4 ms·

I heard something recently from a colleague about one of these NHS systems. The consultants that were brought in advocated that the system be written in COBOL a

by acg 16y ago

I heard something recently from a colleague about one of these NHS systems. The consultants that were brought in advocated that the system be written in COBOL and with similar technology. Whether this is true or not it. It would be easy to imagine that the wrong technology decisions can be made to make the work roll on for years. With the way the world works now, much of these systems could be put together from fixed priced components built under tender.

ThomPete 16y ago
Chosen framework certainly is a major problem but even bigger. Unrealistic scoping of the project. Most governments believe that they can simply will a successful solution into existence. Instead of thinking how they would like the system to be used they should think about how to get to a point where the system is used and then expand from there. What a wonderful world it would be if they actually learned to think like entrepreneurs. Start simple, stay simple Add as the needs arise Don't do everything that is possible only what is necessary Think how not what Make it for the actual citizens rather than for some political goal. And for @#((@# sake. Lets get all the data available, yesterday!
- gaius 16y ago
  It is also a problem of self-identifying politically as a "progressive". They kinda have to go for anything that's shiny and new. Whereas conservatives (note the small c) say if it ain't broke, don't fix it. In the specific case of healthcare, look at Matrons on the wards. Yes it reeked of old-fashioned attitudes, but the Matrons ran a tight ship. Now we have outsourced cleaners with the lowest bid and MRSA epidemics. All because New Labour wanted to sweep the 1950s under the carpet.
  - acg 16y ago
    I'm not sure that New Labour really identified themselves with being progressive until they felt they needed to attract would-be liberal voters. Labour might have had some progressive policies but was supposed to be a blend I thought: hence the "Third Way". I found that Labour took an utterly unprincipled bid for power at the end, dropping many of the principles on which they were elected while simultaneously accusing the other parties of the same. What an irony labour spokespeople accusing the liberals of having no principles, when the Liberals are the true progressives. The cynical way that the public has been mislead is unbelievable. The public ought to be treated like shareholder, instead they were treated like fools. Expenses is not the only reason for loss of faith.

by acg 16y ago

ThomPete 16y ago

Chosen framework certainly is a major problem but even bigger. Unrealistic scoping of the project. Most governments believe that they can simply will a successful solution into existence. Instead of thinking how they would like the system to be used they should think about how to get to a point where the system is used and then expand from there. What a wonderful world it would be if they actually learned to think like entrepreneurs. Start simple, stay simple Add as the needs arise Don't do everything that is possible only what is necessary Think how not what Make it for the actual citizens rather than for some political goal. And for @#((@# sake. Lets get all the data available, yesterday!

gaius 16y ago
It is also a problem of self-identifying politically as a "progressive". They kinda have to go for anything that's shiny and new. Whereas conservatives (note the small c) say if it ain't broke, don't fix it. In the specific case of healthcare, look at Matrons on the wards. Yes it reeked of old-fashioned attitudes, but the Matrons ran a tight ship. Now we have outsourced cleaners with the lowest bid and MRSA epidemics. All because New Labour wanted to sweep the 1950s under the carpet.
- acg 16y ago
  I'm not sure that New Labour really identified themselves with being progressive until they felt they needed to attract would-be liberal voters. Labour might have had some progressive policies but was supposed to be a blend I thought: hence the "Third Way". I found that Labour took an utterly unprincipled bid for power at the end, dropping many of the principles on which they were elected while simultaneously accusing the other parties of the same. What an irony labour spokespeople accusing the liberals of having no principles, when the Liberals are the true progressives. The cynical way that the public has been mislead is unbelievable. The public ought to be treated like shareholder, instead they were treated like fools. Expenses is not the only reason for loss of faith.