Us Census Bureau Data Collection Project
US Census Bureau Data Collection Project
IT/205
May 31st, 2013
Chester Grice
US Census Bureau
The (FDCA) commonly known as the Field Data Collection Automation program is a very important thing in the U.S. Census Bureau. The program’s efforts to make the counting process more efficient by using hand-held electronic devices would have made things much easier, had they went as planned. The Census Bureau’s ability effectively and accurately receives and handle census data is integral to the success of the census. $14.5 billion dollars was used on the 2010 Census, to implement the failed program. The program failed due to a botched project execution, and this failure caused a delay of a decade for an effective system to be put in place.
In 2007, field operatives reported to the Bureau that the mobile electronic devices had slow processing speeds, as well as other bugs and flaws. However, instead of taking action and correcting these problems, the Bureau had not set up a system which would record these issues, or even categorize them as risks to the project’s success. This was probably caused by oversight by higher-ups, but regardless, the Census had, and still has, a deadline that could not be moved.
The steps that I would have taken to control the risk in this project would have to first implement a method in which worker’s feedback and bug reports for the mobile devices could be recorded and analyzed later. Also, I would have tried to increase communication amongst field workers, the device vendors, and the bureau.
Reference:
Laudon, J. P., & Laudon, K. C. (2011). Essentials of management information systems (9th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice
IT/205
May 31st, 2013
Chester Grice
US Census Bureau
The (FDCA) commonly known as the Field Data Collection Automation program is a very important thing in the U.S. Census Bureau. The program’s efforts to make the counting process more efficient by using hand-held electronic devices would have made things much easier, had they went as planned. The Census Bureau’s ability effectively and accurately receives and handle census data is integral to the success of the census. $14.5 billion dollars was used on the 2010 Census, to implement the failed program. The program failed due to a botched project execution, and this failure caused a delay of a decade for an effective system to be put in place.
In 2007, field operatives reported to the Bureau that the mobile electronic devices had slow processing speeds, as well as other bugs and flaws. However, instead of taking action and correcting these problems, the Bureau had not set up a system which would record these issues, or even categorize them as risks to the project’s success. This was probably caused by oversight by higher-ups, but regardless, the Census had, and still has, a deadline that could not be moved.
The steps that I would have taken to control the risk in this project would have to first implement a method in which worker’s feedback and bug reports for the mobile devices could be recorded and analyzed later. Also, I would have tried to increase communication amongst field workers, the device vendors, and the bureau.
Reference:
Laudon, J. P., & Laudon, K. C. (2011). Essentials of management information systems (9th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice