Forget E-Voting Problems, Now We Have To Worry About E-Census Problems Too

from the new-technology-isn't-always-good... dept

Tue, Mar 25th 2008 8:05pm — Mike Masnick

It looks like the US census is the latest process to be prematurely "automated" under the silly belief that computers automatically do everything better. Reports are coming out about how the new computerized census systems aren't just costly, they might also be inaccurate (bonus!). The system involves handheld devices for census-takers, but the devices are apparently not that intuitive. Thus there are additional training costs involved, and no one seems keen on paying for that. There are a few options here, including mostly ignoring the new system (which only cost $600 million in taxpayer money) and going back to a more manual process. However, the company that provided the devices insists the complaints are overblown and with just half an hour of training anyone could understand how to use the devices. Either way, it should be a reminder that any attempt to automate a process that uses the "just add technology!" component probably is going to be something of a disaster.

Thank you for reading this Techdirt post. With so many things competing for everyone’s attention these days, we really appreciate you giving us your time. We work hard every day to put quality content out there for our community.

Techdirt is one of the few remaining truly independent media outlets. We do not have a giant corporation behind us, and we rely heavily on our community to support us, in an age when advertisers are increasingly uninterested in sponsoring small, independent sites — especially a site like ours that is unwilling to pull punches in its reporting and analysis.

While other websites have resorted to paywalls, registration requirements, and increasingly annoying/intrusive advertising, we have always kept Techdirt open and available to anyone. But in order to continue doing so, we need your support. We offer a variety of ways for our readers to support us, from direct donations to special subscriptions and cool merchandise — and every little bit helps. Thank you.

–The Techdirt Team

Filed Under: census, technology

9 Comments

If you liked this post, you may also be interested in...

Reader Comments

Subscribe: RSS

View by: Time | Thread

Anthony, 25 Mar 2008 @ 8:47pm

Next up...

Devices that automate the automating of automation...
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Andy, 25 Mar 2008 @ 8:57pm

I'm waiting for devices that automate failure, so we don't have to be burdened with failure ourselves.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Haywood, 25 Mar 2008 @ 9:15pm

I don't know that "everyone" can be trained
"with just half an hour of training anyone could understand how to use the devices." One must remember the people who go out to do census counts are very likely the hard core unemployed. I don't think that makes them highly trainable.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Lawrence D'Oliveiro, 25 Mar 2008 @ 10:58pm

Aren't Censuses Outdated?
Isn't statistical sampling both cheaper and more accurate?
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Kevin, 26 Mar 2008 @ 4:01am

Re: Aren't Censuses Outdated?
Isn't statistical sampling both cheaper and more accurate?

Cheaper? Yes.

More accurate? Maybe.

Legal for a US Census? Nope.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
rebrad, 26 Mar 2008 @ 5:16am

Re: I don't know that "everyone" can be trained
I thought we used illegal aliens for jobs that hard core unemployed Americans can't or won't do? Makes as much sense as anything else now days. I just wonder why all the automation. The constitution requires a body count. Why does the government need to know what kind of toilet paper is used.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Anonymous Coward, 26 Mar 2008 @ 6:44am

OK, who wants to sign up to be a census worker in Newark, NJ?

We do have systems that automate failure. Its called ERP systems. If you don't fix the process before you automate it, you just do the wrong things faster.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Someone Else, 26 Mar 2008 @ 10:10am

Alternatively
this article sounds more like its from the new-technology-is-never-good department
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Sal, 27 Mar 2008 @ 4:52pm

Why???
Why does the government have to have custom built EVERYTHING??? What is wrong with an off the shelf PDA or smartphone with the census form loaded as software??? I've seen our local convience stores using Palms for inventory control. Why does our federal (and often state) government need everything built special for them when off the shelf components would work just fine and save the taxpayers a lot of money??????????
[ link to this | view in thread ]