| Work Habits |
End-Users
are remarkably hard workers. They have the ability to sit at their desk and
perform the same grueling task all day long without end. However, I have noticed
that they are incapable of three dimensional thought. If something new is introduced
into their work or around their work environment they simple cannot process the
change and stop working altogether. I've seen some quit a job that they
have held for years after a database migration, because they were
overwhelmed by the thought of having to learn something new. Change frightens
these creature to the extent of hysteria, episodes of anger and sudden outbreaks
of crying. While performing a company wide migration, it's best to carry with
you lots of treats, tissues and a leather strip that you can have them bite down
so not to swallowing their tongues while having convolutions. You should also
carry a picture of a cat around with you. You never know with you will need to distract
one, and a good cat pictures may keep them preoccupied for hours while you
perform whatever your task is on their system.
Ends-users do however, expect you to know everything; from how to field strip a fax machine to every desktop program on the face of the earth. It is simply in considerable to them if you say you do now a program. The respond with, "You're a computer geek, aren't you?" I've foolishly on several occasions tried to explain that I work on larger backend server programs, but my attempts only confused them even more.