Anonymous wrote:The system is there for a long time.
You can’t even begin thinking about changing it, because it’s been this way and it EVOLVED into this monstrosity.

The paperwork reduction act did not help I guess… It supposed to enhance quality but it actually does exact opposite as one kind of hopes the next review stage will clean up whatever needs to be cleaned up.

The worst part is the reviewer role is assigned to the peole not really familiar with the topic and then they start stating some ideas just for the sake of saying something.
How can I tell them that less is more sometimes.

the PRA, CBC, APA litigation… all affirmatively stop agencies from fixing processes and focusing on what matters. I’m pretty anti-rulemaking now. Generally a massive waste of resources and going to be overturned anyway so better to issue guidance. let industry complain then when they just get investigated by enforcement on novel theories or “lack regulatory clarity”. hey guys, you’re the ones who did this to yourselves.

Anonymous wrote:I once found a report that was being done every day for 20 years that no one every read. The guy doing it never asked as it was most of his job.

I found a quarterly report and an entire database that nobody was using. To be fair the database was mandated to be published by Congress so it wasn’t a bad process that was the issue - except that with a little more creativity and forward thinking it could have become more useful and even really useful. But as everyone knows creativity and forward thinking are not rewarded in govt.

A software program to enter items for county elected to approve at meetings. We would have to enter it six weeks ahead so that it could be reviewed by a department approver, then to the department head, then go to the electeds' aides, then often back to us to see if there were questions to answer before the meeting. It was very hard to use, old and clunky and every time it would mean a call from the department approver with corrections and changes. Every time. It was one of his job titles that he did this thing. I felt like we should just have called or emailed him with the information and have him do it. Don't miss it.

I worked for a large defense contractor and our travel claims process was ridiculous.

You would enter all the data into an electronic system and scan the receipts in. This entirely reasonable. Then, you had to FAX the entire thing to someone, and then print and MAIL the entire thing somewhere else.

I never understood why someone needed 3 copies of the same thing.

I work in a government lab and we've been mandated to use electronic lab notebooks. So now when I am at the bench, I will take notes on a piece of paper and then later when I am back at my desk, transcribe the notes into the electronic notebook which is on my PC.

I've found that I record fewer and fewer things because it is such a hassle. For example, back when I had a physical lab book, whenever I made labels for samples, I would make and extra label and tape it to a page in the notebook. Now I am supposed to take a photo of the label with my personal phone, email it to myself and then upload it onto the electronic notebook. I don't even bother anymore.

Anonymous wrote:Feeling a little suffocated in the bureaucracy… but perhaps this is not the end of the world.

Looking for any stories / examples of nonsensical process — just to know I am not alone!

Most email in, first thing my adhd/asd boss does.

We started noticing he does that with client emails and all emails. Asked him, as he literally gets up out of an internal mtg to handle it. We tell him wait 30 minutes and he says he must do it now before he forgets. WTF.

Now everyone emails him things 5x a day hoping to not get buried by another email. No organizational system.

He does a ton of gaslighting on us also: I never said that, I never meant that, I would never do that.

Yeah, yes you did. We’ll record you next time.

Unbelievable.

Some people are able to work the system. But when do you say - enough is enough?

My last straw appears near in sight. Nothing to fall back on though - husband yells — you have to work. I think it’s a waste to waste your day hating what you do, even as there is about 10% of your day which is nice.

Government contractors are the worst. Filled with dumb veterans (not all are dumb-- I'm just gonna point out what I encountered) with thick necks and thick brains who just want to follow rules and processes. The back office was filled with dummies on legacy systems (to comply with fed of course) that had strict rules like "i can't create a requisition until I have x" then I can't bill until that, so no money for the company I guess until you flex your systems more?

*I'm sure there are brill and hardworking ones too. I just got stuck down with the losers. Hm. Should examine that.

Anonymous wrote:A couple books:

Jennifer Pahlka
Recoding America: Why Government Is Failing in the Digital Age and How We Can Do Better

Marina Nitze
Hack your bureaucracy

I started the first book. Never thought about the issue about criminal record corrections - very interesting.

Btw, I’m typing fast without wording about grammar or style… just venting really. So please do not draw any conclusions as to professional writing.

The system is there for a long time.
You can’t even begin thinking about changing it, because it’s been this way and it EVOLVED into this monstrosity.

The paperwork reduction act did not help I guess… It supposed to enhance quality but it actually does exact opposite as one kind of hopes the next review stage will clean up whatever needs to be cleaned up.

The worst part is the reviewer role is assigned to the peole not really familiar with the topic and then they start stating some ideas just for the sake of saying something.
How can I tell them that less is more sometimes.