The Challenge of specifying what you want, how many IT projects make mistakes, and are like a wreck?

Mistakes in IT and Data Center projects occurs much too often, and part of the problem is people's difficulty in clearly communicating their requirements, and checking to make sure they were heard correctly.

It is difficult to get data center wrecks documented, but here are some Cakewrecks to illustrate the point.

The Problem With Phone Orders

January 23, 2009

[answering phone] "Cakey Cake Bakery, Jill speaking! How can I help you?"

"Hi, I need to order a cake for my boss. We have a photo of him playing golf that we'd like to put on it, though - can you do that?"

"Of course! Just bring the photo in on a USB drive and we'll print it out here."

"Great, I'll bring it by this afternoon."

Later...

"Hey, Jill, what am I putting on this cake?"

"Oh, check the counter; I left the jump drive out for you there."

[calling from the back room] "Really? This is what they want on the cake?"

"Yeah, the customer just brought it in."

"Okey dokey!"

Believe it or not, this is a TRUE story: Elisabeth R. worked at the office in question. Besides, how could I ever make up something this good?

...

The Cake That Started It All...

May 20, 2008

"...And underneath that, write 'We will miss you'. Got it?"

Oh yeah, they got it.

...

Sorry, You Can't Have Any

October 11, 2008

I guess you'll have to make do with just the roses, Jessica P.

And for one that applies to hiding mistakes.

This Made Me Laugh 'Til I Cried

May 29, 2008

So I was putzin' around on google image search, looking at cakes, of course, when I stumbled across this picture:

Which, you know, made me kind of curious.

So I went to the originating site of the photo and read the corresponding blog post. It's written by Scott of Basic Instructions, which you should definitely check out sometime. Anyway, by the time I finished reading his post I was crying with laughter, and I knew I could not post his cake photo without the whole story attached. I e-mailed him and got his permission, and so without further ado, here it is:

"I had a day job as an office manager for the Seattle office of an international firm. We found out that one of our employees was transferring to one of our offices in China. When one of our people would leave, we usually had a little wing-ding with drinks and cake on the departing employee's last Thursday in the office, so on Tuesday it fell to me to fax a cake order into our nearest Costco Bakery.

I should point out that on that day I had a headache so bad that it hurt to move my eyes. Ordering the cake was the last thing I did before I went home sick for the afternoon. As I filled out the order form, I realized that in addition to the personalized message ("Good Luck in China," in this case) we could also get a large decoration for no extra charge. I looked at the options and none of them were appropriate. They were all things like teddy bears, balloons, or race cars. Crap, in other words. I figured if none of them were appropriate, I might as well get something that made no sense whatsoever.

I put a check mark next to the word "Fireman."

The next morning (Wednesday), lying in bed just before getting up, my mind wandered over the previous day and all the things I had accomplished. My eyes snapped open as I thought, "What did I do!? Why did I order a fireman? That makes no sense!!! I'm going to look like an idiot!"

I went to work, intent on calling the Costco as soon as they opened and stopping the cake before it started. I still had a day before I was supposed to pick it up. I figured that should be plenty of time. After some effort, I got hold of the bakery manager, only to be told that the cake had already been made. It was too late. I figured I'd just have to stand up straight and take it like a man.

My wife and I went to Costco to pick up the cake. When I got to the bakery, this is what was waiting for me.

(see above picture)

Making the hose flesh-toned had been a very bad move.

At first all I could do was blink at it and wonder, "Am I the only one who sees a giant wang?" I looked at my wife. She was blinking at the cake. An awkward silence and a few stammered sentences later we established that we both saw the same thing. A fireman holding an immense, dripping wang.

I could not serve this cake to my coworkers.

My first thought was that I would just absorb the cost of a second cake and pretend this never happened. Then I thought, "Wait a minute! This is not an erotic bakery! This is Costco! I should be able to order any stupid cake I want and be confident that it will not be sexually charged."

While at the checkout line I found a Costco employee to complain to, and showed him the cake. He blinked at it. I told him I was uncomfortable serving this cake at a place of business, and he started laughing and looking relieved.

Here’s what I came to realize about the cake. The obscene image was just obvious enough that you can't help but recognize it, but also obviously innocent enough that you don't want to say anything for fear that you're the only one who sees it.

