The Information Technology Curse - An Analogy

One typical day in the office, Mr. Boss calls a meetingsituation, Mr. IT calls the store manager to register his
with Mr. IT to describe the task he would like to havedissatisfaction with what has been delivered, and the
completed. Mr. Boss starts by saying he has budgetedstore manager sends more clerks out to gather items
some money for a simple project that involves goingthat are not defective. Mr. IT examines the new items
to the store to pick up a t-shirt, a pair of shoe laces,brought to him, and sees that the t-shirt and popcorn
and a small bag of popcorn. After a brief discussion,are fine, but there is only one shoe lace instead of two.
Mr. IT assures Mr. Boss that his department can takeThe clerk who brought the shoe lace tells Mr. IT that
care of the task right away. Mr. IT takes the moneyhe inadvertently left the other shoe lace on the desk in
from Mr. Boss, and heads out to accomplish thethe manager's office, and Mr. IT can go to the office to
assignment. Mr. IT goes to the garage to get the carget the other shoe lace after completing his purchase.
he will be driving to the store, only to learn that the onlyMr. IT pays for the items he has, and takes the sales
car available has a manual transmission, and thereceipt to the store manager's office to retrieve the
company has scheduled a class to teach severalother shoe lace. As Mr. IT enters the office, the missing
employees how to drive a stick shift. Mr. IT is informedshoe lace is indeed on the desk in plain sight, but as he
that he must wait for the class to be completedreaches out to pick it up, the store manager appears
before he can have the car to complete his task.and asks him what he is doing in the office. Mr. IT
Several hours pass, and the automobile is finally madeshows the manager his purchase receipt, and points
available to Mr. IT. When he gets the car, he learnsout that he has come into the office to retrieve the
that it is very low on fuel, so he will have to budget theother shoe lace he has paid for. The store manager
time and money to refuel the car at a gas station ontells Mr. IT that this office is private, and he cannot
his way to the store, and he will have to spend aallow people to come in and take things out of the
significant portion of the money he got from Mr. Bossoffice without first checking with the people in his store
to buy enough fuel for the car to complete theto verify the story. After several phone calls and
assignment. Already behind schedule, Mr. IT rushes tomeetings, the store manager verifies that the shoe
the convenience store to purchase the three items onlace was put in his office by a store clerk, and Mr. IT
his list. When he arrives at the store, he is told by thewas sent there to get it.
clerk that this store has shoe laces and popcorn, butNow that Mr. IT is long past due back at his own
does not carry t-shirts. Thinking fast, Mr. IT grabs a bagoffice, he jumps into the car and races back toward
of popcorn and a pair of shoe laces, and gives themwork. Three blocks short of his destination, Mr. IT's
to the clerk for check out. When the clerk tries to ringautomobile runs our of fuel, and he has to ask some
up the purchase, he scans the bar codes on the items,people passing by to help him push the car back to the
and the register shows a total of $200 for the items.parking lot. When he arrives to confront Mr. Boss, Mr.
Mr. IT tells the clerk that this price cannot possibly beIT delivers the items he bought, and tries to explain the
right for popcorn and shoe laces. The clerk tries again,unforeseen troubles he had in carrying out what Mr.
and gets the same results. Mr. IT asks the clerk to ringBoss perceived to be the simplest of tasks. Mr. Boss
up the purchase manually, but the clerk says he doeslistens to the explanation with no small amount of
not have any way to ring up a purchase manually. Mr.skepticism, but decides to look over the goods that Mr.
IT decides to put the items back on the shelf and goIT has brought back. On viewing the purchased items,
to a different place to purchase the items he needs.Mr. Boss tells Mr. IT that he bought the wrong brand of
He calls ahead on his cell phone to the next store, andpopcorn, and brought back the wrong color of shoe
is assured by the person on the other end that thislaces. Mr. Boss says he is very disappointed that Mr. IT
store carries all three items at an acceptable price.has proven to be so inept at carrying out such an
With this new information at hand, Mr. IT rushes to theeasy assignment, and wonders what would have
next store before it closes to purchase his items. Thehappened if he had given Mr. IT a more difficult task to
clerks at this new store are eager to have Mr. IT'saccomplish. Mr. Boss decides to fire Mr. IT, and replace
business, so they send out some clerks to gather uphim with someone he believes to be better suited to
the items and bring them to the cash register. Mr. IT isaccomplish the company's goals. Unfortunately for Mr.
about to purchase the items when he notices a bigBoss, the new Mr. IT lives and works in India, and
hole in the t-shirt, popcorn leaking from the bag, and dirtcannot speak English. Is anyone interested in becoming
all over the shoe laces. Getting frustrated with theMr. IT?.