Five Years, Nothing's Changed
By Amit Asaravala
This issue marks five solid years for Web Techniques. We've seen many amazing things since our first run in April 1996. But rather than reminisce about how much things have changed in the last half decade, it's time to focus on one thing that hasn't: The way we work.
In November 2000, I wrote "Works Well With Others," an editorial calling for employers to reexamine their workplaces. While I thought it would inspire some managers to make small changes, I never expected to generate the heated discussion that ensued, in which both sides were backed by equal numbers.
It seems many executives don't believe that change is possible, and others don't believe it's necessary. Developer Sussette Blasa writes, "We showed your article to one of our executives, and he mentioned that it was a good article but it was a bit too 'revolutionary.'" We shouldn't be afraid of revolution. The greatest success stories of the tech industry have been written by revolutionary thinkers who weren't afraid to follow their own ideas, to leave their schools and jobs, and empty their bank accounts and set up shop in their garages.
What you need to understand as a manager, or someone who may one day be a manager, is that the ideas I've mentioned aren't revolutionary. People will always install their own software on company computers. Companies should always look for better ways to communicate with their employees. And we should always expect customer feedback.
The problem with "Works Well With Others" is that it reintroduced these ideas all at once, but didn't address their implementation.
