Imperfect Systems Keep People Alive and Interactive

Office rush hour. Lift. Pressed 5th Floor hurriedly. Thinking of a very important phone call. 10 more minutes to go, and now 2 more minutes to go now.

Call or blog? Writing hurriedly..1 more minute. Let me attend the call and get back in 15 minutes to complete this.

Ok, prospect dint pick up the call, and I mailed him to request a call back.

Imperfect systems keep us alive and interactive.

Imperfect Systems and People Science

Now coming back to the lift, where I realised in the 10 seconds journey that how important it is for systems to be imperfect for us humans to keep interacting with each other.

Within the first 2 seconds of the lift ride, I hear someone speak up in Bengali (I am in Kolkata now), “dada aapni 5th floor e jaaben?” - which translates to - Hey big brother,

ok prospect called now..And call ended with a subsequent demo for tomorrow morning.

Coming back to my lift journey, “dada aapni 5th floor e jaaben”? which translates to “Hey big brother (or brother respectfully), are you heading to the 5th floor?” I heard that, with my head down as usual in my “don’t care, no waste time attitude” as a mentally busy software startup entrepreneur envisioning new features in our recruiting software with all online and leave me alone mindset super charged with COVID era. And as usual, I dint bother to respond thinking or acting that he may be speaking to someone else in the lift.

But, he asks again - “Dada aapni 5th floor e jaaben?” I looked up and said yes. He said “5th floor button press kora hoy ni”- which translates to “the button is not pressed”. The light on the 5th floor button was not on. I thanked him like he saved my life. I was getting late and nervous about this phone call meeting. I pressed the button for 5th floor again and made sure it shows pressed with the light on it turned on.

Conclusion

Thats it, lets get back to work, I mean please allow me to be short this time around, I mean that the purpose of this blog is done in conveying that the imperfect system (the unreliable lift button) triggered an interaction between two unknown people.

Some Questions for You

What are other imperfect systems you came across that triggered interactions with other people? Other people could include your co-workers, colleagues, boss, manager, family members, kids and parents or your cab driver or co-riders?

Do you feel that you will be more lively and interactive in an imperfect world with imperfect systems around and wish to see that some imperfections remain, or do you wish that everything is streamlined and automated for a better life?