Tech versus non-tech terms

There are times that when you are listening to a group of people have a discussion you may think that they are talking a foreign language, but they are speaking English, just that they are using terms that don’t seem to make sense in the conversation. In some of these cases, it isn’t the word or term that they are using, it’s how it is understood by everyone that is part of the conversation. I do know that a lot of technical people have what seems to be a secret language that they speak, and it can be very confusion for those that are not directly related to a particular expertise.

I have decided to try and decode some of the words that I have been hearing and how they can be misunderstood by those around us. Now let’s have some fun and see how one acronym or term can mean a lot of different things, and it all depends on who is listening to the conversation.

DC

• Direct current
• District of Columbia
• Domain controller
• Data centre

Backup

• Extra help or support
• Copy of a file
• A situation in which something is not moving
• Music that accompanies the main singer or tune

SAN

• Storage Area Network
• SANS institute

Farm

• A plot of land that grows crops and livestock
• A group of computer systems in one or more cabinets.

These are just four examples of how a word or acronym can have more than one meaning and when you are in a conversation with a bunch of people it can be very confusing to listen to a conversation. One important thing to remember is when you are writing an email, or a document, and you use any of these terms it is important to ensure that everyone that may read the email or document understands the correct meaning of the term. Be careful of prejudging what "Everyone" knows.

It is very important to know the audience that you are writing something because even if they are in a different area of Technology, they may have an entirely different meaning for the same term. So, a term can have a lot of different meanings, and understanding how to communicate to the various people in an organization is very important. It is the translating infosec into regular IT and IT into regular business terms that is vital for good communication.

Doc's or it didn't happen

On your job, how many times have you been asked for the documentation to back up your decision or your work? Well, here is why documentation is so important when it comes to work.

1. Provides guidance to someone else if you are unable to do the task, such as when you are on vacation or maybe just too busy to get everything done or no longer with the company.
2. Helps to provide why something is done in a specific way.
3. Provides the necessary steps in a process to ensure that a business can continue to operate.

What is funny about writing this is that so many individuals in IT don’t like writing documentation or even quick notes about why something is being done a specific way.  I normally get a very funny look when I say I love writing documentation. Yes, documentation can be a challenge to write, but in so many ways it is also enjoyable because you can help a department, or a business get the necessary notes down, so everyone is working the same way.

For various departments there are different needs for the documentation, but I do know that for IT departments it can the vital process that needs to be done if the servers are compromised or if there is damage to the equipment and how does the department get everything up and running again because downed servers mean people aren’t able to get work done and the business mission accomplished.

I have heard some say that “If I document what I do, it means that they can replace me easily, but if I don’t document stuff they need to keep me.” Well, that might sometimes work, but there are also the times that not documenting something can mean that you end up being a cost to the business, and you will be replaced. Knowing how to write the documents is also important because it can help others as well as yourself. If the document is good, you can even use it as a reference when you are doing a task that you don’t do frequently.

Docs or it didn’t happen is something that I have heard so often when talking to people, but these same people are the ones that don’t write the documentation. So, next time you are doing something think about the steps that you do and maybe make some notes even if it isn’t every step but at least it could remind you how to do something quickly or it could help someone else.

 Ultimately it is pic's, or it didn't happen, doc's or it isn't done

Why?

 

This is a question that I ask so often and the reason I do that is to get an answer that I think someone knows, but I am not certain, and/or make them think why .

As a documentor being able to ask someone why they are doing something in a specific way can help provide either an answer to that standard question or it might not. I have asked that question before and the answer I got back was “Because it’s how it’s always been done.” In some many jobs you are taught by someone how to do a specific task, and you will continue to do it that way because that is how you do it or at least that is how the other person did it. It is amazing when you can look at the specific task and take it apart step by step that you may find an easier way of doing something. For me, I will sit and listen to the person explain the task and make lots of notes and then see if there is an easier way to do that task and get

This is a question that I ask so often and the reason I do that is to get an answer that I think someone knows, but I am not certain.

As a documentor being able to ask someone why they are doing something in a specific way can help provide either an answer to that standard question or it might not. I have asked that question before and the answer I got back was “Because it’s how it’s always been done.” In some many jobs you are taught by someone how to do a specific task, and you will continue to do it that way because that is how you do it or at least that is how the other person did it. It is amazing when you can look at the specific task and take it apart step by step that you may find an easier way of doing something. For me, I will sit and listen to the person explain the task and make lots of notes, and then see if there is an easier way to do that task and get the same or even better results.

When you can ask that simple question of “Why do you …” it will make people think about why they are doing something and how they are doing it. It is a matter of sitting back and thinking about a process and how it might be done differently. Also asking the question, “Why?” can help with building the documentation, especially if there are specific steps that are required. In some jobs there are specific tasks/steps that must be performed and for a lot of people they just become routine, and they don’t think about them at all and sometimes can't remember the steps outside of doing the steps (autopilot isn't always the best).

Here are several different ways of asking questions that will give you different answers.

• Why do you do this specific step before another step?
• Why do you do have to take copies of the item so many times?
• Why does it work that way?
• Why can't you do it a different way?
  

It is always fun when you can sit back and think through a process and see ways to improve it, even if they are just small changes. Some of these small changes can make the process a lot easier to do and maybe even faster to accomplish.

Why, seems like such a simple word, but it can spark a conversation that will provide a lot of information. Yes, there are times when I may sound silly asking that question quite a few times, but the more detail I can get, the better documentation I can do. Sure, just watching a person do a job is one way to document it but understand the steps and why they are doing something is also a key part of understanding the job so that it can be documented.

So, next time you hear me ask “Why” understand that I am trying to make sure that you also know why you are doing a specific task a specific way.

Addressing training needs of a small business

There are so many times that we hear someone say that they don’t have time to work with their staff to get them up to speed on the various tasks that the individual needs to do. They are too busy doing their own job to show someone what the new hire or new promotion person needs to do. It is something that can be easily resolved that will save you time and energy in the long run.

One of the simple ways of making sure that the new person will feel comfortable with their job, is to ensure that there is enough information available to them. So that if/when they run into an issue, they can either know where to go to get the answers or be able to look up some of the common issues that arise. A simple method is to have some documentation available, so that the person can understand their job and what is expected of them. Sure, that might take a bit of time initially to get written up, but once it is done it is easier to keep it updated, and it's a reference for you as well. Trying to get this done when you are also trying to do your own job can be nearly impossible. Having someone that can assist you with that needs can solve a lot of problems of getting the initial documentation going.

Writing documentation, manuals and training notes is something that is available through Konecny Consulting. Let us work with you to figure out what your needs are and if we can assist you in making it easier to ensure everyone is trained and knows their job.

Ideas of things that we can assist with are:

• Quick tips
• Lesson plans for training
• Procedure manuals
• F.A.Q.’s
• Other documentation as requested.

These are just a few of the offerings that we have, so why not reach out to us and see if we can assist you in moving your training notes, etc. forward.