Moral Dilemma at work

[redmarvel]

I'm a programmer and I work for the Canadian division of an American company. The American Head Office is slowly transferring data from the system that I help maintain to another system that I do not have access to. Unfortunatly, I have to aid them in this process, by documenting what reports are currently in use and what they do.

Here's the dilemma, our users enter data into a miscellaneous screen. I have transferred that data to a file for the American office to load into the new system. The American programmer has told me they are not going to load that data because they believe they do not need it.

I'm fairly sure that there will be some report or other for which some of that data will be needed. Should I warn the people who enter and work that data that it will not be loaded, or should I just let it slide?

 

[Joker]

not your problem, f**k those people...besides, you dont get paid enough

 

[redmarvel]

besides, you dont get paid enough

- you're right about that.

 

[Badger]

If its wrong and you could take the fall for it, then I wouldn't stand for it. Or least make some documentation that this what 'so-and-so' said, if you have to listen to this guy.

 

[November Rain]

how hard is it going to be to inform those who need to be in the know?

you might as well clear your conscience and just send everyone an email, i mean no harm can come by it, those who aren't interested will simply delete it and you get the satisfaction of making sure everyone knows what's up and that you aren't responsible.

 

[twylight]

Warn them so at least in the future if they get upset you have a scapegoat to point to.

 

[redmarvel]

The only problem with the e-mail is wording it in such a way that none of the American programmers take offence:

For example:

Please note, when the data is transferred to the new system, anything that has currently been stored in the miscellaneous screen may not be available for use. If you have need of some piece of data in the miscellaneous screen please contact: American Programmer's Name and e-mail address

 

[kainedamo]

Email everyone. What's the big deal? I don't get where the dilemma is.

 

[guitarsingerguy]

Well, I'm a firm believer of minding your own business.

 

[twylight]

Well, I'm a firm believer of minding your own business.

I'm a firm believer of not having any blame put on me.

When it comes to issues like this, I cover all my bases so that nothing can be traced back to me.

 

[Erzengel]

I'm a firm believer on blaming on the foriegn guy who doesn't speak english well.

 

[Badger]

Well, I'm a firm believer of minding your own business.

If its your ass on the line directly or indirectly, then thats foolish philosophy.

Anytime something goes missing, data or whatever, and it turns out to be important; then someone is going to answer for it.

I'm firm believer in covering my ass, when it comes to how I make a living.

Anyway, is there a good reason the data shouldn't be transfered, or is it a matter of time?

 

[Badger]

I'm a firm believer on blaming on the foriegn guy who doesn't speak english well.

That works too! t:

 

[redmarvel]

The only "good" reason they have is the effort involved in mapping the fields. For example, on our system Last Payment Date is stored in field "10". They have to figure out if they have a last payment date field, which file they store it in and which field it is. If they don't have one then they have to figure out which file the want to add it to. This has to be done for 300+ fields, and some of the fields have such interesting names as "Additional Information", "Alternate Phone#", etc.

 

[redmarvel]

I'be protected my tushy by warning my supervisor and the American programmers. The question is should I warn the users?

 

[Daisy]

I'm a programmer and I work for the Canadian division of an American company. The American Head Office is slowly transferring data from the system that I help maintain to another system that I do not have access to. Unfortunatly, I have to aid them in this process, by documenting what reports are currently in use and what they do.

Here's the dilemma, our users enter data into a miscellaneous screen. I have transferred that data to a file for the American office to load into the new system. The American programmer has told me they are not going to load that data because they believe they do not need it.

I'm fairly sure that there will be some report or other for which some of that data will be needed. Should I warn the people who enter and work that data that it will not be loaded, or should I just let it slide?

Can you confirm that there is a report (or more than one report) that actually does call up data from the miscellaneous screen? If there is, bring it (them) and your concerns to the project lead.

Also, I don't know how your teams are formed, but is there a customer support person (some sort of stakeholder advocate) on your team? If so, bring it to their attention as well. They should be the one putting out the message not you.

I know that in our system if a programmer took it upon themselves to put out that kind of message to users they'd be trouble.

 

[November Rain]

I'm a firm believer on blaming on the foriegn guy who doesn't speak english well.

yo no good man you...

you naughty naugty. bad.



*gives universal language of the finger*

 

[redmarvel]

Can you confirm that there is a report (or more than one report) that actually does call up data from the miscellaneous screen? If there is, bring it (them) and your concerns to the project lead.

Also, I don't know how your teams are formed, but is there a customer support person (some sort of stakeholder advocate) on your team? If so, bring it to their attention as well. They should be the one putting out the message not you.

I know that in our system if a programmer took it upon themselves to put out that kind of message to users they'd be trouble.

Good idea Daisy,

I'll have to find the time to check the reports, there are literally hundreds of them. I tried asking the head of the department who's data is about to be moved which reports they use, the answer was vague to say the least.

We don't really have a "customer support person". There's the head of the programming department (who is in the States) and then there are the Support Desk personnel (who are other programmers like myself or are hardware techies and wouldn't have the faintest foggiest clue about the problem).

You're correct, I'm worried about the flack I would get if I take it on myself. However I'm also worried about the flack I will get if something goes missing.

 

[Badger]

I'be protected my tushy by warning my supervisor and the American programmers. The question is should I warn the users?

Well alrighty then , enough said. As far as the 'Users'; I would leave that decision to your supervisor, and let the resposiblity lie where it should.

 

[Daisy]

Good idea Daisy,

I'll have to find the time to check the reports, there are literally hundreds of them. I tried asking the head of the department who's data is about to be moved which reports they use, the answer was vague to say the least.

We don't really have a "customer support person". There's the head of the programming department (who is in the States) and then there are the Support Desk personnel (who are other programmers like myself or are hardware techies and wouldn't have the faintest foggiest clue about the problem).

You're correct, I'm worried about the flack I would get if I take it on myself. However I'm also worried about the flack I will get if something goes missing.

It sounds to me like the best idea is to alert your supervisor and the American programmers... in writing/e-mail so you have a record of doing so. If you can give them evidence that the data IS actually called in some reports that covers you even more, I'd say.

At my office, I'm on the CS team and am a regular touchpoint for users, and in a sitution like this, I wouldn't go ahead with that sort of message without approval. Basically, it's not my decision that the data is going to be dropped, therefore, it's not my responsibility to make the decision if, when and how users should be notified. I can only advise.

My advise would be notification, ahead of time, with a comment that if anyone had any concerns about the action to contact whoever is in charge to discuss them. That allows users who may be getting reports that include that data, or may be accessing that data to let the team know if and how they're using it. It may be that they put data there but don't really ever refer back to it (it happens, as I'm sure you know).