What should I do? 6

[AlexCuse]

Hello All,

I have a bit of a problem. There is a project I am working on to bring data processing for a large fulfillment program we do in house. The project is something I am more than capable of, however I am having trouble finding the time to work on it. The reason I have no time to work on it is because others within the company (account managers) keep bothering me with what I feel is BS. Things like 'hey alex, can you get this file off the FTP site for me' or 'hey alex, why were the counts in today's output so low' or 'hey alex, I need this ad hoc report by this evening. Kiss your day goodbye'

The way our company (an ad agency) is set up, we need to give the account managers what they want when they want, regradless of whether or not they submit a work order or give us even an hours' notice. Ok, no problems yet for me.

However, my boss has promised this Fulfillment program to be ready by January first. Because I cannot predict when the bs is going to come in, I am always very uncomfortable making promises to have things done by a certain time. Now I am faced with a situation where if the BS doesn't stop, there is no way this project will be done on time.

I am the only programmer here, and I love the job because it's a great opportunity for me to learn. But there is only so much I can do, you know? I am starting to feel very worried about my job security, and there is no HR contact that I can talk to. I would like to know what you more experienced people out there would do in my situation.

Any and all advice is much appreciated.

Thanks,

Alex

Ignorance of certain subjects is a great part of wisdom

 

[sleipnir214]

First, document, document, document. Make a note of every call and how long it took to deal with whatever interruption that call brought.

As you are documenting the interruptions, be thinking of a solution to your problem. It could be being allowed to prioritize the fulfillment project as highest priority, at least temporarily.

Then take that data to the boss making the promises and tell him that because of the interruptions you understand must be immedately dealt with, you do not think you will be able to meet the deadline. Present him with your interruption data. Then present him with your solution to the problem.

You might also want to get in writing whatever solution is decided on, even if that means sending your boss an email summarizing the meeting where the decision was made and getting confirmation from him.




Want the best answers? Ask the best questions! TANSTAAFL!

 

[TomKane]

Hi Alex,

I think you need to talk to your boss. Maybe you can demonstrate to him the amount of time you spend dealing with account managers and show him that if it continues the project will slip.

Is there anyone you could delegate to? Is it possible that the account managers can wait a while for their request?

I was once told there are four key points to ask when accepting work:

Does anyone have to do it? (e.g. wrong dept.)
Do I have to do it? (can it be delegated?)
Does it have to be done now? (how urgent is it?)
When can I schedule it in? (how busy am I?)

Best of luck,
Tom

 

[edfair]

Perhaps you could tell them to take it through your boss, not because you can't do it but because you have a timeline on another project that your boss wants completed, and he needs to priortize your work schedule.
This will at least get his attention to the fact that you are concerned with the interruptions. Bosses also have the ability to moderate possibly unreasonable requests.


Ed Fair
Give the wrong symptoms, get the wrong solutions.

 

[LadySlinger]

Yes, as the others have stated, this needs to get brought to your boss' attention.

If he can't make the changes needed (which he can I'm sure) then prioritize. If its something quick and simple, do it then. If the project is time consuming, one entire day, then begin in the afternoon after working on your boss's project.

I would also copy the managers explaining that due to an increase in workload for the IT Department response will happen slower than before.

Also by account managers, I take it that you mean sales people, not "accounting"? Even in ad agencies the sales people don't always come first. I've worked that environment and half the time they forget what they asked you for 20 minutes ago.

 

[AlexCuse]

I've worked that environment and half the time they forget what they asked you for 20 minutes ago.

I hear that!

I just sent out an email to our entire account team, my boss, and the partners who oversee areas relevant to my job, politely stating that I will need 3 days notice on any new work orders, and that I would prefer if everyone would make more of an effort to use the work order application that I have created to submit (they have had this for months, but don't like to use it). We will see how it is received.

Thanks for the responses (and sympathy ;-) )

Alex

Ignorance of certain subjects is a great part of wisdom

 

[SQLBill]

Alex,

Between now and the deadline, how many hours a day will it REALLY take you to accomplish the project? 4 hours a day reasonable?

If so, go to the Boss and say, I need 4 hours a day uninterrupted to accomplish this by the deadline. I have a proposal that I would like your support with. For two hours in the morning (8-10), I will work on any other needs that are outstanding. From 10 to 12, I will work on the project. Lunch from 12 to 1, then again on the project from 1 to 3. The last 2 hours will be resolving any issues outstanding or that came in after 10 each day. That gives you 4 hours on the project and 4 hours working on other things.

-SQLBill

Posting advice: FAQ481-4875

 

[LadySlinger]

I hope you included something about "I need one days notice...NO EXCEPTIONS

 

[AlexCuse]

Didn't include that. Said I would try to turn around ASAP, but could not promise anything < 3 days.

So far nobody has bothered me, so maybe it is working? (or maybe they are out of BS for the moment).

