Darryl Booth

Sneaky Sneaky Restaurant

I came across this funny snapshot on the web today (pictured below).

 

 

If you look closely, you'll see that the restaurant dutifully posted their inspection grade placard (a "C" - nothing to be proud of) as required by local ordinance... but they sneakily integrated the "C" into the larger message you see in the picture.

Our team has worked with many health departments who have implemented grading or color-coded placard systems with Envision and EnvisionConnect.

I've heard LOTS of concerns about operators falsifying placards, removing placards, disputing grades, etc. But, I've never once seen this scheme.

The good news is that if they ever do get an "A," they've got a ready-made spot for it on the window... one pane to the right. Don't know what they'll do if they get a "B."

Vetting the Public Water System Module Design

Decade's Account Manager, Nicki Bradford, and I made the short trip to Salinas yesterday to attend the Northern California User Envision Users Group meeting. The topic and agenda reflected the meeting's stated purpose... to examine the special requirements of the Envision and EnvisionConnect Public Water System Modules.

I was reminded that the complexity of this program area really requires continuous communication...  not just between Decade and its customers, but between and among the professionals who are charged with overseeing this important program area.

The meeting took a predictable turn as we recounted the difficult aspects of managing the program and reporting to the State of California. The state requirements, in turn, are rigidly asserted by federal EPA requirements.

It's a universe of issues that must be prioritized in order to effectively navigate through it. Otherwise, it's like trying to boil the ocean.

It is tough, however, to put anything but the highest priority on things that are affecting you directly every single day.

The EnvisionConnect public water system module sports many improvements that were prompted by this user community. However, the module also reflects the tradeoffs that were made to preserve the status quo (or at least our understanding of the status quo). Specifically, previously established and hard-earned configuration settings.

I know what you're saying... they are all working under the same regulations, shouldn't this community be the poster child for homogeny? (I can't believe the spell checker let me get away with that)

The answer is yes, they do have a set of homogenous needs. But as with humans, once the base needs have been met, one's interests begin to vary immensely.

I think in this module, we'll have to slay some sacred cows in order to achieve the same degree of approachability that the other modules have achieved.