get upset and frustrated at the people who won’t do what they should do?

Fred decided to think about his problem as if he had a great product and put it on the store shelves.

If nobody buys it, is it the customers’ fault? (Stupid customers!)

Of course not! Fred has to figure out how to help them understand why they need to stop buying their usual product and start buying his.

Many engineers like to think that if they develop the right solution, it will sell itself. These engineers can be classified as ‘frustrated’ engineers.

Like it or not, you have to market your solution. Not just to customers, but to your peers, other teams, even your manager.

(minor footnote: There’s a very very slim, unlikely, remote, off chance that maybe, just maybe… your solution isn’t exactly what they want or need.)

At the end of the day, developing a solution that people should use has little value.

On the other hand:
- Developing a good solution
- Helping people understand why they need it
- Helping people understand how to use it, and
- Helping them adopt the solution…

*Now* we’re talking about real value.

-Donny