Corralling Institutional Knowledge by RecCorralling Institutional Knowledge by Recycling the Workforceycling the Workforce

Or Or

What I Had to Learn to Stay Employed!!!What I Had to Learn to Stay Employed!!!

September 2004September 2004 Merger of legacy staff Merger of legacy staff

from DHS (including from DHS (including “shadow IT”) and HHSC“shadow IT”) and HHSC

Overlapping applications Overlapping applications maintained by staff with a maintained by staff with a hodge podge of tools hodge podge of tools including Unisys COBOL, including Unisys COBOL, Access, Websphere, Access, Websphere, Oracle, Sybase, and Oracle, Sybase, and proprietary toolsproprietary tools

75% of staff were 75% of staff were mainframe programmersmainframe programmers

Direction to complete Direction to complete migration off mainframemigration off mainframe

Mainframe Programming at Mainframe Programming at DHS/HHSCDHS/HHSC

Staff were knowledgeable about business areas supportedStaff were knowledgeable about business areas supported We needed to retain the business knowledge while moving forwardWe needed to retain the business knowledge while moving forward Many staff had expertise limited to one core function – batch, DMS Many staff had expertise limited to one core function – batch, DMS

vs. RDMS, screensvs. RDMS, screens Skeptics resisted change because we would “never get off the Skeptics resisted change because we would “never get off the

mainframe” mainframe”

Like a brush fire in the west – only Like a brush fire in the west – only two choicestwo choices

Saddle up and beat the storm…Saddle up and beat the storm…

Or stay behind……….Or stay behind……….

Management ConcernsManagement Concerns

Staff Staff hadhad to make transition to new world to make transition to new world Budget was limited as was timeBudget was limited as was time Overcoming resistance to changeOvercoming resistance to change What if some people simply could not What if some people simply could not

convert to new tools convert to new tools Tenured staff with program knowledge that Tenured staff with program knowledge that

would be lostwould be lost What would happen to these staffWhat would happen to these staff

Retooling – or RethinkingRetooling – or Rethinking

Transforming StaffTransforming Staff

Knowledge transfer by staff augmentation Knowledge transfer by staff augmentation contractors and state staff with current contractors and state staff with current skillsskills

Voluntary self improvement/education Voluntary self improvement/education Formal classes (St. Edwards)Formal classes (St. Edwards) On-line self paced courses (MindLeaders)On-line self paced courses (MindLeaders) Organized lunch and learnsOrganized lunch and learns Informal classes Informal classes

Informal Classes/Knowledge Informal Classes/Knowledge TransferTransfer

Contractor to one or two staffContractor to one or two staff Very targeted subjects such as relational Very targeted subjects such as relational

databases and data modelingdatabases and data modeling Very targeted work related to current Very targeted work related to current

projects – exercise actually project workprojects – exercise actually project work

You give me your lunch hour, I’ll give you You give me your lunch hour, I’ll give you one hour of my timeone hour of my time

Originally designed for one team, Originally designed for one team, expanded to othersexpanded to others

Lunch and LearnLunch and Learn

Meet MicheleMeet Michele

Michele works hard for her yearly cruiseMichele works hard for her yearly cruise Experience on financial and payroll systems Experience on financial and payroll systems

replaced by PeopleSoftreplaced by PeopleSoft Had understanding of the interaction of HHS Had understanding of the interaction of HHS

programs (Medicaid, Finance, etc)programs (Medicaid, Finance, etc)

Michele’s ObservationsMichele’s Observations ““It has been a busy 2 1/2 years, since migrating from the It has been a busy 2 1/2 years, since migrating from the

mainframe to open systems”mainframe to open systems” Mainframe knowledge was routine, repetitiveMainframe knowledge was routine, repetitive Open systems is a constant learning experienceOpen systems is a constant learning experience The transition to data center services adds complexity to the The transition to data center services adds complexity to the

learning processlearning process Has attended 80 hours of JAVA classesHas attended 80 hours of JAVA classes Appreciates the lack of file size limitations of mainframe Appreciates the lack of file size limitations of mainframe

programming – had to guess file size and allocate programming – had to guess file size and allocate appropriatelyappropriately

