The project if off and running, the bulk of my preimplementation tasks have now been done and we only have the implementation tomorrow and the bit after that to do. One of my preimplementation tasks was to clear down the test data from the new server, I was provided with very specific instructions by the team – these instructions number six and number seven on the plan! (You’ll please note that this adds up to thirteen!) Were executed and off went my first task, it only took a few seconds to find out that there were still people using this data. But by then it was too late, they weren’t using it any more. I was in fact trying to do several things at once , with out much luck I might add. The final part of the day was spent going over some more of the plan for tomorrow, this was my quiet time I thought then I was approached by one of the users and an hour later I still hadn’t accomplished anything!
Now when it comes to multi-tasking I’m quite happy to admit that it’s not one of a man’s strong points, unless it relates to drinking and watching TV or even eating and watching TV – however when all the tasks are written down and someone has taken the time to evaluate each of the tasks to see if the have to be done consecutively or can be done concurrently. It does seen to be an indication that the understanding of this person in regard to these systems may be lacking, when they give you the go ahead to delete the contents of the system at the same time as they are asking other people to correct problems on the system.
But then it’s possible that when it comes to Multi-Tasking for Muppets these people don’t even fully understand that. It wouldn’t have been so bad except one of the people working on the system was an other SA, one of the others is extremely pedantic and thorough – and he was close enough to my desk to find out what was happening. This resulted in a delay of about an hour, there is also the side effect of wanting to kill myself – this feeling didn’t go away until I got home and had a drink (no telly so no multi-tasking required). Still I did learn a bit about Muppet Multi-Tasking.