{"product_id":"wrench-in-the-system-isbn-9780470413432","title":"Wrench in the System","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eWRENCH IN THE SYSTEM\u003c\/b\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eWhy business software doesn't work—and how to fix it\u003c\/b\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eEvery year, businesses waste billions of dollars on information technology that doesn't communicate clearly with the people who use it. This fundamental flaw causes errors and delays, lowers profits, and can even endanger lives. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn this groundbreaking book, technology designer Harold Hambrose shows executives and managers how to turn underperforming digital assets into powerhouse systems—how to specify small changes that dramatically boost productivity, how to reduce training costs, and how to ask vendors the right questions. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eWrench in the System\u003c\/i\u003e reveals: \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eWhy so many of our essential software systems are needlessly confusing\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003eHow to make low-cost changes that provide direct, measurable benefits\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003eThe hidden costs of forcing people to adapt to clumsy electronic tools\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003eThe secrets of matching software to the needs of the company\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003eHow to leverage the power of technology for innovation\u003c\/li\u003e \u003c\/ul\u003e \u003cp\u003eInformation technology is still in its adolescence, and Hambrose explains that because the industry has grown so quickly, it's still in an awkward phase. Software manufacturers have been in such a rush to add new features that they haven't paid enough attention to the human beings who use their products. Most software systems are built to fulfill business requirements and technical specifications, but often they fail to meet expectations because they aren't designed to anticipate human needs. As a result, much of our most powerful business software is ineffective and underutilized. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWith compelling case histories and an engaging narrative, Hambrose exposes popular nonsense about software systems and shows how to evaluate them and measure their performance just as we do every other product. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis timely book by an industry insider tells decision makers what they need to know to un-lock the full potential of one of their biggest business investments. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eForeword \u003ci\u003eDan Boyarski\u003c\/i\u003e xi\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003ePreface the Invisible Edge xv\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eAcknowledgments xxiii\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eOne IT’S JUST A PRODUCT! 1\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe World’s Biggest Lemons 2\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe Checklist 4\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eFailure to Communicate 5\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eBehind the Hype 9\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe Wrench on the Front Seat 11\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eInventing an Experience 13\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eDesigned to Disappear 18\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eJust What We Need 20\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eTwo DESIGN TO DELIGHT 23\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe Emperor’s New Enterprise System 25\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eSoftware’s Missing Feature 29\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eWho’s the Customer? 31\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eSecurity Solutions: A Better Set of Keys 33\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eNavigating Notre Dame 37\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eCommunicating by Design 39\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eTeaching Etiquette to an ATM 44\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe Human Factor 49\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eForm, Function, and Spirit 50\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eThree SPECIFY INNOVATION 53\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eStranded at Heathrow 53\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eDon’t Blame Technology 54\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe Transparent Dashboard 57\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eWhen Green Means STOP 59\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eListening to the Receiver 60\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e“People Are Different” 62\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eRemoving Roadblocks 64\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eEasy as Pie: The Tale of a Tool 66\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eWhat We Need to Know 69\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eFour CONSIDER THE CONSEQUENCES 71\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eLessons from the Underground 72\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe Workaround Wizard 75\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eContinuous Education 77\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eBuilding on Assumptions 81\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eSprinting toward Second-Rate 86\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eAutomating the Status Quo 90\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eFrozen in the ICU 92\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eFive THE RIGHT TEAM 97\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eDesigning a New Experience 99\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe Science of Common Sense 102\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eA Tendency to Crash 104\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eDesigners and the Art of Interpretation 106\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eLooking at a Project from Every Angle 108\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe Other Customers 112\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eAnalyzing the Workflow 116\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eWhat Your Staff Won’t Tell You 118\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eA Powerful Partnership 120\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eSix FIND OUT WHAT YOU REALLY NEED 121\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe Correct Definition 123\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eMissed Information and Lost Limbs 126\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eBeyond Technology 127\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eMeaningful Information 131\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eA Shortcut through the Warehouse 135\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eA Common Language 137\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eHobos and Hieroglyphs 138\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eAn Accurate Translation 140\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eBeautiful Data 141\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eWhat Business Hasn’t Even Thought Of 142\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eChanneling Rivers of Energy 146\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eSeven BELIEVE IT WHEN YOU SEE IT 149\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eWhen Prototype Becomes Product 151\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eEnvisioning the Chrysler Building 152\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe Hidden Costs of Guesswork 