February 2, 2009

"PRIDE"-DBEM - PHASE 6 - DBEM EVALUATION (SPECIAL)

This is Part XXVII in our series on the "PRIDE" Methodologies for IRM. In this edition we describe the activities of Phase 6, "DBEM Evaluation" in the "PRIDE"-Data Base Engineering Methodology (DBEM).

The full text for this section can be obtained by clicking: HERE.

NEXT UP: "PRIDE"-Project Management (PM).

If you would like to discuss this with me in more depth, please do not hesitate to send me an e-mail.

Keep the faith!

OUR BRYCE'S LAW OF THE WEEK therefore is...

"Most organizations use a DBMS as nothing more than an elegant file access method. Consequently, the opportunity to share data and integrate systems is lost."

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We have also produced a one-day training program of the same name. For more information on both the eBook and course, please visit our web site at:

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While there, look for our MS PowerPoint presentation describing both the book and the training program.

MY "PET PEEVE OF THE WEEK" IS "GUILTY UNTIL PROVEN INNOCENT"

I was going to entitle this piece "Bureaucrats Gone Wild" as I wanted to draw attention to the government officials who go out of their way to make life a living Hell for us, but I already covered this in an earlier column (see "Bureaucrats").

It's not bad enough that government bureaucrats create their own little fiefdoms to express their self-importance, but it is how they try to play mind games with the taxpayer that disturbs me more, particularly young ones. Let me give you a couple of examples...

I'm involved with a nonprofit group who owns and maintains their own building. Not surprising, they are subject to the same rules and government codes as everyone else, such as health, fire, and building inspections. For years, the group diligently maintained their building and conformed to ever-changing codes. However, one year they were visited by a young fire inspector who wrote up an extensive list of code violations. This came as a complete surprise to the group. Although a few of the items on the list were legitimate, there were others that could best be described as superfluous. Nonetheless, the group complied with the requests, at considerable expense, but are now leery of any more inspections by the young power-hungry bureaucrat.

In another instance, I had a friend who did some minor work in South America. For some unknown reason, a young IRS agent targeted his company for an audit and, finding out about the South American connection, accused my friend's business of making millions of dollars in South America of which they owed considerable back taxes. Understandably, this shocked the company's management as they adamantly maintained their innocence. Nonetheless, the IRS agent asserted his contention thereby forcing the company to hire a team of accountants and lawyers to successfully refute the charges, also at considerable expense.

In both examples, the bureaucrats considered the defendants guilty until proven innocent, not the other way around as we would normally expect. Reasoning with the young bureaucrats was out of the question, as they saw this as an opportunity to make a name for themselves. Not only did their inexperience lead to bad relations with the people they were suppose to be serving, but cost people a lot of money to defend themselves over frivolous charges. I guess it's no small wonder why people do not trust or respect their government officials, particularly "Bureaucrats Gone Wild."

Such is my Pet Peeve of the Week.

Note: All trademarks both marked and unmarked belong to their respective companies.

"BRYCE'S PET PEEVE OF THE WEEK"

Folks, a couple of years ago I started to include my "Pet Peeve of the Week" in these "Management Visions" podcasts. They have become so popular that I now syndicate them through the Internet and they are available for republication in other media. To this end, I have created a separate web page for my writings which you can find at phmainstreet.com Look for the section, "The Bryce is Right!" Hope you enjoy them.

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AND FINALLY...

I received the following e-mail regarding my Pet Peeve on "Making Time":

A G.A. of Tennessee wrote...

"This sounds just like the advice I give to people when they talk about having children, especially older couples. You are not the most important person in the house any more. Your schedule (your life) revolves around your kids. The older you are, the harder it is to change your lifestyle. I was 32, working full time and going to school full time at night when my daughter was born. Ten months later my son was born. Talk about time management. I still managed to spend time with the family and graduate cum laude. All it takes is putting your priorities in place and learning to live on four hours of sleep at night."

A J.S. of Skidway Lake, Michigan wrote...

"I, too, wouldn't have missed parenting for the world. I shelved my career in a heartbeat for the opportunity to raise my own child in our home. I did work part time when necessary, but I worked a different shift than my husband. One of us was always home with our daughter. Since hospitals run 24/7, I had no trouble getting evening shifts. I could have earned more money. We might have had more possessions. No amount of money or possessions could possibly have brought me the joy and fulfillment of parenting. I would make the same choice again."

I received the following e-mail regarding my Pet Peeve on "Procrastination":

A K.G. of Lapeer, Michigan wrote...

"Very true post. I am bad at it."

A K.K. of Ansonia, Connecticut wrote...

"So true, I was planning on tackling my procrastination over the weekend by doing a few things I've been putting off."

Again, thanks for your comments. For these and other comments, please visit my "Bryce is Right!" web site.

Keep those cards and letters coming.

MBA is an international management consulting firm specializing in Information Resource Management. We offer training, consulting, and writing services in the areas of Enterprise Engineering, Systems Engineering, Data Base Engineering, Project Management, Methodologies and Repositories. For information, call us at 727/786-4567.

Our corporate web page is at:

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Management Visions is a presentation of M. Bryce & Associates, a division of M&JB Investment Company of Palm Harbor, Florida, USA. The program is produced on a weekly basis and updated on Sundays. It is available in versions for RealPlayer, Microsoft Media Player, and MP3 suitable for Podcasting. See our web site for details. You'll find our broadcast listed in several Podcast and Internet Search engines, as well as Apples' iTunes.

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Copyright © 2009 by M&JB Investment Company of Palm Harbor, Florida, USA. All rights reserved. "PRIDE" is the registered trademark of M&JB Investment Company.

This is Tim Bryce reporting.

Since 1971: "Software for the finest computer - the Mind."

END