Soon I was surrounded by several Costco employees who were looking at the cake and laughing. They explained that they had a new cake decorator who was a deeply religious woman from a foreign country, as if that explained everything. At one point while we were hammering out a settlement a woman happened by, caught a glimpse of the cake, covered her mouth and gasped. Good stuff."

California environmentalist sue to block Solar Farm, $1.8 billion 399MW project

It's kind of hard to get renewable energy, especially when various groups block projects based on the environmental impact.  It is really hard tto have zero environmental impact.  An example of the problem is in the SJ Mercury news article about a solar project facing a court battle.

Huge San Benito County solar farm proposal has its day in court

By Paul Rogers

progers@mercurynews.com

Developer PV2 Energy of San Francisco is proposing to build a 399-megawatt solar farm over 3,200...

A proposal to build one of the world's largest solar farms south of Silicon Valley had its day in court Monday as a long-simmering battle between the Bay Area investors supporting the project and environmentalists who say it will harm wildlife finally came before a judge.

At the center of the debate is a $1.8 billion, 399-megawatt solar farm proposed for Panoche Valley, an arid expanse of rangeland and barbed wire 50 miles southeast of Hollister. Last year, the San Benito County Board of Supervisors voted to approve the project, saying it would make rustic San Benito County -- known more for its cattle and condors than computer chips -- a national center of clean energy.

What is the problem?  The environmentalist think this is the wrong place to put solar farm.

Society, the Sierra Club and a group of local residents known as Save Panoche Valley sued to block it, claiming the 4 million solar panels that would be constructed across the roughly 3,200 acres west of Interstate-5 would harm endangered species and disrupt the rural character of the area.

"Solar obviously is very critical. No one disputes the necessity for solar energy," said Rose Zoia of Santa Rosa, the attorney representing the three environmental groups, during oral arguments. "The issue here is that it is improper on this site."

This problem is occurring at other California projects.

The case is symbolic of a recent trend across California and other parts of the nation. As concerns over global warming have grown and with it, government and private funding for huge solar and wind projects, the main opponents have often been environmental groups. The issue has split the environmental movement. Some conservationists argue that they need to change their approach while others stick to the lawsuits they have traditionally used to block logging, mining and development.

Last month, for example, California Gov. Jerry Brown filed a brief asking a federal court to deny a request by an environmental group seeking an injunction to stop a $2.2 billion solar power project in the Mojave Desert. The Western Watersheds Project wants to stop construction of the 370-megawatt Ivanpah project because of desert tortoises at the site.

Three Tips for a Smarter City project, IBM's Justin Cook shares insights working on Portland modeling project

I got a chance to talk to IBM's Justin Cook, Program Director, System Dynamics for Smarter Cities about IBM's press release for the Smarter Cities Portland project. 

IBM and City of Portland Collaborate to Build a Smarter City

Portland, Oregon, USA - 09 Aug 2011: To better understand the dynamic behavior of cities, the City of Portland and IBM (NYSE: IBM) have collaborated to develop an interactive model of the relationships that exist among the city's core systems, including the economy, housing, education, public safety, transportation, healthcare/wellness, government services and utilities. The resulting computer simulation allowed Portland's leaders to see how city systems work together, and in turn identify opportunities to become a smarter city. The model was built to support the development of metrics for the Portland Plan, the City's roadmap for the next 25 years.

I've got friends in Portland, so I appreciate the unique environment Portland has.  Here is what IBM discusses as when and why Portland was chose for the Smarter City project.

IBM approached the City of Portland in late 2009, attracted by the City's reputation for pioneering efforts in long-range urban planning. To kick off the project, in April of 2010 IBM facilitated sessions with over 75 Portland-area subject matter experts in a wide variety of fields to learn about system interconnection points in Portland. Later, with help from researchers at Portland State University and systems software company Forio Business Simulations, the City and IBM collected approximately 10 years of historical data from across the city to support the model. The year-long project resulted in a computer model of Portland as an interconnected system that provides planners at the Portland Bureau of Planning and Sustainability with an interactive visual model that allows them to navigate and test changes in the City's systems.

