I need help reacting to something.

We have a website publication process that sometimes breaks. But our websites that are being pushed right now are incredibly time-sensitive. So we have a mitigation plan that if we can't publish via the app, we will do a "manual" file copy.

The first time we did a time-sensitive website, something broke. The business user said "Can we use the mitigation plan?" 'We' said no. We eventually fixed the problem, but the website was published considerably later than they'd planned, and they feel that they were not properly supported or taken seriously.

"Why didn't we have a mitigation plan?" my boss asks. This isn't my place to answer. I stay out of it.

Next time, we've hired a guy to manage it. The fire ID login and file copy has been tested ahead of time (the person with the credentials isn't super technical). Everybody's good to go.

Except--no one has told the users what to do if there's a problem. Do they call me? My manager? And then what happens? I know that they think they're calling to kick off the mitigation plan. I try and explain this to my manager and boss, but my manager gets testy (she rarely gets testy). I leave.

Tonight we have another one. I suggest we write down the steps and expectations. Tell them who to call, and what will happen afterwards. That we're going to try and fix the problem, and if that doesn't work, use the Plan. I ask what "doesn't work" means. What is the actual trigger for manually copying the files? Is it banging our heads against the walls for hours? Minutes? How much slack time does the business have? How late is too late for them?

She's *mad*. She says irritated, but it's clearly mad. She doesn't want to spend time planning for something that shouldn't happen. Won't happen.

I explain that we've had a problem with setting their expectations before, and that if we can give them a simple plan and tell them what we're going to do in order to support them, then they'll at least have a commitment to hang onto.

Zip. Nothing.

I mention DR principles (this is what this is, after all--small scale disaster recovery). She ends the meeting.

I think maybe this is going to be one of those "over her head" times. I don't think there's anything to lose to have a plan.

Our CIO is very big into treating the users like customers and then giving good customer service. This is what I'm trying to do, especially since my bosses and their bosses have been butting heads. I want to make sure everything within *my* arm's reach is peaceful.

And thought out.

Timelies all!

Need to start cleaning many things, as we are having a party tomorrow night.It's for Gary's birthday, though his actual birthday is later in December.(This is the best weekend to do it)

Also, I'm making a cheesecake.

ita,

what is the consequence if the thing busts out?

She doesn't want to spend time planning for something that shouldn't happen. Won't happen.

But it's something that keeps actually happening as I read it.

What is the downside of having a backup plan and telling the customer what that plan is? I mean, the time to make and write down a plan, yes. But that's customer service.

Speaking of, The Gas Co rocks. Probably because their product can explode easily. Still the nice man did not mock the fact that my furnace apparently works just fine and I just hadn't waited long enough when I tested it and smelled dust frying. And now I know where my furnace vaguely is (attic) instead of guessing.

what is the consequence if the thing busts out?

If we don't mitigate "in time" then our reputation as a department suffers, and the marketing plan...I'm not sure of the larger business ramification exactly, but there are two company name changes and eight websites affected (two completely new, six altered to reflect the new two). So that's a big deal.

We do stand a decent chance of a failure, and I just don't want to butt heads, and I don't think talking about it is an emotional topic.

I'm going to go see if the boss is available.

I think you're right, but am always wary of going over heads.

They have several of them too!

If I had a lawn, I would definitely have all of the reindeer.

You guys, I just met with a financial advisor, and it was actually interesting and useful! Even though I don't have any money or assets or dependents.

Our lawn is so tiny that putting any reindeer on it would be comical. About 5 of them would take up the entire lawn. (Stately Wayne Manor, this is not.)

Also, my neighborhood is juuuuust sketchy enough that I wouldn't be surprised if lawn reindeer got stolen. So we stick to strings of lights on the porch.

You guys, I just met with a financial advisor, and it was actually interesting and useful! Even though I don't have any money or assets or dependents.

Like how? What advice did they give that was useful?

And...that was the best way the worst way could turn out.

I officially went over her head for the first time ever, and she caught me. I got half the question out before she came by, and she stopped and came in, and our boss set a threshold which would trigger the manual file move. She did say she didn't want to dwell on things going wrong, and I said I wanted to have common expectations across the board, and he said he didn't want to know the details about our "tense conversation" (my words) and also I look awful.

I just crossed the conversational line with a co-worker. Oops!

I was talking about some recent issue with rented laptops that had webcam recording software running, and I was hypothesising what a horrible violation that was. "I mean, suppose they're feeding the pictures to a porn site? And you're all...Mom! What are you doing on here??"

He's looking balefully at me. I say "What?" His reply: "I don't know what I am doing on here."