The City of Atlanta shows us how not to implement a new computer system

The memo that sums up how the city first screwed up reads:

"The technical team will focus on fitting the software into the city of Atlanta processes."

The city has dumped $10 million dollars into a system that originally would have cost a little over $3 million, if it had been installed correctly. Rather than properly train the city workers to use an outstanding software package, the city decides to alter the software to fit into the inefficient and problematic system the package was supposed to correct.

Could the city get any system there to correct the problems? Is it the mechanisms being used, or the employees of the city, that are jamming up the works? System reviews of the city have long noted:

"a serious lack of training and skills in the information systems bureau."

Sam Barber, president of the company that installed the system following the city's orders, also knocked the city's employees:

"The problem is, they couldn't learn the system. No matter what kind of system they [end] up [with] in there, they are going to have the same problem."

The City will now just walk away from the expensive software package and outsource to people who can do the job. Will the people who are unable to operate the system keep their high paying city jobs? It is conceivable that they will be shuffled around the cavernous city hall, and placed in other jobs with few responsibilities they cannot do.

Shirley Franklin cannot be blamed for this fiasco. She is doing everything she can to find and fix the problems. She is part of the solution. However, she can be blamed if she does not start getting rid of employees that cannot, or do not, serve the city in a manner commensurable with their salary.

Cynthia Tucker bashes her fellow Democrats in her Sunday Opinion piece.

She makes the valid point that Democrats are more concerned about reelection, than about following their convictions and doing what is right for the country. I am very happy that she nails Democrat Zell Miller, of Georgia, for publishing an essay stating that his constituents question Bush's stance, yet he still plans to support Bush, regardless of what they think.

A very good read!

8:32:11 AM    comment []