In talking to Justin, I asked him what Tips he had for implementing this complex project.  Here are three tips Justin shared with me.

1. Discuss the relationships of the groups to understand their perspectives and views.  This data will help you understand the semantics of information that helps you build a model.   There were 75 subject matter experts and multiple organizations involved in discussing initiatives for Portland's Plan.  Below is a view of one dashboard showing various metrics that get you thinking beyond an individual department's view.
2. Assumptions are openly documented to let others know inputs into the models.  Below is an example of bike lanes.
3. Trade-off between transparency and complexity where a simpler approach is easier to understand, therefore appears more transparent.  Justin shared that IBM's system dynamics team had 7,000 questions identified in a smarter city modeling project.

IBM is working with other cities to apply the lessons learned in Portland.

This collaboration with the City of Portland has also proven valuable for IBM.  IBM is applying its experience and modeling capabilities developed in this collaboration with the City of Portland to create offerings that will help other cities leverage systems dynamics modeling capabilities to enhance their city strategic planning efforts. Based upon IBM's experience in working with and conducting assessments of cities around the world, they've found that strategic planning in many cities is still being done in stovepipes without a holistic view of impacts/consequences across systems. By leveraging systems dynamics modeling techniques, IBM will be able to help other cities plan "smarter".

In closing Justin and I discussed the potential for projects that affect multiple city metrics and multiple city organizations to see in the model how ideas like more walking & biking lanes can address obesity, getting people out of cars which then reduces the carbon footprint of the city.  Bet you didn't think that addressing obesity could fit in a carbon reduction strategy.  IBM and Portland see the relationships in this and many other areas.

How valuable is the IBM Smarter City model?  We'll see some of the first results from Portland.

ABRY Partners and Berkshire Partners acquire Telx from GI Partners

Last week a friend asked who was acquiring Telx.  I told him I didn't know but, I found the tweet on Telx being acquired and posted the question.

Who is acquiring Telx?

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 3, 2011 AT 8:44AM

Found this Tweet.

Well, here is the press release with the answer.

The Telx Group Acquired by ABRY Partners and Berkshire Partners

GI Partners Sells Leading Colocation and Interconnection Company to Two Boston-Based Investment Firms

August 8, 2011 9:30 AM EDT

MENLO PARK, CA and BOSTON, MA -- (MARKET WIRE) -- 08/08/11 -- GI Partners ("GI"), a leading mid-market private investment firm, announced today the sale of its portfolio company, The Telx Group, Inc. ("Telx"), one of the fastest growing providers of global interconnection and colocation facilities, to ABRY Partners and Berkshire Partners LLC, two Boston-based investment firms. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Telx facilities serve over 900 customers with approximately 34,000 interconnections, and customers can connect with hundreds of communication service providers, enterprises and cloud providers in Telx facilities. The company was acquired by GI Partners in 2006 and, under the investment firm's nearly five-year stewardship, Telx achieved considerable organic growth in its existing markets and also dramatically improved its competitive position as a result of key add-on acquisitions. The company has since developed a national footprint of 15 locations starting from two facilities at the time of acquisition. GI Partners also significantly expanded the management team with the appointment of industry veteran Eric Shepcaro as CEO, in addition to several other senior positions. As a result of these and other initiatives, Telx achieved dramatic sales and EBITDA gains, including topline growth of over 40% throughout the hold period despite the recession, landing on the Inc. 5000 list two consecutive years in a row and earning a nod from Red Herring as a Top 100 North American Company.

Wall to remember a bad 1st experiment, Japanese American Internment logistics, shipping 276 to prison

Both of my parents were in Internment Camps during WWII, along with many of my Aunts and Uncles when they were all children.

"Most of the 110,000 persons removed for reasons of 'national security' were school-age children, infants and young adults not yet of voting age."
- "Years of Infamy", Michi Weglyn

...

These Japanese Americans, half of whom were children, were incarcerated for up to 4 years, without due process of law or any factual basis, in bleak, remote camps surrounded by barbed wire and armed guards.

...

Rather, the causes for this unprecedented action in American history, according to the Commission on Wartime Relocation and Internment of Civilians, "were motivated largely by racial prejudice, wartime hysteria, and a failure of political leadership."