SQLBill - probably more like six, because of the testing involved and the fact that I will be off from December 20th through 26th. I want to have it done and only in need of testing when I come back after christmas. I work around nine hours a day usually (ten minus tek-tips diversions), so your plan could still work. The problem is, the two hours in the morning are already gone. Maybe I can get him to handle the easier requests though when he gets back.


I have had two blissful hours so far to work on it today, and managed to get a fair piece done, despite the fact that said boss is out of town, but before he left was kind enough to destroy one of our reporting databases (that I needed to use for monthly reports going out today). Luckily I had a backup copy that he doesn't know about, and was able to copy the reports into there and run them without a hitch

Thanks all for the support! It is hard to be the only programmer/bootleg dba that a company has. If it wasn't for the sympathetic ears (eyes?) on here, I think I would lose my mind.

I will let you know how things turn out.

Alex

Ignorance of certain subjects is a great part of wisdom

 

[SQLBill]

One other thing, for reasons somewhat similar to yours, I 'sat my boss down' one day and had this conversation.

Me: Boss, people are tasking me with stuff ad-hoc daily. I don't mind helping people, and I know this is my job. However, because they come directly to me and it's verbal, YOU don't always know what all I'm doing. This is making it difficult when I have deadlines from you. What do I ignore or delay? If I delay someone else's task because I'm working on yours, they complain to you that I'm not helping them. Then the complaint rolls down to me, because you aren't aware of everything I might be doing. The solution, as I see it, is that all requests go through you. You approve which get passed to me and which get delayed.

That ended up working wonders for me. People all of a sudden had to support why they needed it done when they said they did. And I was always able to go back to my boss and say "well you knew I was on this project".

In my current job, we have a SQL Server DBA meeting with our Operations Manager once a week. We brief her on everything we have going on for that day and the coming week. All changes/updates have to go through a formal change request, it's company policy.

-SQLBill

Posting advice: FAQ481-4875

 

[AlexCuse]

Thanks again, SQLBill!

We just hired a COO, and he is pretty disgusted by the way things are going here (as far as interdepartmental communication is concerned). I can't wait for my meeting with him

I will pass your advice on to him (and boss) as well.

Ignorance of certain subjects is a great part of wisdom

 

[LadySlinger]

Also as another idea, begin to push back on them if they come to you with a verbal request if you want the documentation process to start going. Maybe respond something like:
"I've been so busy lately that if I don't receive the work order request, I tend to forget about it. Please fill out the work order request to make sure that I don't forget"

If its truely that important to them, they'll sit back down at their desk and fill out that work order.

 

[philhege]

We try to make it as easy as possible for our internal customers to use our help and support system. Everyone who logs in gets a shortcut to the system in their applications folder. Our manager puts out periodic "All Users" emails, reminding them of the need to use the system, and referring them to our departmental service level agreement if they have any questions.

We still get the ad-hoc drop-by people, but a courteous "Have you filled out a work request?" usually sends them on their way.

The key to cooperation was having the executive management team's buy-in on our service level agreement and help/support process. The word got out fairly quickly that this is the right way to do business, especially if they expect their approved projects to be done on time.

Phil Hegedusich
Senior Programmer/Analyst
IIMAK

http://www.iimak.com

-----------
I'll have the roast duck with the mango salsa.

 

[AlexCuse]

Phil-

I think that is the key as well. Executive Management orders carry a lot more weight than my own, or my boss's. We have the partner who oversees our particular area on board, so it is probably only a matter of time before she convinces the others. Thanks for the ideas though.

And as I always say to myself when I read your signature, "I don't have much of an appetite, thanks".

Alex

Ignorance of certain subjects is a great part of wisdom

 

[aarenot]

here is a practiced response.


when you get a verbal/adhoc request, stop what you are doing. ask the person to follow you to their desk, then ask them to close all applications on their desktop before you begin. tell them you can come right back if they need time, then when all apps closed, open the wo form. start asking them the questions on the form, and type it in as they respond. ask all the questions, not skipping a single one, and get as much detail of any issue as possible.

also, explain to them that all projects and requests are prioritized through your work order proccess, even emergency escalations of response. let them know that you are taking the time to help them submit the request because you understand how important, and critical a quick turn around is on this project, and that detailed information is critical to the success of the response.

also, having them then reboot their desktop before doing anything else after you complete the wo is a good one as well.

ok, this is a demonstration of absudity by being absurd to some degree. making the end around more work than going through channels is a great way to lessen the end around. also, presenting yourself in a helpful, accomodating attitude by someone trapped in the system that is set up is good too.

the best thing is that you still follow the procedure that is in place even if they end around to you before proceeding because you are required to follow procedures.

do not take all of this literaly, but make sure it is not laziness causing the end around by making it more work than going through channels as much as possible. now if the buidling is on fire, or the issue is a real emergency, get right to it.