I’ve reactivated one of my previously planned projects. My goal is to turn the current paper Work Order system into another PL/SQL program.
Some people might be asking themselves “What’s so wrong with the current system? If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!”
Ok, I can dig that. KISS – Keep it simple, stupid. It’s a Computer Science principle that is designed to keep people like me from turning molehills into electronic mountains – and I try to live by it.
However, in the case of the WOS (work order system), it IS broke. Not only does it require the equivalent of at least 2 full sheets of paper per work order, there is very little accountability from group to group. I’m no tree hugger, but if I can save 2 trees a week by writing a digital system, then I’m all in.
So this WOS would allow students, staff, etc… to all have the ability to create a WO (Work Order) and track it’s progress. The maintenance shop will never have to hear “I wrote that like 3 weeks ago…” even though they only got it today. Staff can check on the status for residents, and make sure the maintenance folks are doing things in a proper timeline (which I don’t think is ever really a problem).
I think everyone wins. Why? The students can directly report WOs and don’t have to wait for anyone to give them to maintenance. They can also provide an email address to be notified upon completion.
Staff can monitor the progress of WOs and report that status to residents or others.
Maintenance can’t be accused of not getting WOs or losing them – as everything is recorded digitally.
So the design is a little complicated, as many different folks are using it for many different purposes. But it’s gonna be a challenge and I like challenges. In the end, student needs get serviced quicker and more efficiently with less waste.