Importance of data
Technology is so much fun but we can drown in our technology. The fog of information can drive out knowledge.
Daniel J. Boorstin
We rely on constant data flow, various information and technology which enables us to make sense of all this. The main problem with data is that there is a lot of it, and a lot of data requires good data management. There are various companies which offer great data management tools, however many assume that data handling is unified and centralised. Well, it isn’t. I found out that data and information is random, scattered and [insert any other statistics related word here] across big companies.
Data handling and management should reflect the structure of the company. Think about it this way, a CEO is your central data storage with every piece of information feeding into it. CFO, CTO, COO and other executives are your subsystems, all responsible for their area but feeding into the CEO. In a big corporation data should have a flat organisational structure promoting quick and smart access and handling.
Naturally this would be too easy.
In our interconnected world, connecting all pieces of software, access databases and google docks is a task for an efficient IT department, but it is doable. Yet, IT always seems to be busy solving problems which wouldn’t exist if the infrastructure and data management was built right in the first place. With greater amount of information comes greater responsibility and confusion, but if data was in-fact based upon the organisational structure we wouldn’t have such big problems.
It’s hard to introduce anything new in an old, big and resilient company but I am still going to propose a solution.
1. Define what will go into the database. Look at the main flow of information and all the subsystems.
2. Build your own custom database with a user friendly UI, or outsource the work to someone who can build custom, efficient and well designed databases. Sorry SAP! You’d be surprised how much difference a good UI makes, especially in an engineering company.
3. Unify the data input and link all the pieces of software together. If you pay megabucks for licences, the company will give you few lines of code to unify data and link it to your database. Combining a lot of already existing databases shouldn’t really be a problem.
4. Have a good set of analytics tools and a data mining / query manager.
5. Maintain a flat organisational structure. The CEO receives the most important info, the executive committee can have all the data relevant to their sections.
6. Fix the inputs! Once there is a ‘free field’ options engineers will write down anything that makes sense to them, only to them. Fix all the choices and use drop down lists or similar.
7. Enjoy a structured solution to your data problems.
If work at big corporations was this easy…
Bubbles.
As humans we like to create bubbles, shields which protect us from the outside world. They help us become who we really are and put us in a position where we don’t have to worry about anything else. However, they are not always good, information bubbles which prevent us from sharing our knowledge can cause a lot of problems. I see this at work all the time and here is why:
1. People are secretive about their work because they are insecure. Certain individuals are afraid of losing their job because what they are doing is actually fairly simple and it doesn’t require much training.
2. People see each other as competition. Information is not being shared because it could help someone else.
3. People don’t trust each other. The idea of someone else handling their information is frightening enough, what if it is used against their arbitrary rules?
4. People like to compete. There will always be some level of competition between departments and teams.
5. People are unaware of others. Yes, it happens.
6. People are unaware of the importance of knowledge transfer. A lot of employees assumes that the work they are doing is relevant to their area only.
7. Sharing and communicating is too simple. Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication - this is true on so many levels.
8. People don’t believe in what they do. Yes, a lot of work is pointless but there are always a few pieces which would be useful to someone else.
9. We are all lazy.
10. People are generally shy. Majority of my colleagues would much rather e-mail than use any form of personal communication.
We live in our own little bubbles. Try to burst yours and share what you know and see if it makes a difference.
In life we are always looking what’s ahead of us, we try to leave the past behind and move on. However, there are a lot of changes and challenges waiting for us, no one can figure whether they are right or wrong, they just exist and that’s what’s fun about it! Sure you can stick around, look for signs, evaluate the warnings and make a Pros and Cons list, but in life you have to take your chances because this world keeps on turning and quite literally nothing stays the same.
I star work in a completely new department tomorrow. As part of my work contract I will be spending the next 3 months in a completely new environment with completely new people and a different skill set required.
Am I terrified? No! I love change and throughout my life I’ve had to deal with it all the time! I usually follow these 3 simple steps:
1. Be open. People in your new environment will be as eager to meet you as you are to meet them. Introduce yourself to everyone and try to keep an open relationship with everyone at the beginning.
2. Be curious. Learn and explore, the best thing you can get out of a new experience is… experience! New skills, knowledge, contacts and ideas - none of these will hurt you!
3. It’s temporary. This one depends on how you live your life! I am spontaneous and hate stability and stagnation. I love to be on the move, constantly exposed to changes and new experiences. I never stick around doing the same thing or living in the same place for more than 2 years - so if you want, you can believe that every new challenge and experience is temporary!
You don’t have to feel trapped, changes can be good !!
Today I realised that I have been working continuously for 20 weeks. This might not seem like a lot but it is for me. 20 weeks of work at a big engineering corporation provides me with invaluable experiences, it allows me to master my game, to be my own gamemaster, an arbitrator, moderator and organiser. I am learning new things everyday, every minute spent at work is an experience, an experience which pushes me towards the dark alleys of the real world. As an engineering student I am still trying to figure out what I want to do when I graduate, which direction I am going to take. It’s a tough decision and strictly speaking once you enter a profession your exit options are pretty limited. Sure, being an entrepreneur is always an option, but once you have established yourself as an expert in a field, once you have dedicated 10 years of your life to a domain, it’s hard to change. And I see this all the time at work, people who are afraid of change because they don’t know what’s out there, because they have a family to support and a mortgage to pay. I don’t have any of that so I will play my game until I checkmate myself.
3 misconceptions about professional training
Recently I was sent on a training course to develop better knowledge of a software I have been using for the past few months. The course was called ‘LsDyna Introductory Course’ and covered the basic aspects of working with the software as well as pre and post processing. Having used Ls-Dyna and Oasys before, I had a vague idea of what to expect but, I was really hoping to expand my knowledge and try something challenging. The course itself was 3 days long and took place at the offices of Arup - the global technical consultancy firm. The group I had the training with consisted of 2 guys from the National Nuclear Laboratory looking at seismic protection, a girl from a medical school, a graduate from Jaguar Land Rover and a guy from Australia who looked more out of place than Mark Zuckerberg at a college party, all in all an eclectic group of people. After the training finished and I came back to work I was shocked to find how people perceived professional training and here is why:
1. ‘Introductory course’ is not a university degree in theoretical physics. After I finished my training few people from my department expected me to be a LsDyna (insert any software/skill here) whiz. No, that’s never the case the word ‘Introductory’ has certain connotations, 3 days will very rarely make you an expert in anything.
2. Contrary to popular belief amongst your work colleagues you will not know the answer to every question about the new skill you just acquired. The ‘I thought they taught you that at the course” becomes a sentence you will hear the most for a very long time. Failing to show knowledge will result in judgement and people generally thinking that you did not commit to the course and read the 970 page long manual.
3. Introductory courses are not useful. Internet is a great resource for anything. If you are just a little tech-savvy and know your way around the world wide web you can create your own introductory course. There is loads of great tutorials and web sites designated to help you and teach you new skills. Specialised courses come in handy when you really are looking for professional help and a real honing of those 4D modelling of layered nanofoams skills.
Determination and curiosity are the best teachers at early stages of your professional career. Give me a tool and Internet access and I will show you how that tool is used.
Mistaken personality.
In the corporate world we often need to establish ourselves in order to achieve something. It’s a shame we often have to lose our real personality and put a deer head over our heads. Like a deer caught in the headlights we might never find out where we are bound to.
via lesfemmes