Has increased her analytical skillsHas increased her analytical skills Has independently coded a JAVA program for a large Has independently coded a JAVA program for a large

system and program is in productionsystem and program is in production

Meet JeffMeet Jeff

Jeff would rather be riding any dayJeff would rather be riding any day Experience on batch processing on mainframes Experience on batch processing on mainframes

back to punch card daysback to punch card days Thought a mouse was what you fed cats and Thought a mouse was what you fed cats and

snakessnakes

Jeff’s ObservationsJeff’s Observations

From first programming job in private sector using punch From first programming job in private sector using punch cards and magnetic tape drives – has 27 years on cards and magnetic tape drives – has 27 years on mainframemainframe

Mainframe used fewer tools – primarily COBOL and Mainframe used fewer tools – primarily COBOL and ECL/JCL – and lots of file dumps for troubleshootingECL/JCL – and lots of file dumps for troubleshooting

Web environment uses multiple tools and objectsWeb environment uses multiple tools and objects Many free tools are available to help the developerMany free tools are available to help the developer There is more than one way to complete a given taskThere is more than one way to complete a given task Team efforts are more effective Team efforts are more effective The Internet provides so many resources for debugging The Internet provides so many resources for debugging

and learningand learning

Meet LuciusMeet Lucius

When not programming, Lucius likes to go to car When not programming, Lucius likes to go to car showsshows

Was a C++ programmer that transitioned to Was a C++ programmer that transitioned to COBOL and backCOBOL and back

Experience as a computer operator at a bankExperience as a computer operator at a bank

Lucius’ ObservationsLucius’ Observations Works on a major system that has always been Works on a major system that has always been

“a grizzly bear of information and size”“a grizzly bear of information and size” Had spent time programming parts of system in Had spent time programming parts of system in

MS-SQL– change of direction to JavaMS-SQL– change of direction to Java Self-enrolled in night classes in JavaSelf-enrolled in night classes in Java Java “felt” like C++ helping him transitionJava “felt” like C++ helping him transition Was able to compare Java code to mainframe Was able to compare Java code to mainframe

code for testingcode for testing Likes getting e-mail confirmations when Likes getting e-mail confirmations when

processing completes and text messages from processing completes and text messages from program problems that are detected earlierprogram problems that are detected earlier

Sudip ---Nareen--- NiranjanSudip ---Nareen--- Niranjan

Sudip likes to Hike and play Indian Classical Sudip likes to Hike and play Indian Classical musicmusic

Nareen spends his free time with diapersNareen spends his free time with diapers Niranjan enjoys table tennis and action moviesNiranjan enjoys table tennis and action movies

ExamplesExamples Provided day to day knowledge transferProvided day to day knowledge transfer Helped staff grasp concepts of client server and Helped staff grasp concepts of client server and

the various layersthe various layers Concepts of multiple users accessing the same Concepts of multiple users accessing the same

data data Avoiding duplication and understanding Avoiding duplication and understanding

normalizationnormalization One on one database and data modeling One on one database and data modeling

conceptsconcepts Formal classroom lunch and learnFormal classroom lunch and learn Formal one–day class in Java Server FacesFormal one–day class in Java Server Faces

OutcomesOutcomes

Management Concerns Management Concerns Staff Staff hadhad to make transition to to make transition to

new worldnew world Budget was limited as was Budget was limited as was

timetime Overcoming resistance to Overcoming resistance to

changechange What if some people simply What if some people simply

could not convert to new tools could not convert to new tools Tenured staff with program Tenured staff with program

knowledge that would be lostknowledge that would be lost What would happen to these What would happen to these

staff staff

RealityReality One staff member applied and One staff member applied and

transferred to non-transferred to non-programming jobprogramming job

Several staff have moved to Several staff have moved to non-coding functions – testing, non-coding functions – testing, documentationdocumentation

Lunch and learn, Mindleaders, Lunch and learn, Mindleaders, self education help stretch self education help stretch dollarsdollars

Staff have adapted and Staff have adapted and management recognizing management recognizing where skills are more easily where skills are more easily transformedtransformed