Where to begin?

I need an approach.  So I’m going back to my training – systems analysis and auditing.   Top down planning?  Bottom up?  Inside out?    (Dull, probably.)

Systems Design says you have to meet the business need and have a plan.   Then maybe you start talking Waterfall vs. Agile.  (You’re not a ‘systems’ person?  …No need to worry about the terms.  No need to worry about the plan.  Everyone knows the developers in India are already coding the solution…)

Auditing says you need A POLICY, followed by standards, guidelines and procedures all agreeing with the relevant regulation indicated by a string of government generated numbers.

Eighth grade science says you need a hypothesis. 

SYSTEMS APPROACH

• Business need?  No problem there…”I need to find job listings that will match my skills.” 

• The plan: ….well, that’s a little tougher.   Basically, “ I assume that you should be able to drill down on some methods of tackling the Job Boards to optimize the jobs that are coming up in the search.”   ( ….and I’m beginning to see why the coders start off early – the requirements are a bit fuzzy.)

AUDIT APPROACH:

• A Policy?  The top is easy… “The business (me) WILL make money”  

• Standards, again pretty easy…”The optimum job listing will produce jobs which meet my qualifications and lead to employment.”   Note:  This relates back to the policy.  (No wonder everyone wants to be the CEO – you get big bucks for stating the obvious!)  

• Now down to the more difficult – Guidelines…”You start with the big boards and then, using what you find,  see if works on the smaller and company boards.” 

• Then on to procedures………….oh, help!

BACK TO THE EIGHTH GRADE:

• Hypothesis?  “There is a better way to approach the Job Boards.“  No, that won’t do…too vague for scientific testing.   (Aggghhhh!)

So what now?   Think about it!  Use the ‘sandbox’ approach familiar to every three year old – “Get in there and get your hands dirty.”