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.

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Filed Under: census, technology

9 Comments

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Anthony, 25 Mar 2008 @ 8:47pm

Next up...

Devices that automate the automating of automation...
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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.
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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.
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- 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.
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Lawrence D'Oliveiro, 25 Mar 2008 @ 10:58pm

Aren't Censuses Outdated?
Isn't statistical sampling both cheaper and more accurate?
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- 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.
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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.
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Someone Else, 26 Mar 2008 @ 10:10am

Alternatively
this article sounds more like its from the new-technology-is-never-good department
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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??????????
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