MetaChat - Something I should not have to be doing....

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20 June 2008

Something I should not have to be doing.... Is teaching the new Webmaster what a flow diagram is.
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This kid was shoehorned into the job because his websites, no, webpages, are pretty. The underside, though, is a freaking mess. He only knows ColdFusion, and is aghast that you'd want to edit a PHP file in UltraEdit.

We to buy a hosted form generator service, because the only forms he knew how to do were Adobe forms, and even then I finally had to help get the email portion going.

So now he's got requests from all these people for changes to the site, and he just starts working - no planning, no thought about process. He got overwhelmed and asked for help.

I said "well, make a flow diagram of what's supposed to happen."

"What is that?"

I blinked, then showed him an example of one I'd done for some process. He came back with something resembling a flow diagram, but I'm still not getting what he's trying to do.

So we're getting together again to just pore over all the requests, plan out the work, and generally get organized.

I really shouldn't be this pissy, but hubby is a master developer, and the previous web manager was so hard core he brought his own linux laptop in to do development work, then ported it to the windows boxes. This kid is just out of school with some Business Design degree. I'm an old fart Computer Science major.

/get off my lawn!

So, bunnies, what kinds of things are you doing that you oughta notta hafta?

post by: lysdexic at: 14:32 | 9 comments

Playing Flow might calm your nerves.

(Today, I repaired a malfunctioning paper shredder at work, which might fall into the things-that-I-oughta-notta-hafta category.)

posted by box 20 June | 15:03

Last night I had to extract a large amount of blood from a carpet with an extractor not really designed for such a task. This just barely falls under my job description, if you squint real hard.

Today I'm supposed to sit through a two hour meeting in which the intelligence of all in attendance will be demeaned and insulted. Then I get to do my regular job of waiting for things to fall apart and/or disaster to strike.

I am not currently experiencing job satisfaction.

posted by bmarkey 20 June | 15:15

Every single one of my job descriptions, ever, in two countries, has had 'other duties as directed' as the final point. I hafta do it all.

posted by goo 20 June | 15:42

Ok, that Flow is totally hypnotic.

I, too, have "other duties as assigned". I've had that in every job, and one year, that was the only part of my job description I could be evaluated on - the job had changed, but the JD hadn't. That was not a fun review.

posted by lysdexic 20 June | 16:12

Currently I'm doing cataloging...which I have no prior experience doing and have kinda half-assed my way along using a load of interneting and emails to various other peoples.

posted by sperose 20 June | 17:36

*nods*
fake it 'til you make it, eh?

posted by lysdexic 20 June | 21:08

I am conducting some tests on hardware that, frankly, is not ready for this level of testing. I've spent much of the past week getting it ready (i.e., finishing other peoples' engineering and design). On the one hand, it pisses me off; we've fallen a week behind and might notw finish in time. On the other, well, debugging stuff (and actually solving the problems) is kinda fun.

posted by Doohickie 20 June | 21:27

I blinked, then showed him an example of one I'd done for some process. He came back with something resembling a flow diagram, but I'm still not getting what he's trying to do.

My lead, well, there are a lot of things he does that I disagree with. But... I have to admit that he does a great job of working with younger engineers to get them to the point where they are doing good engineering work. For that, I greatly admire him.

The success of the newest members of the organization is reflected in the organization's success. Keep working with him. he'll get it. And when he does, his achievement will be your achievement.

posted by Doohickie 20 June | 21:34

The success of the newest members of the organization is reflected in the organization's success. Keep working with him. he'll get it. And when he does, his achievement will be your achievement.

That was one of the reasons he got assigned to me to supervise - I've proven I can teach and transfer skills, and evaluate without getting personal. He had problems with his last super just letting him drift, so he ended up with me. I'm having to remind myself where he's coming from. And keep in mind other things he can do that the geeky guys can't.

posted by lysdexic 20 June | 21:41

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