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Summary
Summary
WRENCH IN THE SYSTEM
Why business software doesn't work--and how to fix it
Every year, businesses waste billions of dollars on information technology that doesn't communicate clearly with the people who use it. This fundamental flaw causes errors and delays, lowers profits, and can even endanger lives.
In this groundbreaking book, technology designer Harold Hambrose shows executives and managers how to turn underperforming digital assets into powerhouse systems--how to specify small changes that dramatically boost productivity, how to reduce training costs, and how to ask vendors the right questions.
Wrench in the System reveals:
Why so many of our essential software systems are needlessly confusing How to make low-cost changes that provide direct, measurable benefits The hidden costs of forcing people to adapt to clumsy electronic tools The secrets of matching software to the needs of the company How to leverage the power of technology for innovationInformation technology is still in its adolescence, and Hambrose explains that because the industry has grown so quickly, it's still in an awkward phase. Software manufacturers have been in such a rush to add new features that they haven't paid enough attention to the human beings who use their products. Most software systems are built to fulfill business requirements and technical specifications, but often they fail to meet expectations because they aren't designed to anticipate human needs. As a result, much of our most powerful business software is ineffective and underutilized.
With compelling case histories and an engaging narrative, Hambrose exposes popular nonsense about software systems and shows how to evaluate them and measure their performance just as we do every other product.
This timely book by an industry insider tells decision makers what they need to know to un-lock the full potential of one of their biggest business investments.
Author Notes
HAROLD HAMBROSE is the CEO and founder of Electronic Ink, a design consultancy he established in 1990. His company has transformed the operations of many Fortune 500 companies by showing them new ways to collaborate, innovate, and design low-cost solutions to some of their most expensive problems. His clients include British Petroleum, Comcast, Research In Motion, McDonald's, and dozens of other industry leaders, nonprofit organizations, and govern-ment agencies.
Electronic Ink is based in Philadelphia and has offices in Chicago, Raleigh-Durham, and London.
Table of Contents
ForewordDan Boyarski |
Preface: An Invisible Edge |
Acknowledgments |
One It's Just A Product! |
The World's Biggest Lemons |
The Checklist |
Failure To Communicate |
Behind The Hype |
The Wrench On The Front Seat |
Inventing An Experience |
Designing The Invisible |
Just What We Need |
Two Design To Delight |
The Emperor's New Enterprise System |
Software's Missing Feature |
Who's The Customer? |
Security Solutions: A Better Set Of Keys |
Navigating Notre Dame |
Communicating By Design |
Teaching Etiquette To An ATM |
The Reality Check |
Form, Function, And Spirit |
Three Specify Innovation |
Stranded At Heathrow |
Don't Blame Technology |
The Transparent Dashboard |
When Green Means STOP |
Listening To The Receiver |
öPeople Are Differentö |
Removing Roadblocks |
Easy As Pie: The Tale Of A Tool |
What We Need To Know |
Four Consider The Consequences |
Lessons From The Underground |
The Workaround Wizard |
Continuous Education |
Building On Assumptions |
Sprinting Toward Second-Rate |
Automating The Status Quo |
Frozen In The ICU |
Five The Right Team |
Designing A New Experience |
The Science Of Common Sense |
A Tendency To Crash |
Designers And The Art Of Interpretation |
Looking At A Project From Every Angle |
Analyzing An Emergency |
The Other Customers |
What Your Staff Won't Tell You |
A Powerful Partnership |
Six Find Out What You Really Need |
The Correct Definition |
Missing Information And Lost Limbs |
Beyond Technology |
Meaningful Information |
A Shortcut Through The Warehouse |
A Common Language |
Hobos And Hieroglyphs |
An Accurate Translation |
Beautiful Data |
What Business Hasn't Even Thought Of |
Channeling Rivers Of Energy |
Seven Believe It When You See It |
When Prototype Becomes Product |
Envisioning The Chrysler Building |
The Hidden Costs Of Guesswork |
Modeling A Vision Of The Future |
Breaking The Cycle Of Failure |
Leave Nothing To Interpretation |
Rethinking And Redrawing |
Survey The Landscape |
Picture It! |
Showing Why |
Eight Restart The System |
Find Out How They Really Feel |
Check For Physical Evidence |
Define Your Priorities |
Make Sure That ôHelpö Is Helpful |
Watch Your Language |
Eliminate Clutter |
Consider The Context |
Rethink The Form |
Take The Measure Of The Problem |
Get An Outside Opinion |
Nine Your Next System |
What Is This Thing? |
Is This What We Really Need? |
A $100 Million Guinea Pig? |
Will The Basic Model Do The Job? |
Who Will Be Using It? |
WhatÆs It Like To Use? |
Are The Information Displays Informative? |
How Clearly Does It Communicate? |
How Forgiving Is It? |
How Will It Support Our Brand? |
Is This Product Truly Innovative? |
What Do Training And ôChange Managementö Really Mean? |
What Real Information Does The Manufacturer Have About User Adoption And Effectiveness? |
What About Those Service Contracts And Future Upgrades? |
Appendix A Maximizing Your Design Resources |
Appendix B Tough Questions For Consultants |
Notes |
Index |