The CTO Project

While applying for my position here and during my first few weeks, I kept a running document noting all the weirdness I saw, or stuff that seemed weird to me. I reviewed it with my staff and will share a draft with my boss as well. I thought this list might amuse you–consider how your organization might appear to an outsider? And my final version will add some plusses as well.

Here goes:

1. Human Resources:

• Be careful of using proprietary formats in public materials, e.g. benefits statement was sent in MS Publisher.
• Why the paper job application? Couldn’t this be a form you could cut and paste resume info into?
• Time sheets? Why not a form that interfaces with payroll? Or at least a spreadsheet.

2. “Getting into the system”—what does this mean? I had an administrative account and an email months before I could get a photo ID—this took almost 5 days after I started

3. Website: In general, www.collegenamehere.edu seems slow and unavailable with disturbing frequency. Web pages shouldn’t have URLs like http://www.collegenamhere.edu/x482.xml

4. Computing:

• It would have been nice to have an introduction to computing here, with a review of the mapped drives I should be able to access as well as an overview of the administrative and academic networks. Have a 1-1 session with each new staff or faculty in his/her office?
• IT staff should be able to provide a big picture of how information is shared logically.
• Why did my computer have SSH and SFTP on the desktop if there aren’t computers I can ssh into?
• Do we really want the Google search bar as part of the default install?
• Why couldn’t we choose our email alias? Why does this have to be first initial, last name? This doesn’t scale and doesn’t promote the intimacy we claim our community offers.
• Password changes seem onerous and a little “old school” in the approach to security.
• Don’t assume everyone knows how to use Outlook.