So let me explain what it was like. I took off my shoes and put my laptop on a bin. Then the TSA agent announced that all belts and jewelry needed to be removed. So I shuffled in my socks, holding up my pants and placed both feet on a corresponding mark. The agent then told me to raise my hands above my head. I wanted to suck in my gut so I would not look really bad on the scanner picture, but I knew my pants would fall to the ground. In just a few seconds, I was told to proceed. But I was not cleared yet. The TSA agent had to wait for a radio call from the remote operator to confirm that the image did not reveal anything scary (besides my gut). He then asked me if I had anything in my left pocket, I said no. He asked me about my back pockets. Well of course I have my wallet in my back pocket. He asked me to remove my wallet and he proceeded to look inside checking for who knows what. Then he informed me that he would have to do a pat down. A few more minutes passed and we were on a first name basis. I will spare you the details of how he conducted the search. Finally, the TSA Agent asked me to bring my palms up as another agent conducted a swab test. Apparently, using a wallet means that you must be transporting some dangerous device. A few minutes later I was told that I can proceed. I was not sure of the social protocol at that point, if the agent should thank me, or if I should thank the agent. I just walked away amazed that the process was so cumbersome.
The reason this technology will fail is not because the device is failing the initial requirements, it’s because the process that was married to the technology makes it cumbersome. How many times have we seen a healthcare system that was purchased to solve specific pain points? The RFP goes in, the ROI is identified and everyone expects a quick win. But during design the management team starts chasing other areas and pain points. The technology initiative is used to justify adding new processes and then the software is customized to meet other requirements not on the initial scope. The project team gets excited since they will be improving on the initial use of the system. But when the switch is turned on, the end users scream that the old system was much easier to use and took less steps. Sound familiar?
We are often so eager to install a new system that we lose sight of what will happen on Go-live. I like to subscribe to the premise that you need to crawl before you walk and before you run. I don’t think the TSA has figured out that what started as a way to be less intrusive, has evolved into the most intrusive process short of medical exam.
