Real-Life Decision Making -- Solution
You stay and finish the software search to find the bug.
After another exhausting hour, you still find nothing. You've scoured your
manuals, tried every program. Nothing.
"Maybe we should begin rechecking from the beginning," your partner says.
"Maybe you should go and look outdoors to see if anything is wrong."
You both rush outside and much to your surprise you find painters covering
the radome -- a thin sheet-like cover over a secret dish -- with a lead-based
paint. The lead blocks information from passing through the dish to the computer
system.
You've finally solved the problem, but you could have been quicker getting
to the solution if you hadn't tried to take a shortcut by sending a technologist
out to check the wiring. She checked the wiring, but didn't have the expertise
that you have to suspect the painters were causing the problem.
"The biggest temptation is to take shortcuts, but they usually cost in
the end," remarks Broderick Wood, senior systems analyst. "You also have access
to a lot of sensitive information and need to ensure appropriate precautions
are taken."