Re: state of the midrange (fwd)

[Larry Bolhuis <lbolhui@xxxxxxx>]

Rob,
> Very well stated.  We have an operator here.  She has been with the company
> for over 20 years.  She handles the backups, entering people into 400, NT and
> Notes security.  Assists with scheduled downtimes, maintenance bills and many
> more things.  And I am damned glad to have her.  However, could she order a
> PTF or use some new backup feature on the 400 without being told?  No.  (Had
> to show her yesterday that you use an asterisk not an x to multiply.)  Perhaps
> the testing tests for a broad based knowledge versus a niche employee.

  Yes yes yes! This is the classic case. "Our expert failed the test
so the test must be bad."  This person may be able to handle 98% of
what comes at them without blinking and the other 2% with some
reasearch or a phone call.  BUT outside of their specific environment
would struggle until they learned the new environment. This may be
because certain tasks are done by others or that there are previously
created utilities that are unique to that shop.  The tests indeed
cover a broad range of tasks.  One of the challanges is to keep them
from being so broad that they cover things no-one really needs to
know. (Such as: In RPGII Which indicator is always on?)

 Another example is a customer I had where the operator wondered why I
always typed 'those long commands that she had never seen': WRKACTJOB,
WRKSYSSTS, WRKOUTQ, WRKJOBQ. Turns out the shop had utilities WA, WS,
WO, WJ and lots more to save keystrokes and THOSE were what she was
tought.  She had no idea how to 'build' an AS/400 command name and
would have blown a test in the weeds!  While she was a competant
operator to that customer she was not certifiable. 

 - Larry

-- 
Larry Bolhuis         | Trivia Question: What famous car carried
Arbor Solutions, Inc  |  the tags:   BDR 529 ?
(616) 451-2500        |
(616) 451-2571 -fax   | Two rules to success in life:
lbolhui@ibm.net       | 1. Never tell people everything you know.
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