156\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eCharting a New Course 159\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eBreaking the Cycle of Failure 160\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eLeave Nothing to Interpretation 165\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eRethinking and Redrawing 170\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eSurvey the Landscape 172\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003ePicture It! 176\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eShowing Why 178\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eEight REFRESH THE SYSTEM 179\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eFind Out How They Really Feel 180\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eCheck for Physical Evidence 183\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eMake Sure That “Help” Is Helpful 184\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eWatch Your Language 186\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eRethink the Form 187\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eEliminate Clutter 187\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eConsider the Context 189\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eTake the Measure of the Problem 189\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eDefine Your Priorities 191\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eGet an Outside Opinion 192\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eNine YOUR NEXT SYSTEM 193\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eWhat Is This Thing? 194\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIs This What We Really Need? 194\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eA $100 Million Guinea Pig? 197\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eWill the Basic Model Do the Job? 199\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eWho Will Be Using It? 200\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eWhat’s It Like to Use? 203\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eAre the Information Displays Informative? 205\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eHow Clearly Does It Communicate? 205\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eHow Forgiving Is It? 206\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eHow Will It Support Our Brand? 207\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIs This Product Truly Innovative? 208\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eWhat Do Training and Change Management Really Mean? 211\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eWhat Real Information Does the Manufacturer Have about User Adoption and Effectiveness? 213\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eWhat about Those Service Contracts and Future Upgrades? 214\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eAppendix A Maximizing Your Design Resources 215\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eAppendix B Tough Questions for Consultants 219\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eNotes 223\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIllustration Credits 229\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIndex 233\u003c\/p\u003e  \"We pulled out a plum in this terrific book by the founder of a US-based design agency examining the vexed question of why business software tends to disappoint.  \u003cp\u003eIt’s a question that most of us have given up trying to answer. Because the wrong supplier got chosen? Because IT has no idea about business? Because business has no idea about IT? Because the wording of the RFP was bad? Because things changed partway through the selection or development process? Who knows, so we shrug and creep from project hell to the new world…of what also turns out to be project hell.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eAll of these attempted answers have some validity but it’s rare for a writer to come up with such a cogent, trenchant polemic as Hambrose manages here. As you might expect, Hambrose focuses on software design, suggesting that software given to users all too often fails to reflect the way they work or want to work. So it falls into disuse, is detested, or management comes up with some spurious justification for the enormous amount of money invested in it.\"\u003cbr\u003e —\u003cb\u003eMartin Veitch\u003c\/b\u003e, \u003ci\u003eCIO Magazine\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eHAROLD HAMBROSE\u003c\/b\u003e is the CEO and founder of Electronic Ink, a design consultancy he established in 1990. His company has transformed the operations of many Fortune 500 companies by showing them new ways to collaborate, innovate, and design low-cost solutions to some of their most expensive problems. His clients include British Petroleum, Comcast, Research In Motion, McDonald's, and dozens of other industry leaders, nonprofit organizations, and govern-ment agencies. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eElectronic Ink is based in Philadelphia and has offices in Chicago, Raleigh-Durham, and London.   \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eWRENCH IN THE SYSTEM\u003c\/b\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eWhy business software doesn't work—and how to fix it\u003c\/b\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eEvery year, businesses waste billions of dollars on information technology that doesn't communicate clearly with the people who use it. This fundamental flaw causes errors and delays, lowers profits, and can even endanger lives. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn this groundbreaking book, technology designer Harold Hambrose shows executives and managers how to turn underperforming digital assets into powerhouse systems—how to specify small changes that dramatically boost productivity, how to reduce training costs, and how to ask vendors the right questions. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eWrench in the System\u003c\/i\u003e reveals: \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eWhy so many of our essential software systems are needlessly confusing\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003eHow to make low-cost changes that provide direct, measurable benefits\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003eThe hidden costs of forcing people to adapt to clumsy electronic tools\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003eThe secrets of matching software to the needs of the company\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003eHow to leverage the power of technology for innovation\u003c\/li\u003e \u003c\/ul\u003e \u003cp\u003eInformation technology is still in its adolescence, and Hambrose explains that because the industry has grown so quickly, it's still in an awkward phase. Software manufacturers have been in such a rush to add new features that they haven't paid enough attention to the human beings who use their products. Most software systems are built to fulfill business requirements and technical specifications, but often they fail to meet expectations because they aren't designed to anticipate human needs. As a result, much of our most powerful business software is ineffective and underutilized. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWith compelling case histories and an engaging narrative, Hambrose exposes popular nonsense about software systems and shows how to evaluate them and measure their performance just as we do every other product. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis timely book by an industry insider tells decision makers what they need to know to un-lock the full potential of one of their biggest business investments.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Wiley","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47990510125285,"sku":"NP9780470413432","price":50.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1842\/7735\/files\/9780470413432.jpg?v=1761788116","url":"https:\/\/k12savings.com\/es\/products\/wrench-in-the-system-isbn-9780470413432","provider":"K12savings","version":"1.0","type":"link"}