A machine doesn't have to be a shiny metal object with lots of moving parts. It can be a machinery of intolerant and short sighted policy, which usually goes along with a complicated bureaucracy that ironically is simply ineffective in achieving the stated aims. Regardless of whether the machine is the more recognisable moving parts type, or the non physical set of rules type, something that we can all agree on is that it's easy to get frustrated by machines.
In my experience there are two distinct modes of becoming frustrated, and one is much more aggravating than the other. Let's start with the better of the two: the "buyer beware" mode. The machine generally does what you tell it to do, and it does what you thought it could do, but it turns out that it's not really going to help you past a certain point. Despite some disappointment, regret, and possibly a little embarrassment if you were overly confident that the job could be done, I find that over time, these feelings tend to fade as everyday life goes on.
Let's look at the worse of the two: the "knowing what's best for you" mode. This is when the machine, or machinery of bureaucracy, is pathologically contrived to limit the extent to which you can interact with the machine in certain aspects. I have a few examples to illustrate this infinitely more frustrating experience.
The first was a coffee maker from a leading brand, very common, and sold in every department store. It turns out that making coffee leads to a gradual build up of oils which need to be cleaned from time to time. There appeared to be a simple screw which would allow the mesh element to pop out and be cleaned very easily, but the screw wouldn't budge. I phoned customer support and was advised that "only a qualified technician can work on this machine". That's right folks, to simply rinse the small metal mesh requires discipline and training, apparently. A classic case of "repair by replacement". Better for their bottom line?
The second example is of the machinery of human inflicted processes. I contacted a company regarding access to their online services. I wondered why my preferred login and contact details could not be granted to me. They said it was because my preferred details were already reserved for an existing user. I agreed, since that other user was me, as I had already set up an account with the same company, but for a different aspect of their service.
I suggested the simple process of wiping the details and starting fresh. The initial comment from the staff there was "I've worked here for over 10 years, over 12 years in fact, and no customer has ever, and I mean EVER, been able to wipe their details, sir". The matter is ongoing, but it's enough to make you give up on the spot. While you may control your thoughts and actions, you cannot control the information about yourself that you willingly give to a company, but perhaps not realise it will be frozen into their databases forever more, with no chance of appeal, parole, or clemency!
Upon reflection of what makes this second mode of frustration more aggravating than the first, the contrast seems to be one of empowerment vs constraint. The best machines allow us to do specific things better but also offer a resilience in the face of events because we have been granted some level of authority to control aspects of the machine which in turn improves the human machine interface. This is a more trusting relationship with the machine designer, where the trust leads to the sense of retaining control over our own fate.
The alternative situation probably has benefits such as speed and so called efficiency, but it can degrade to being transactional and of superficial quality. This is a less trusting relationship, with less emphasis on the importance of the individual with respect to the masses, and thus the rational thing to do is lower the target to the lowest common denominator.
Both of these relationship approaches seem to coexist across the various machines and the companies that own and operate them today. In the environment of relentless market forces and survival of the fittest, at first glance the speedy and more efficient approach seems best placed. However I would like to think that there is a still yet to be discovered beneficial effect that arises from the inherently more empowering and trusting relationships that can be fostered in the human machine interface, or the human to human via machine interface, which is ultimately just a modern variation of the much more ancient theme of community.
Little wonder we can be comforted by Hebrews 1 verse 11: "Now faith is the substance of thing hoped for, the evidence of things not seen".
Kurt Pudniks is a civilian engineer (MIEAust CPEng) working in Hobart.
Kurt's archive of articles can be read at
http://www.pressserviceinternational.org/kurt-pudniks.html