On Aug 6, 2011 The NYTimes writes about a new Wall was dedicated on Bainbridge Island.

A Wall to Remember an Era’s First Exiles

Matthew Ryan Williams for The New York Times

Holly Wilson visited a newly completed memorial on Bainbridge Island, a cedar and stone wall dedicated to its residents' World War II experience. More Photos »

By KATHARINE Q. SEELYE

Published: August 5, 2011

BAINBRIDGE ISLAND, Wash. — Frank Kitamoto was only 2 when he and his family — and more than 270 others of Japanese ancestry — were forcibly removed from this forested island and sent to an internment camp after Japan bombed Pearl Harbor in World War II. Mr. Kitamoto, now 72, said he spent many of his younger years in a severe identity crisis, ashamed of his Japanese heritage and wishing he were white. Other young men went so far as to have plastic surgery to disguise their Japanese features. Some committed suicide.

Bainbridge Island was the 1st experiment to figure out the logistics of shipping hundreds of people, 2/3 US citizens to prison for having Japanese ancestry as a crime.

Associated Press

Japanese-American residents of Bainbridge Island, Washington, boarded a ferry to Seattle. From there, they were transferred to a camp in California. The government chose Bainbridge Island as its test run for mass evacuations. More Photos »

“As a kid, I thought this was the land of equality and freedom, and so this couldn’t be happening because of discrimination,” Mr. Kitamoto, who became a dentist, said the other day in his office, where one wall is covered with photos from that era. “So I thought it was because there was something wrong with me, that I was a bad person.”

One of the most famous photographs from this experiment is a mother with her 13 month old daughter taken by the SeattleTimes.

Everywhere she went, Kayo Natalie Hayashida Ong, now 70, was greeted over and again with delight and recognition as "the baby!"

An iconic photograph of her at age 1, asleep in her mother's arms as her family was forcibly removed from their Bainbridge Island home during World War II, became one of the best-known symbols of a dark period in American history.

MUSEUM OF HISTORY AND INDUSTRY /

Fumiko Hayashida, then 31, carries her daughter Natalie, 1, to the Bainbridge ferry and exile.

If my daughter had been born 70 years ago, she would be amongst the other 1 year olds who were a threat to US security.

At the time, Executive Order 9066 was justified as a "military necessity" to protect against domestic espionage and sabotage. However, it was later documented that "our government had in its possession proof that not one Japanese American, citizen or not, had engaged in espionage, not one had committed any act of sabotage." (Michi Weglyn, 1976).

There was one loan voice in the USA who spoke through the media, a Bainbridge publication.

Two months before Pearl Harbor, Walt and Milly Woodward pledged in a front page editorial to "always strive to speak the truth, unafraid, whether it be on a national issue or something purely local." In 1940, the young couple–barely thirty–had purchased the weekly Bainbridge Review, a chatty conveyor of neighborhood gossip. A year later, when the U.S. entered WWII, the couple had transformed the Review into a respected community paper full of current, factual news, and an editorial page that drew national attention.
The day after Pearl Harbor, Milly and Walt Woodward warned, "There is the danger of a blind, wild hysterical hatred of all persons who can trace ancestry to Japan. That some of those persons happen to be American citizens...easily could be swept aside by mob hysteria." Urging Islanders to remain calm, the Woodwards continued, " The Review says this: These Japanese Americans of ours haven't bombed anybody...They have given every indication of loyalty to this nation. They have sent...their own sons–six of them–into the United States Army."
The Woodwards continued, throughout the war, to speak against the constitutional violations inherent in E.O. 9066. The tiny Bainbridge Review has been singled out nationally as the lone newspaper to take such a stand. Also, in an attempt to report accurately on Islanders' lives, Milly and Walt Woodward hired high school students to report from Manzanar and, later, Minidoka on the daily events in the exiles' lives. Thus Islanders could keep track of each other. Perhaps as a result of that, 150 of the 272 exiled Islanders returned to Bainbridge, a greater percentage than most communities.

I don't think my children could understand why grandma and grandpa were in prison.  Which is why the Bainbridge wall is dedicated with these words.

Nidoto Nai Yoni, translated as

"Let It Not Happen Again"

is the motto and mission of the Nikkei Exclusion Memorial.