Re: Get Offended

["Tim Altom" <taltom -at- simplywritten -dot- com>]

First, truth is sometimes inappropriate, because "truth" isn't objective,
but subjective. Truth is, like all other conclusions, a statement based on
perception. Even supposedly measurable truths are only approximations,
because much depends on how you measure, what you measure, and how you
analyze what you measure. That's why scientists argue, instead of just
accept conclusions.

Second, the reason for the shuttle o-ring catastrophe wasn't marketing, but
lousy decision-making. Morton-Thiokol engineers argued long and hard with
NASA officials that the ambient temperature was too low to trust the
o-rings, which MT didn't design to be flexible at the startlingly low
temperature that day. NASA officials made the fateful decision, but the
information with which to make it was freely and persistently available.

Third, marketing decides nothing. In no organization does marketing have the
power to make final operational decisions. There are always company
executives empowered (and, in publicly-held companies, required) to consider
the overall good, not just the concerns of marketing. If you must rant, rant
at the executives who make such poor decisions. Marketing is doing what it's
hired, groomed, and paid to do: present the very best possible company face
before the public. There are tradeoffs to that; in the extreme, a web of
lies is designed to protect that public face. The decision-makers must then
balance the possible damage that candor might do, with the costs that may
accompany concealment.

The benefit to your situation, Andrew, is that you may now have some
leverage for future arguments. If you document the current fiasco, complete
with numbers and charts, you may win the next round. I've found that, with
executives, hard numbers often count for a great deal. They may not be valid
or even repeatable, but at least there's something on paper besides opinion.

Tim Altom
Simply Written, Inc.
Featuring FrameMaker and the Clustar(TM) System
"Better communication is a service to mankind."
317.562.9298
Check our Web site for the upcoming Clustar class info
http://www.simplywritten.com


> There is a tech-comm issue to this.  Its called marketing. In our recent
> discussions regarding Space Shuttle O-rings etc. I am now convinced that
the
> reason most serious catastrophes happen is because some wimpy little creep
gets
> "offended" and mandates the truth be hidden inside a bunch of marketing
> gibberish. I am sure the reason nobody paid attention to those O-rings was
> because some do-gooder freak didn't want to offend anybody in the O-Ring
> community. Sheesh.
>
> Just recently the marketing group of one of our clients mandated we remove
this
> one section of the manual because it wasn't "appropriate."  I argued that
it
> was technically correct and necessary for users to know.  This section
> explained a fundamental deficiency in how network monitoring systems work.
I
> also explained that it was necessary to explain this issue so users could
know
> WHY the software could not see things on other network segments. Removing
it
> would mislead users into thinking the software could do something it could
not.
>
>
> However, marketing was worried about "offending" people so we had to
remove it.
> Surprise surprise, the support calls piled up. I'd like to wrap my hands
around
> that latte sipping, Range Rover driving, lite beer drinking little
marketing
> dweebazoid and pop him like a big zit.
>
and info.