Fast growing technology organizations need to be constantly aware of the difficulties it places on their staff and their emotional well being. A common problem is the knowledge trap in which the persons who create a design, implement a project or develop a tool become the in house experts in that area. This is normal in many organizations, the difference with fast growing companies is that there is often insufficient time to complete the documentation, monitoring and hand off phases of the project. This leads to staff being overworked not just on current projects, but also on the ghosts of previous work.
At first this can be welcomed by the team members as their knowledge provides some degree of status, but as time goes by, the lack dispersed knowledge can lead to departmental frustrations and resentment. Key staff members soon don’t have time for lunch, vacations, or even sleep. They become trapped by their own success. Always be on the alert for statements which imply persons are not taking the initiative to understand a particular system that someone else developed. It is often a clear sign that documentation and cross-training needs to be immediately reviewed.
Innovative freedom leads to new and wonderful ways of doing in web site design and vision, but with tactical maintenance and support, discipline is freedom.
