Computer Mandate

Computer Mandate, supposedly from a 1979 internal IBM presentation.

• source; origin
• reminiscent of Systemantics

A COMPUTER CAN NEVER BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE. THEREFORE A COMPUTER MUST NEVER MAKE A MANAGEMENT DECISION.

AUTHORITY WHATEVER AUTHORITY IS GRANTED IT BY [THE] SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT WITHIN WHICH IT OP[ERATES]

RESPONSIBILITY TO PERFORM AS PRE-DIRECTED BY THE PROGRAMMER WHENEVER INSTRUCTED TO DO SO

ACCOUNTABILITY NO[NE] WH[ATSOEV]ER

A MANDATE WITH TOO LITTLE AUTHORITY DOES NOT PROVIDE THE TOOLS REQUIRED TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE LEVERAGE

A MANDATE WITH TOO LITTLE RESPONSIBILITY [HAS] TOO LITTLE LEVERAGE FOR THE RISKS [...]

A MANDATE WITHOUT ACCOUNTABILITY IS AN ELEGANT* FORM OF SUICIDE

PUTTING A BAD SYSTEM ON LINE IS LIKE POURING GASOLINE INTO A FIRE

IN THE ITERATIVE WORLD THE PROJECT NEVER ENDS BECAUSE THE SYSTEM NEVER STOPS CHANGING AND GROWING BECAUSE THE SYSTEM IS A MODEL OF THE ORGANIZATION AND THE ORGANIZATION NEVER STOPS CHANGING AND GROWING